第三次中美战略经济对话开幕式致辞

第三次中美战略经济对话开幕式致辞 鲍尔森财长，各位同事： 我非常高兴在庄重典雅、具有中国古典建筑艺术风格的“中信国安第一城”欢迎鲍尔森财长和各位美国同事， 并在此举行第三次中美战略经济对话。 一年前，我们在北京举行了首次中美战略经济对话，使胡锦涛主席和布什总统达成的创建中美战略经济对 话机制的共识成为现实。一年来，在中美两国国家元首的密切关注和指导之下，中美战略经济对话机制日趋成 熟，发挥着日益重要的作用，对中美两国经贸关系乃至整体关系的稳定和发展产生着越来越重要的积极影响， 受到中美两国人民乃至世界各国的广泛关注。 首次中美战略经济对话的主题是中美两国的发展道路和经济发展战略，第二次对话我们重点就影响中美经 济关系的若干热点问题进行了讨论，本次对话则是在更为广泛的经济全球化的大背景之下，研究中美经济关系 的现状和未来的发展方向。我认为本次对话的主题“抓住经济全球化的机遇和应对经济全球化的挑战”，既有战 略高度，又立足于现实的经济问题，顺应了当今世界经济发展的主流和趋势，反映了中美两国人民十分关注的 重点问题，也体现了中美两国妥善解决经济关系快速发展过程中产生的矛盾和问题、深化合作的共同愿望。围 绕这一主题，会议将探讨应对经济全球化挑战的政策措施、强化贸易诚信、加强在产品质量和食品安全领域的 合作、促进经济平衡发展、加强在能源和环境领域的合作和改善投资环境。我相信根据这一主题，通过对重点 问题的讨论，会议一定能为深化中美两国经贸合作、推进中美建设性合作关系的发展作出新的贡献。 借此机会，我愿对中美经贸关系未来发展和需要重点推进的几项工作提出建议： 第一，深刻理解中美两国既是利益攸关方，又是建设性合作者的重要内涵，理解中美经贸关系是中美总体第一，深刻理解中美两国既是利益攸关方，又是建设性合作者的重要内涵，理解中美经贸关系是中美总体 关系的基础与纽带的重要意义。关系的基础与纽带的重要意义。中美贸易额从 1972 年尼克松总统访华时几乎为零的状态，发展到今年有望突破 3000 亿美元大关，双方互为第二大贸易伙伴，中国连续五年成为美国增长最快的出口市场，这是中美两国共同 努力的结果，凝聚着两国有识之士为双边经贸关系发展付出的大量心血。中美经贸关系的深化，直接造福于中 美两国人民，使他们的生活水平不断提高。中美经贸关系是互惠互利的，这一关系的发展同两国政治关系、文 化关系、科技关系等方方面面的发展密切相关、相辅相成。中美经贸关系在不断向前发展的过程中，推进了中 美其他领域合作的发展，成为中美整体关系的坚实基础。当然，毋庸讳言，中美经贸关系快速发展的过程中， 也出现了一些矛盾和问题。对于这些矛盾和问题，只能通过对话和磋商加以解决。中美经贸关系的历史发展过 程反复提示我们，对话胜于对抗，协商胜于指责。我们要以建设性的态度努力解决好中美经贸关系中出现的问 题，包括双方共同努力采取综合措施，逐步缓解中美贸易不平衡问题，并且通过化解矛盾、解决纠纷，将中美 经贸关系不断推向新的高度，从而使中美两国既是利益攸关方、又是建设性合作者的关系具有更加坚实的经济 基础。 第二，通过深化对话和磋商，强化中美战略互信，增进彼此理解和照顾对方关切。第二，通过深化对话和磋商，强化中美战略互信，增进彼此理解和照顾对方关切。经济全球化的快速发展， 中美经贸关系的不断深化，使中美两国人民经济生活的方方面面联系更加密切，形成“你中有我、我中有你、互 利共赢”的经贸关系。我们均希望对方的经济能够不断持续地向前发展，从而使我们各自经济发展具有更广阔的 对外合作空间。正因为如此，我们不能同意某些利益集团以一己之私利，损害互惠共赢的双边经济关系。我们 坚决反对把经贸问题政治化，坦率而言，经贸问题政治化损害的不仅是对方利益，而且将两败俱伤。我特别关 切美国国会迄今提出的 50 多项保护主义色彩浓厚的涉华经贸议案，我必须坦率地告诉鲍尔森财长和各位美国同 事，这些议案如获通过，势必严重损害中美经贸关系。美国的企业家和美国的有识之士，已经认识到贸易保护 主义倾向的严重后果和影响。我欢迎鲍尔森财长、古铁雷斯部长和施瓦布贸易代表于 7 月 30 日就美参议院财委 会和银行委员会分别提出的有关议案联名致信美国国会，指出美国国会的行动“所起的作用适得其反”，并明确 表示反对上述立法行动。我也愿提醒大家注意 9 月 26 日美国 160 家跨国公司和行业协会致美国国会的联名信。 签署这封信的公司，既包括英特尔、微软、IBM、惠普这样的高科技公司，也有沃尔玛、百思买等大型零售店； 既有花旗集团、摩根斯坦利、纽约人寿等主要金融机构，也包括可口可乐、宝洁、雪弗龙、通用电器等大型工 业企业。联名信特别强调，对华贸易制裁只会导致弊大于利的结果。使用贸易保护主义做法，要求某一国家为 美国经济自身存在的结构性问题承担责任，不仅无效，而且将损害美国的利益。我希望美国政府、美国国会和 美国媒体，能够倾听美国企业的呼声，能够从美国的整体利益出发，顺应经济全球化的历史发展趋势，理解中 美关系的大局和中美经贸关系互利双赢的性质，采取正确的经贸政策措施，确保中美两国人民能够从不断发展 的中美经贸关系中获得更多实实在在的利益。 第三，妥善处理中美经贸关系发展过程中的新问题，化问题和挑战为深化合作的机遇，拓展中美经贸合作第三，妥善处理中美经贸关系发展过程中的新问题，化问题和挑战为深化合作的机遇，拓展中美经贸合作 的深度和广度。的深度和广度。中美两国经贸关系规模之大，涉及范围之广，牵涉各方面利益之深，已经使其成为当今世界最 为复杂的经济关系。这就需要我们站在战略高度，用更高的智慧，更大的勇气，采取更加有力的政策措施，创 造性地处理好在经贸关系发展过程中不断出现的各种新问题，把问题和挑战化为深化合作的机遇，为中美经贸 关系的健康发展创造新的动力。当前中美经贸关系中出现的产品质量和食品安全问题，就是一个突出的事例。 在经济全球化的大环境之下，产品质量和食品安全确实具有跨国境的全球性影响，这就要求相关国家增强合作 意识，承担相应责任，强化有关机制，确保公众生活质量和安全。中国政府高度重视这一问题，成立了以我本 人为组长的国务院产品质量和食品安全领导小组，在全国范围内开展了为期四个月的专项整治特别行动。同时， 我也要实事求是地向美方指出，在强化产品质量和食品安全方面美国应负的责任。我注意到，美方也加强了相 关的整治活动。我高兴地看到，在中美战略经济对话的框架之下，双方就这一问题进行了深入坦率的讨论，在 加强互信和合作的精神指导下，磋商取得了实质性的进展。本次会议前，双方签署了中美关于食品、饲料安 全的合作协议和中美药品、医疗器械安全合作备忘录，这突出表明我们双方对话和合作的诚意和效果。 我还要指出，双方在环境和能源领域具有进一步深化合作的巨大潜力，我们要进一步扩大合作领域，争取取得 新的合作成果。在中美经贸不平衡方面，我曾反复表明，中方不刻意追求大额贸易顺差，我们的政策是实现国 际收支的基本平衡。解决好中美贸易不平衡问题，需要我们双方共同努力。我再次强调，美国应放宽对中国民 用高技术产品的出口，这也是美国的国家利益所在。中国已连续五年成为美国出口增长最快的国家，美国在对 华出口方面，仍有很大的增长空间，中国的政策是明确的，中国对美国产品敞开大门，关键在美方的政策。美 方利益的实现，取决于美国自己对其政策的把握。我希望美方在这一问题上，能有新的思维，能够摆脱传统思 想的束缚，从美国自身利益出发，扩大美国对中国民用高技术产品的出口，增加美国对中国市场的占有率。胡 锦涛总书记不久前在中国共产党第十七次全国代表大会上宣布了确保到 2020 年实现全面建成小康社会的奋斗目 标，其中包括增强发展协调性，努力实现经济又好又快发展，中国要在 2000 年的基础上，到 2020 年把中国人 均 GDP 翻两番；建设生态文明，即基本形成节约能源和保护生态环境的产业结构、增长方式、消费模式。这是 非常重大的政策宣示，表明中国的国内消费将进一步扩大，中国国内市场的空间将产生巨大的飞跃，中国的发 展质量将进一步提高。中国对市场产品特别是环保产品的需求，将更加大幅度地增加。我希望我们的美国朋友， 能够把握住机遇，通过中美双方的共同努力，使中美经贸关系逐渐趋于平衡。 鲍尔森财长，在中美经贸关系历史发展的关键时刻，我们将要举行的第三次中美战略经济对话具有特别的 意义，我期待着通过本次对话，中美双方将深化经济全球化对中美两国经济影响的认识，在具体议题的讨论上 取得重大进展，有助于中美经贸关系中出现问题的解决和矛盾的化解，坚定不移地贯彻中美两国国家元首关于 中美战略经济对话的共识，推动中美经贸关系的不断向前发展，造福于中美两国人民。预祝第三次中美战略经 济对话取得成功！ Opening Remarks At the Third China-US Strategic Economic Dialogue Wu Yi Special Representative of President Hu Jintao and Vice Premier of the State Council Dear Secretary Henry Paulson, Dear colleagues, I am delighted to welcome you to the Grand Epoch City, a garden city of classical Chinese architecture to attend the Third China-US Strategic Economic Dialogue. This time last year, following the agreement reached between President Hu Jiantao and President Bush, we held the First China-US Strategic Economic Dialogue in Beijing. Since then, thanks to the personal attention paid and guidance given by the two presidents, the SED mechanism has grown in strength. Attracting widespread public attention in both countries and the international community, it has played an increasingly important role in ensuring the stability and growth of not only China-US business ties, but also our overall relations. The First China-US Strategic Economic Dialogue focused on the Development Road and Economic Development Strategy of China and the United States. During the second Dialogue, we discussed key issues concerning China-US business relations. And we are meeting for this round of the Dialogue to review the current state of these relations in the broader context of economic globalization and look ahead at their future growth. The theme for the Dialogue, namely, Seizing the Opportunities of Economic Globalization and Dealing with the Challenges of Economic Globalization, is of both strategic and practical significance. It echoes the trend of the current global economic development, addresses key issues of concern to both China and the United States, and demonstrates our shared desire to resolve difficulties and problems that have occurred in the course of the rapid growth of bilateral business ties and deepen China-US cooperation. Under this theme, we will discuss such topics as policy steps to meet challenges posed by economic globalization, integrity of trade, cooperation on product quality and food safety, balanced economic development, cooperation on energy and environmental protection, and improving investment environment. I am confident that our discussions on both the general theme and specific topics of the Dialogue will help boost both China-US business ties and the growth of China-US constructive and cooperative relations. I wish to take this opportunity to discuss the future growth of our business relations and the priority areas we need to focus on. . First, China and the United States are both stakeholders and constructive partners. We need to fully appreciate the important weight this relationship carries and the fact that business ties are both the foundation and a key area of the overall China-US relations. In 1972, when late President Nixon made his first visit to China, our trade was almost non-existent. By contrast, it is expected to exceed US$ 300 billion. China and the United States are each others second largest trading partners, and China has been the fastest growing export market for the United States for five consecutive years. We owe such progress to the joint efforts of both countries, and we salute all the people in both countries who have worked so hard to build strong business ties between the two countries. The dynamic growth of China-US business ties has benefited our two peoples, making life better for them. Our business relations are win-win in nature. They are closely linked to our relations in the political, cultural, scientific, technological and other fields, and these ties are mutually reinforcing. The strong growth of our business ties has boosted our cooperation in other fields, thus becoming a solid foundation for the growth of overall China-US