President Xi Jinping delivers a policy speech to Chinese and United States’ CEOs during a dinner reception in Seattle, Washington, September 22, 2015.
Beijing and Washington must read each other’s strategic intentions correctly, and have “less estrangement (隔阂，疏远) and suspicion in order to forestall (预先阻止) misunderstanding and miscalculation,” said Chinese President Xi Jinping Tuesday night in his first major policy speech on China-US ties since he arrived in the US early Tuesday.
Xi called for more understanding and trust between the US and China, prior to his formal talks with President Barack Obama at the White House on Friday.
“ China is ready to set up a high-level joint-dialogue mechanism with the United States on fighting cybercrimes,” he said, adding that the Chinese government was a firm defender of cybersecurity while also being a victim of cybercrime. The world’s two largest economies “should strictly base our judgment on fact, for fear that we become victims to hearsay, paranoia, or self-imposed bias”.
Xi made his remarks in a 40-minute speech, the only public speech during his US visit, at a dinner attended by more than 750 business leaders and other dignitaries (显要人物), including former secretary of State Henry Kissinger. It was sponsored by the National Committee on United States-China Relations and the US-China Business Council.
In addition to cybersecurity, Xi raised other issues of concern to some in the US audience, including China’s stock m
arket and investment.
Xi said t
hat the government had taken necessary steps to stabilize the stock market after recent turbulence (动荡) triggered wide concern. China’s central bank adjusted its currency exchange rate acco
rding to market supply and demand in August, which the president said has achieved “initial success” in correcting the currency rate deviation (货币汇率偏差).
Xi also reiterated (重申) China’s opposition to cyber theft, in spite of high tensions between the two countries because the US has blamed several cyber attacks on China recently.
“ China is a strong defender of cybersecurity. It is also a victim of hacking,” Xi said. “The Chinese government will not, in whatever form, engage in commercial thefts or encourage or support such attempts by anyone. Both commercial cyber theft and hacking against government networks are crimes that must be punished in accordance with the law and relevant international treaties.”
Xi also shared the story of his hard and starving youth in a remote village to illustrate what a Chinese dream means for ordinary Chinese people.
Xi arrived at Seattle early Tuesday morning with his wife Peng Liyuan, and was warmly welcomed by Washington state business leaders and officials.
US Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker said that while this week many significant deals will be announced during Xi’s visit, it exemplifies (例证) US companies’ commitment to support China’s development with world-class technology.
Kissinger, who played a major role with opening relations between China and the United States in the 1970’s, said Xi’s state visit is an important step in lifting the two countries’ relationship from the day to day solving of problems to the creating of a new world order.
Xi will take part in a round-table discussion with Chinese and American executives, visit Boeing and Microsoft offices and a local high school before flying to Washington on Thursday morning.