Cui Tiankai, Chinese Ambassador to the United States, delivers a keynote speech at the CGCC 2020 Lunar New Year Gala and 15th Anniversary Celebration in New York on January 8 (ZHAO WEI)

A prolonged trade war between the United States and China, lasting nearly two years, has finally come to a truce, and the two sides are set to sign a phase-one deal on January 15. Facts have proved that for China and the United States, dialogue and consultation on the basis of equality and mutual respect will eventually lead to a win-win outcome, said Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai, in a keynote speech at an event hosted by the China General Chamber of Commerce-USA (CGCC) in New York on January 8. Cui expressed his hope that China-U.S. relations will move forward in the right direction and in a sound and steady manner in 2020. An edited excerpt of Ambassador Cui's speech at the CGCC 2020 Lunar New Year Gala and 15th Anniversary Celebration follows:  

Over the past four decades, China and the United States have had a fair share of challenges and difficulties in their relations. But the real strength of this important relationship lies in their ability to overcome the challenges and difficulties. Our ties are now faced with a difficult situation rarely seen in the past 40 years. Some forces are going all out to demonize China and provoke confrontation between China and the United States. What they are doing has seriously damaged our relations and put world peace and prosperity in real peril. If you ask me what my New Year's resolution is, I will say I hope that China-U.S. relations will move forward in the right direction and in a sound and steady manner. 

We hope that, in the new year, no matter how America's domestic politics changes, its real statesmen will adhere to rational and practical China policies, reject extreme rhetoric such as "decoupling" and "new Cold War," and work with China toward a relationship based on coordination, cooperation and stability. This is for the good of the people of both countries and the whole world. For both sides, being responsible to the people and to history is the only correct political choice to make. 

In the new year, China and the United States need to strengthen strategic communication and take an objective and rational view of each other. China follows the path of peaceful development and stands firm on world peace and common development. We hope to build a community with a shared future for mankind. We do not develop to overtake or displace other countries, nor do we have any interest in global or regional hegemony. The Communist Party of China has put in every effort along its way over the past century or so with only one goal in mind: to pursue happiness for the people and rejuvenation for the nation. 

China and the United States need to base their relations on facts and not let lies and "fake news" have their way. There are people who claim that China took advantage of the United States in its development. In fact, China's development has only come from the hard work of the 1.4 billion Chinese people, and the people are entitled to pursue a better life. This year will be decisive for China to eliminate absolute poverty across the country, and China's right to development allows no challenge. 

The problems besetting the Hong Kong society, such as wealth polarization and social division, are rooted in the blind faith in and indiscriminate application of capitalist dogma. But some people are using Hong Kong's problems to stir up violence, and their ultimate scheme is to contain and split up China. In the case of Xinjiang, our counter-terrorism efforts there have ensured the safety of people of various ethnic groups, and curbed the spread of extremism. However, we have seen facts distorted and sensational numbers fabricated about Xinjiang to justify terrorism. Lies are lies. No matter how many times they are repeated, they will not become truths. Instead, they will only lay bare the sinister intention of these rumormongers. 

China and the United States need to respect each other and not challenge each other's core interests. Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Taiwan and Tibet are all China's territories far away from the United States. On the issues concerning China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, we urge the United States not to put our bottom line to test. China will never back down on its core interests, and the attempt to split up China will never succeed. 

China and the United States also need to be future-oriented and work together for a better future of our planet. Some regional tensions are escalating, economic and financial risks are building up in world markets, climate change poses imminent threats to mankind, and scientific advances such as artificial intelligence are coupled with hazards brought by inadequate international governance and rules. All these problems require concerted efforts and stronger cooperation between China and the United States. 

Copyedited by Madhusudan Chaubey 　　 

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