在中美经贸合作论坛上的致辞

贸学长

在中美经贸合作论坛上的致辞

女士们、先生们：

　　很高兴在这里和各位新老朋友会面。此次我率团访美，旨在积极落实中美两国元首伦敦金融峰会达成的共识，通过我们的实际行动，同舟共济、共谋发展，为中美经贸合作注入新的内涵，推动积极合作全面的中美关系不断向前发展。

　　刚才，中美双方企业家就如何加强贸易与投资合作进行了积极有益的研讨，并举行有关投资、贸易项目的签约仪式，这充分表明了中美双方加强合作的信心和诚意，将对建设积极合作全面的中美经贸关系打下坚实基础。

　　当前，我们正经历着百年不遇的金融危机，世界经济陷入了自上世纪大萧条以来最困难的境地，中国经济发展也面临着严峻考验。中国作为负责任的大国，在危机中采取了积极负责的态度，把扩大国内需求作为促进经济增长的基本立足点，果断实施一揽子经济刺激计划。从今年一季度情况看，固定资产投资增长加快，消费需求稳定较快增长，规模以上工业增速逐月回升，银行体系流动性充裕。这些迹象表明中国经济已经出现积极变化，形势比预料的要好。中国经济的稳定发展将给其他国家提供更多发展机遇和就业机会，有助于提振世界经济信心。

　　受全球经济大气候影响，中美经贸合作也受到一定冲击。按中方统计，今年前3个月，中美贸易额同比下降15.7%。美国对华投资占中国利用外资的比重，从2008年的3.2%，降至今年前3个月的2.6%。历史经验告诉我们，越是危机关头，越是要坚持开放合作。贸易保护主义不仅不能促进经济复苏，反而会加剧衰退。此次我们率企业家到美国开展投资贸易合作，充分表明了中国政府在困难形势下，坚持以实际行动反对贸易保护主义，以加强合作应对危机的鲜明立场。

　　在本月初举行的G20伦敦金融峰会上，胡锦涛主席和奥巴马总统举行了成功会晤，两国元首都对合作的未来充满信心。作为世界上最大的发展中国家和最大的发达国家，中美两国经济具有巨大互补性，中美经贸关系的稳定健康发展符合两国的长远利益。危机对于中美经贸合作而言，是挑战，更是机遇。当前，两国应同舟共济，共克时艰。要保持市场相互开放，不断拓展合作领域。在贸易政策上，中国政府并不追求大额顺差，我们将继续鼓励企业增加自美国商品进口，希望美国企业加强对中国市场和消费者的了解，开发更多适销对路产品并加大推广的力度。同时，我们鼓励有实力的中国企业到美国投资兴业，希望美方为投资合作创造良好的政策环境。我相信，只要双方从发展中美经贸关系大局出发，从应对经济危机的现实需要出发，坚定信心、携手努力，就一定能够早日战胜危机，推动中美经贸合作不断向前发展!谢谢大家！

Address at the China-U.S. Trade and Economic Forum

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am very pleased to meet old and new friends here. I am leading a delegationto the U.S. to implement the consensus reached by our leaders at the LondonFinancial Summit and take joint actions to overcome the difficulties and seekcommon development. This will inject new vitality to bilateral trade andeconomic cooperation and take forward the positive, cooperative and comprehensiveChina-U.S. relationship.

Just now entrepreneurs from China and the U.S. have had useful discussionsabout how to intensify trade and investment cooperation. A signing ceremony forinvestment and trade projects was organized. These have fully demonstrated theconfidence and sincerity of both sides in intensifying cooperation and serve asa solid foundation for the building of a positive, cooperative andcomprehensive China-U.S. trade and economic relationship.

Currently, we are experiencing a financial crisis rarely seen in history. Ithas landed the world economy in the most difficult position since the GreatDepression and posed severe challenge to China’s economic development. Asa large responsible nation, China has taken a proactive and responsibleattitude in tackling the crisis. We have based our economic stimulating effortson expanding domestic demand to promote growth and resolutely adopted aneconomic stimulus package. The statistics of the first quarter show thatfixed-asset investment grows faster, consumer demand grows steadily andrapidly, industrial output for above-scale enterprises rises month by month,while bank liquidity remains adequate. All these suggest that there arepositive signs in the Chinese economy. Things are better than expected. Thesteady development of the Chinese economy will provide more business and jobopportunities for other countries and help shore up confidence in the worldeconomy.

Thanks to the overall economic climate of the world, Sino-U.S. trade and economiccooperation has also been affected. In the first three months of the year,bilateral trade dropped by 15.7%. America’s share in China’s total foreign directinvestment declined from 3.2% in 2008 to 2.6% in the last three months. Historytells us that openness and cooperation is all the more important amidst acrisis. Trade protectionism will not restore growth; on the contrary, it willexacerbate recession. The fact that we bring Chinese entrepreneurs to the U.S.for investment and trade cooperation speaks volume of the Chinese government’s unequivocal position toreject trade protectionism through actions and jointly tackle the crisisthrough enhanced cooperation under tough circumstance.

At the G20 London Summit earlier this month, President Hu Jintao and PresidentObama had a successful meeting, during which both leaders expressed theirconfidence in the future of cooperation. As the largest developing country andthe largest developed country in the world, our two economies are highlycomplementary. The steady and sound development of our trade and economicrelations is in the long-term interests of both countries. The crisis is moreof an opportunity than a challenge for China-US trade and economic cooperation.At present, both countries should work together and help each other in a bid toweather the difficulties. We need to continue to open up our markets to eachother and continue to expand the scope of cooperation. In terms of tradepolicy, the Chinese government does not pursue an enormous trade surplus. Wewill continue to encourage Chinese businesses to buy more from the U.S. We hopeAmerican businesses could enhance their understanding of the Chinese market andconsumers, and develop more marketable products for and intensify marketing inChina. Meanwhile, we encourage competent Chinese businesses to invest in theU.S., and hope the U.S. could provide them with a favorable policy environment.I believe, as long as we proceed from the overall interests of China-USeconomic and trade relations and the realistic needs for tackling the currentcrisis, maintain confidence and join our forces, we will able to overcome thecrisis and take forward the China-US trade and economic cooperation.

Thank you!