Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng delivers a speech via video at the 2025 Duke-UNC China Leadership Summit, February 28, 2025. /Chinese Embassy in the U.S.
Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng on Friday stated that as two major global powers, China and the U.S. have an obligation to achieve long-term peaceful coexistence on this planet.
Xie made the remarks while delivering a speech via video at the 2025 Duke-UNC China Leadership Summit.
Xie called on the U.S. to adopt a correct perception of China, saying "If we see each other as a rival and engage in a race to the bottom, neither of us would be a winner, and the world would suffer. If we choose to be each other's partner and help one another succeed, we can prosper together, with the whole world benefiting from it."
He stressed that the pressing priority is for the U.S. to earnestly abide by the one-China principle, properly handle the Taiwan question in accordance with the three China-U.S. Joint Communiqués, resolutely oppose "Taiwan independence", stop upgrading its substantive relations with Taiwan, and cease efforts in helping Taiwan expand its so-called "international space."
Trying to "use Taiwan to contain China" would only invite trouble for oneself, Xie added.
The Chinese ambassador pointed out that bilateral trade between China and the U.S. last year exceeded $680 billion, with around 73,000 American companies investing in China. He cautioned that any attempt to decouple and disrupt supply chains would cause a heavy blow, and any trade war or tariff war would inflict greater harm on those who initiate it.
Xie reiterated that as early as in 2019, China became the first country in the world to officially schedule fentanyl-related substances as a controlled category. "The progress in China-U.S. counternarcotics cooperation in recent years has also been widely recognized. Wielding the baton of tariffs on the pretext of the fentanyl issue would only be counterproductive."
Noting the emerging global challenges and the flaring up of hotspot issues, Xie urged both countries to live up to their responsibility as major powers by upholding peace, development and cooperation, while rejecting hegemonism, unilateralism and protectionism.
