27th September 2023 – (Beijing) During a visit by American banker and former treasury secretary Henry Paulson, Beijing conveyed a welcoming message to US companies while calling on Washington to expand “positive” policies and reduce “negative” ones. Paulson, the founder of the U.S.-China policy think tank, the Paulson Institute, met with China’s Vice-President Han Zheng and top diplomat Wang Yi on Tuesday. The Chinese side expressed hopes of steering bilateral ties towards sound and steady growth with Washington.
According to state media Xinhua, Han stated, “We welcome more U.S. companies to invest and do business in China, to share development opportunities together.” He emphasised that Beijing’s approach to the United States was guided by principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation.
Highlighting the significance of the bilateral relationship between the two countries, Han stressed the need to enhance mutually beneficial cooperation across all sectors. He underscored the importance of joint efforts in advancing global economic recovery and addressing global challenges.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who recently concluded security talks during a visit to Russia, also met with Paulson’s delegation on the same day. Wang stated, “The nosedive of China-US relations does not meet the interests of the two peoples, the expectations of the international community, and the trend of the times.” He expressed hope that the United States would adopt a rational and pragmatic approach in its China policy, taking concrete actions to expand the positive list and reduce the negative list. Wang further called for exploration of peaceful coexistence between the two major countries.
Wang expressed appreciation for Paulson’s long-term commitment to promoting the development of China-U.S. relations with an objective and rational attitude. He expressed his desire for Paulson and his foundation to continue playing a constructive role in fostering positive engagement between the two nations.