People's Daily Zhongsheng: The world is looking forward to the China-U.S. economic and trade consultations to set a good start for the positive interaction between China and the U.S. in economic and trade this year

On March 13, a piece of news became a global headline. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced that the 6th round of China-U.S. economic and trade consultations will be held in France. This is a new round of talks under the framework of the China-U.S. economic and trade consultation mechanism, following discussions in Geneva, London, Stockholm, Madrid, and Kuala Lumpur. This year is a "big year" for China-U.S. relations, and whether the economic and trade relationship can continue to maintain its momentum as the world hopes is of great significance for this round of consultations. The National People's Congress of China has just concluded, and the focus of this year's NPC was to review and approve the "14th Five-Year" plan outline. This document outlines China's development blueprint for the next five years and releases an opportunity list to the international community. "Coordinating the attraction of foreign investment and overseas investment, shaping new advantages in international trade and bilateral investment cooperation," "attracting and utilizing foreign investment with greater efforts," "promoting international industrial and investment cooperation"… As we enter the "14th Five-Year," China is solidly promoting high-quality development and unwaveringly expanding high-level opening-up, which will continue to unleash the potential of its vast market and provide more new opportunities for enterprises from various countries. The partners that China embraces with open arms naturally include American companies. This is also why various sectors in the U.S. are paying close attention to China's National People's Congress. A report from CNN stated: "The news coming from Beijing will be that China's push for innovative development will benefit the world." American companies are full of expectations for new opportunities in China-U.S. cooperation, but whether these opportunities can materialize depends on how the U.S. government handles its economic and trade relations with China. Recently, U.S. trade policy is facing a reset, but the tendency towards protectionism remains unchanged, adding new uncertainties to the global economic and trade order. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that some tariffs imposed by the U.S. were illegal. Subsequently, the U.S. initiated new investigations against 16 major economies and 60 economies, including China, under the so-called "overcapacity" and "importation of products made with forced labor" claims based on Section 301 of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974. Upon the news, there were widespread concerns, and a significant amount of criticism emerged domestically in the U.S. The reason is simple: American companies have long suffered from the impact of tariffs. Research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York indicates that by 2025, approximately 90% of the "tariff costs" in the U.S. will be borne by American consumers and businesses. A report from JP Morgan also shows that U.S. mid-sized enterprises are severely impacted by tariffs, with monthly tariff expenditures increasing to three times the original amount. The choice between maintaining open cooperation or resorting to protectionism has arisen again. China's answer remains unchanged: the essence of China-U.S. economic and trade relations is mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, and both sides should achieve each other and develop together, rather than artificially impose limits and bind their own hands. Stabilizing China-U.S. economic and trade relations is not easy, and this momentum should not be casually disrupted. Over the past year, China and the U.S. economic and trade teams have held five rounds of consultations. After ups and downs, both sides have ultimately returned to the correct track of dialogue to resolve differences, preventing a storm in the world economy. Between "fighting" and "talking," both sides have continuously accumulated experience in handling economic and trade differences. The scale of China-U.S. economic and trade relations is enormous and involves a wide range of issues, making it normal for there to be differences and even friction in some areas. In the face of problems, both sides should uphold the spirit of equality, respect, and mutual benefit, starting from the overall situation and focusing on the big picture, avoiding being blinded by a single leaf, and certainly not magnifying local issues indefinitely Both sides should focus on the big picture and look at the long term, allowing economic and trade relations to continue being the ballast and engine of China-U.S. relations, rather than a stumbling block and point of conflict. In the face of a new round of consultations, China's position is clear: China is always committed to properly resolving differences through equal consultation and will never compromise at the expense of legitimate rights and interests. For any actions that substantively harm China's legitimate development rights and interests, China is fully prepared with policies and response measures and will resolutely take countermeasures. In the long run, China's development and revitalization are not incompatible with the United States achieving "greatness again." Both China and the U.S. are major powers that cannot change each other, but they can change the way they interact. Upholding a mutual respect attitude, maintaining the bottom line of peaceful coexistence, and striving for a win-win cooperation outlook align with the interests of both peoples and the expectations of the world. China-U.S. economic and trade consultations should mark the beginning of positive interactions in the new year. Risk Warning and Disclaimer The market has risks, and investment requires caution. This article does not constitute personal investment advice and does not take into account the specific investment goals, financial situation, or needs of individual users. Users should consider whether any opinions, views, or conclusions in this article align with their specific circumstances. Investment based on this is at one's own risk