Common development should become major consensus of China, US: Chinese ambassador

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Common development should become a major consensus of China and the United States, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang said during an annal gala on Tuesday.

At the gala of the U.S.-China Policy Foundation, Qin said that China's sustained and stable development is not a threat to the United States, but "a major opportunity and benefit."

"China's development is aimed at meeting the people's aspiration for a better life, not to enter into a win-lose competition with any country," said Qin.

Over the past few years, the China-U.S. relationship has gone through serious difficulties, Qin pointed out, noting that this is not in the fundamental interests of the two peoples.

"We hope that the United States will respect the Chinese people's right to pursue a better life and accept China's development," he added.

As President Xi Jinping stressed, China and the United States should respect each other, coexist peacefully and carry out win-win cooperation.

The ambassador expressed his hope that all of the experts to pool wisdom, jointly explore how the two countries can get along with each other, and how to take the China-U.S. relations back to the right track of healthy and stable development.

The U.S. participants reviewed the history and looked forward to the future of the U.S.-China relations. They mainly emphasized the importance of strengthening exchanges and communication, as well as enhancing mutual understanding and trust between the two sides.

Attendees to the event included Rick Larsen, House representative of Washington State and co-chair of the U.S.-China Working Group in the House, Rick Waters, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of State, and former United States Ambassador to China Stapleton Roy.