Hong Kong China-US Forum Former Dignitaries Call for Reconciliation – 20220120 – China – Daily Ming Pao

Zeng Peiyan: The two countries should practice the three principles

The China-U.S. Exchange Foundation and the China Center for International Economic Exchanges jointly held the third “Hong Kong China-U.S. Forum” yesterday, with the theme of “Beyond Differences and Focus on Cooperation” to discuss the development of Sino-U.S. relations and their potential impact on the world. Former Irish President Mary Robinson and former Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong emphasized the need for China and the United States to cooperate in key areas such as climate change, economic recovery and trade. Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Zeng Peiyan, chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, also emphasized the importance of Sino-US cooperation.

Zeng Peiyan believes that China and the United States should adhere to the strategic framework of “mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation” proposed by the two heads of state at the video meeting at the end of last year. Keep going on the right track.” He said that strengthening anti-epidemic cooperation, strengthening cooperation on addressing climate change, strengthening economic and trade cooperation, and strengthening scientific and technological cooperation are beneficial to China and the United States.

Goh suggested that China and the United States “avoid conflict over differences, embrace healthy competition, and expand cooperation.” He said that whether Taiwan will become a reason for (China and the United States) to fight is the most worrying thing. He believes that with the intervention of the United States, if the Chinese mainland believes that peaceful reunification is hopeless, the Taiwan Strait may face catastrophic consequences.

As for the Sino-US trade war, Yasuo Fukuda reminded him to pay attention to the impact of the Japan-US trade war and the Plaza Accord in the 1980s on the Japanese economy. Regarding the United States’ criticism of China on human rights issues such as Xinjiang and Hong Kong, he believes that it is more important to handle the trade disputes between the two countries. Steve Orlins, chairman of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, also said that China and the U.S. should not “tit for tit for tat” on economic and trade issues and other related issues, but should cultivate the habit of cooperation in the short term, including immediately removing trade tariffs and discussing national security issues. A consensus has been reached on the definition of , so that both parties can continue commercial activities and restart scientific cooperation.

The China-US Exchange Foundation was established in 2008 by former Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa. At that time, Tung Chee-hwa said that he hoped to build a bridge between the two countries by promoting candid and constructive exchanges between Chinese and American policymakers, business leaders, scholars and think tanks.

Ming Pao reporter