relations. In the course of the rapid growth of China-US business relations, some difficulties and problems have occurred. This is normal, and these difficulties and problems can only be resolved through dialogue and consultation. The history of China-US business relations has repeatedly shown us that it is dialogue and consultation, not confrontation and finger pointing, that have enabled the relations to grow. We should address issues in our business relations in a constructive way. We should make joint efforts and adopt comprehensive measures to ease trade imbalance and resolve disputes so as to further boost our business relations. And this will lay a more solid economic foundation for growing the relations between China and the Unites States who are both stakeholders and constructive partners. Second, we should strengthen strategic mutual trust, enhance mutual understanding and accommodate each others concerns through deepened dialogue and consultation. Thanks to accelerated economic globalization, the growing China-US business relations featuring interdependence, mutual benefit and win-win progress have brought our two peoples increasingly closer to each other. We all hope that both our economies will enjoy sustained growth so as to create more opportunities to expand cooperation in the interest of our respective development. This is why we must not allow some interest groups to harm our win-win business relations in pursuit of their selfish interests. We must oppose attempt to politicize trade issues. Politicizing trade issues will harm the interests of not just one side, but both sides. I am particularly concerned about the 50 or so protectionist China-related bills introduced in the US Congress. Secretary Paulson and other American colleagues, I need to be quite candid about this: If these bills are adopted, they will severely undermine US business ties with China. I have noticed that the American business community and public figures with vision have seen the grave consequences of protectionism. In this connection, I welcome the joint letter sent by Secretary Paulson, Secretary Gutierrez, and Ambassador Schwab to the Congress on July 30th, concerning the bills respectively sponsored by the Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. Secretary Paulson, you and your colleagues rightly pointed out in the letter that these moves can only be “counter-productive“, and stated your explicit opposition to them. I also wish to draw your attention to a joint letter sent by 160 US multinational corporations and industry associations to the Congress on 26 September. The American corporations which signed the letter include high-tech companies such as Intel, Microsoft, IBM and HP, mega retail store chains such as Wal-Mart and Best Buy, Citibank, Morgan Stanley, New York Life and other major financial institutions and leading American companies like Coco-cola, Procter & Gamble, Chevron and General Electric. It is emphasized in the letter that US trade sanctions against China would only cause negative impact rather than a positive one. Obviously, to resort to trade protectionism and blame another country for the structural problems in the US economy is the wrong approach which would only harm the interest of United States itself. I hope that the US administration, the Congress and the media will heed the voice of the business community. I hope they will not lose sight of the larger interests of the United States, follow the historical trend of economic globalization, appreciate the importance of its overall relations with China and the mutually beneficial nature of our business ties, and pursue the right trade policy so as to