US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo ended her four-day visit to China on Aug. 30. Since June, he has become the fourth US politician to visit China this year. The international community has noted that China and the United States have announced the “establishment of a new communication channel”. Raimondo made it clear that Washington “does not seek to separate from China” and expressed his hope that his country’s companies would continue to invest in China.
During his visit to China in June, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also made clear that the United States is committed to returning to the consensus reached by the two heads of state at the meeting in Bali.
At the same time, in the past two months, Lai Qingtiu, deputy leader of the Taiwan region, “crossed” into the United States, and Washington allowed arms sales to Taiwan and decided to limit US arms. investments. These actions call into question the credibility of the United States and therefore require further monitoring to what extent Raimondo’s statement is consistent with the actions.
So what should the United States do in order to fulfill its promise to “not detach from China”?
In order to make the right decisions, Washington should realize that the core of China-US economic and trade relations is based on mutual benefit. The volume of Sino-American trade in 2022 approached $760 billion, which is a record. A 2023 report by the US-China Business Council shows that US exports to China have created more than 1 million jobs for the US itself. The report revealed that more than 70,000 US companies are investing in China, and nearly 90% of US companies operating in China are profitable. According to CNN, American companies have established a huge manufacturing network in China and rely heavily on Chinese consumers.
This is the direct reason why the American business community does not agree to secede from China. According to US press reports, before Raimondo left for China, he consulted with nearly 150 business leaders, all of whom expressed the urgent hope that communication between China and the United States would become more intense. Policymakers in Washington must listen to the will of the American business community.
The working group set up by China and the United States, or the export control information clearing-house mechanism that has already been launched, should play a real role in resolving differences through dialogue and strengthening political coordination. This is what the international community wants to see.
Chen Liang
#QLKR
