Ambassador Xie Feng had a fireside chat with the founding dean of the Harvard Kennedy School, Professor Graham Allison_Embassy of the People's Republic of China to the United States of America

On April 19, 2024, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng visited Harvard University and had a fireside chat with the founding dean of the Harvard Kennedy School, Professor Graham Allison. Ambassador Xie explained China's policy and position on how China and the United States can overcome the Thucydides Trap, cooperation and competition between the two countries, Belt and Road cooperation and Road and other issues.

Ambassador Xie pointed out that as the world's most important bilateral relationship, China-US relations are facing unprecedented challenges. Whether the younger generation can continue to enjoy the peace and development of eight decades as their parents did depends largely on whether China and the United States can find the right way to do so. 'hear in the new era. In this globalized world, countries do not travel separately on some 190 small boats, but sail on a giant ship, sharing the same future. Only by uniting can we find a way out, while separating will only drown us.

China's choice is clear and firm: we will advance national rejuvenation by following China's path of domestic modernization, and we will promote global peace and development by building a community with a shared future for mankind at the international level. Now that we have all become aware of the extreme danger of Thucydides' trap, why should we still throw ourselves headlong into it? From the beginning, China did not view the “Thucydides Trap” as inevitable. We are willing to work with the US side on the basis of the principles set out by President Xi Jinping, namely mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, to promote the healthy, steady and sustainable development of China-China relations. Americans and to avoid the trap together. Is the United States also ready to do this?

Ambassador Xie said the historic summit between President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden in San Francisco last November not only injected stability into bilateral relations, but also formed a vision for San Francisco's future. Since the meeting, the two sides have maintained interactions at various levels and conducted dialogue and cooperation in areas such as foreign policy, economy and trade, law enforcement, agriculture and relations. between soldiers. On the issue of fentanyl and other issues of concern to the US side, China has fully demonstrated its sincerity in cooperation. But dialogue and cooperation must be reciprocal and based on mutual respect, and everyone cannot focus on their own interests in the process. We hope the US side will take serious steps to implement the important consensus of the two presidents on issues of concern to the Chinese side. For example, both presidents agreed that the two sides should hold consultations on national security borders. Both sides have indeed begun such consultations, but little progress has been made over the past six months. Although the US side has agreed to such consultations in principle, it is reluctant to engage in detailed discussions. And when pressed, he would simply claim that national security is non-negotiable. » This is not a responsible attitude.

From traditional areas such as economy, trade and agriculture to new areas such as climate change and artificial intelligence, China and the United States have many common interests and room for mutually beneficial cooperation. The two sides should promote cooperation in the spirit of reciprocity and handle differences prudently, so as to realize the San Francisco Vision and promote the healthy, stable and sustainable development of China-US relations.

Ambassador Xie pointed out that there is indeed competition between China and the United States. The Chinese people are not afraid of competition, but all competition must be fair. It should be like competing for excellence on a racing field, without beating each other in a wrestling ring. But what the United States is considering is not competition, but intimidation. By imposing sanctions on Chinese companies in accordance with its own domestic law, the United States is keeping Chinese players out of the game before the game even begins. The US side also forced other countries to ban exports of certain devices and technologies to China, for example, lithography machines. It's like asking others to run barefoot or in straw slippers while you wear high-tech athletic shoes during a race. But even barefoot, some prominent Chinese players, such as producers of electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic products, have managed to take the lead. However, the US side then accuses them of being too competent, causing overcapacity and posing a threat to other competitors, demanding that they leave the game. This is not fair.

Competition is not the entirety of Sino-US relations, as the two countries cooperate in many areas. The relationship should not be simply defined by competition. If we allow competition to dominate Sino-US relations, it will only lead to strategic risks. No one would come out a winner.

It would be illusory to suppress and encircle China in the name of competition on the one hand, and to try to manage competition and avoid direct conflict on the other. If we only aim for the minimum goal of avoiding conflict in Sino-US relations, we would not be far from entering one. It's like racing cars on the edge of a cliff, where vain drivers are most likely to end up falling into the abyss. No safeguard would then be enough to put a floor on the relationship.

Responding to a question on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Ambassador Xie said China has always adhered to the principle of in-depth consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits to advance cooperation in within the framework of the Belt and Road, in order to facilitate the revitalization of all. countries and give impetus to common development. The BRI is not a geopolitical tool, but a very popular global public good. Instead of being aimed at confrontation between blocs, it is an open and inclusive platform for international cooperation. Citing the success of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, Ambassador Xie pointed out that the successful results of Belt and Road cooperation have once again proven that high-level industrial capacity quality is not excessive on a global scale and can generate more efficient demands and stimulate economic growth. The facts have contradicted these stories which slander and spread pessimism around this initiative. Ambassador Xie said the obsession with hegemony is not in China's DNA. China is neither Athens nor Sparta. Assuming that China would surely follow the old path taken by traditional Western powers is a serious miscalculation, and those who believe that force determines intent are basically imposing their mindset on others. China will always be a member of the developing world and is ready to share development dividends with other countries.

Ambassador Xie also outlined China's position on the anti-espionage law, China's nuclear policy and China-US economic ties. He stressed that legislating on national security is a common practice at the international level. In adopting relevant legislation, China has also drawn on the experience of other countries. Foreign nationals have no reason to worry about their safety as long as they follow Chinese law. Regarding China's nuclear policy, he stressed that China is firmly committed to a nuclear self-defense strategy. China has pledged not to use nuclear weapons first and follows a policy of not using or threatening to use nuclear weapons unconditionally against non-nuclear-weapon states and nuclear-free zones. nuclear weapons. It advocates the complete ban and complete destruction of nuclear weapons worldwide. Regarding China-US economic and trade relations, Ambassador Xie stressed that these ties are essentially mutually beneficial. A trade war serves no one's interests. Ultimately, American consumers will pay the price, American businesses will suffer losses, the international economic and trade order and global industrial and supply chains will be shaken, and the global recovery will be hampered.