Chairman John Zhao, Chairman Bi Jingquan, Vice Minister Lu Kang, President Boris Tadić, Chair Charlene Barshefsky, Ambassador Nicholas Burns, Ambassador Max Baucus, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

It gives me great pleasure to join you in Hong Kong virtually. From 2017 to 2021 I had the honor to serve as Commissioner of the Foreign Ministry of China in Hong Kong SAR. Time flies. That has been nearly four years since I left, but I still hold fond memories of my friends there. So first of all, let me extend my warm congratulations to the successful opening of the U.S.-China Hong Kong Forum, and also my best wishes to friends, old and new.

As we mark the 45th anniversary of China-U.S. diplomatic relations, and as the U.S. presidential election has drawn to an end, the theme of this year's forum, Reflection and Forecast is highly relevant. History, if not forgotten, can serve as a guide for the future. Over the years, the China-U.S. relationship has traveled an extraordinary journey, bringing tremendous dividends of peace, stability and development to both countries and the world. History tells us that when China and the United States work together, we can make a big difference; if we confront one another, turbulence, division and disaster would ensue.

Going forward, the relationship is again at a new historical starting point. Both our peoples and the world are watching closely where it will head. President Xi Jinping has called for joint efforts to enhance dialogue and communication, properly manage differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and find the right way for China and the United States to get along with each other in the new era. A stable, sound and sustainable China-U.S. relationship is in our common interests and mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation represent the right path to take.

The two sides need to strengthen dialogue and communication. We are the world's two largest economies, permanent members of the UN Security Council and nuclear power states, turning our back on each other is not an option. Conflict or confrontation would have consequences neither side can afford. In Chinese culture, we believe whenever there is an issue, the best way forward is to sit down and talk it through. While China and the United States each have our own concerns, we can well put the issues on the table, have candid communication and find a solution through equal footed consultation. It would be ridiculous if the very word dialogue should become a taboo, which would mean a chilling return to the Cold War era estrangement and confrontation. The two sides need to let dialogue and win-win results define our interactions, not confrontation or zero-sum mentality. We need to enhance dialogue at various levels and in various fields, eliminating misunderstanding and miscalculation, expand common interests and foster closer ties between our two peoples, so as to inject fresh impetus into China-U.S. relations.

China is always open to dialogue. We welcome more exchanges between our peoples, and we are willing to be partners and friends of the United States. We hope the U.S. side will also move with us in the same direction. The two sides need to properly manage differences. Time has changed. Past tragedies of major country conflict should not be allowed to repeat. It is important to ensure the giant ship of the China-U.S. relationship will not lose direction or speed, still less having a collision.

As the Chinese saying goes, the finer details will fall into places when they are aligned with the bigger picture. We need to view and handle China-U.S. relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. China has no plan to overtake or displace the United States. We hope the U.S. side will also have no intention to contain or suppress China. We need to focus more on our common interests, instead of being preoccupied by differences and allowing them to dominate the headlines. We need to respect each other's core interests and major concerns, properly manage differences in a constructive manner and minimize negative factors.

The Taiwan question is at the very core of China's core interests and is the bedrock of the political foundation of China-U.S. relations. If mishandled, it could be the biggest flash point that may trigger conflict and confrontation. Any forces trying to play Taiwan as a card would be playing with fire. To truly uphold peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, one should commit to the One China principle and the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques in both word and deed, and unequivocally oppose Taiwan independence.

The two sides also need to expand mutually beneficial cooperation. China-U.S. cooperation is never a zero-sum game, nor a one-way street where one party gets all the benefits. Otherwise, how could our economic cooperation grow to the current size? Economically, our total trade has exceeded $660 billion, and over 70,000 American companies are doing business in China, earning a profit of $50 billion annually. In terms of employment, exports to China alone support 930,000 jobs in the United States. In terms of livelihood, Chinese products have not only offered American consumers more choices, but also lowered costs for them. The Chinese investment has not only created more jobs in the United States, but also bolstered local economies. Our interests are so deeply intertwined that decoupling and disrupting supply chains do not make economic sense and simply will not work. Trade war or tech war is a double-edged sword. Why should anyone opt for something that serves nobody's interest? The earth is big enough for China and the United States to develop respectively and prosper together. Our two countries should be a boost, not an obstacle, to each other's development. From traditional areas like economy and trade, agriculture and energy to emerging challenges such as AI and public health, the two sides enjoy vast room for mutually beneficial cooperation.

Dear friends, throughout the decades with the courage and wisdom of both sides, the China-U.S. relationship has braved wind and rain and forged ahead against all odds. Today, we need to set out again the two sides should and can find the right way to get along on this planet. To do that, the support from people from both countries, including all of you here, is indispensable. I would like to thank the China-United States Exchange Foundation for its important contribution to promoting bilateral exchanges and cooperation over all these years.

Hong Kong has unique strength as it enjoys backing of the motherland and is open to the world and has restored order and is set to thrive. The interests of Hong Kong and the United States are also deeply interconnected. Therefore, a prosperous and stable Hong Kong serves the common interests of China and the United States. Let's work together to seize opportunities and remove disruptions so as to let Hong Kong shine brighter as an international financial trading and shipping center and usher in a better future for the Pearl of the Orient.

Thank you very much.