enable our two peoples to gain more from the continuous growth of China-US business relations. Third, we should properly address new issues emerging in the course of the growth of China-US business relations, turn difficulties and challenges into opportunities for cooperation and develop China-US business ties in both depth and width. China-US business relationship is the most complex one in todays world owing to its huge scale, broad scope and the extensive interests of various parties involved. This requires us to view this relationship from a strategic height, demonstrate greater vision and courage, and adopt more effective policy measures to handle in a creative way issues that have occurred as our business ties expand. We should endeavor to turn difficulties and challenges into opportunities for cooperation, and add new momentum to the growth of our business relations. A case in point is the issue of product quality and food safety. As economic globalization gathers momentum, product quality and food safety have become a global issue. This means that the countries concerned must increase cooperation, assume their due responsibilities and strengthen related mechanisms to ensure the quality and safety of peoples life. The Chinese Government takes this issue very seriously. For instance, the Leading Group for Product Quality and Food Safety under the State Council has been set up, and I am head of the Group. The Chinese Government has launched a four-month long nationwide campaign to improve product quality and food safety. At the same time, I need to point out frankly that the United States should also assume its due share of responsibility for improving product quality and food safety. I have noticed that the US side has intensified efforts to address this issue. I am glad that China and the United States have had in-depth and frank discussions on this issue within the SED framework. Acting in a spirit of enhancing mutual trust and cooperation, we have made substantive progress in the consultations. Before this round of the Dialogue, the two sides signed the Memorandum of Agreement on Food and Feed Safety and the Agreement on the Safety of Drugs and Medical Devices, which fully demonstrate our resolve to solve the issue through dialogue and cooperation and the progress made. I also wish to stress that there is enormous potential for further bilateral cooperation in the fields of environment and energy. We need to expand areas of cooperation and make new progress in them. As to China-US trade imbalance, I have repeatedly stated that China has no intention to seek large trade surplus with the United States. Our policy is to maintain a basic balance in international payments. To address China-US trade imbalance requires the concerted efforts of both sides. Here, I once again call on the United States to relax export control over export of high-tech products for civilian use to China. This is in your own interest. China has been the fastest growing export market for the United States for five years, and there is great potential for increasing US export to China. Chinas policy toward the US import is very clear, and its door is wide open to American products. The key is what policy the United States should pursue. Whether the United States can increase its export to China hinges on what policy it will follow. I hope the US side will change the outdated mindset and see the new horizon. My point is clear: Expand export of civilian-use high-tech products to China, and you can enlarge your market share in China. This is where your interest lies. At the recently-concluded 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General