China's ambassador to the US is calling for better ties between the two countries. Cui Tiankai made the statement while addressing guests at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC. He said better cooperation - and trust - between China and the US would be mutually beneficial. Roee Ruttenberg reports.

As part of its Lunar New Year Festivities, the Chinese Embassy in Washington annually hosts a VIP reception, as part of its Lunar New Festivities. This year, Wilbur Ross - the US Commerce Secretary - was among the dignitaries in the front row. Ross recently admitted that the US may have picked a trade fight with China, after the Trump administration last month announced it was imposing tariffs on some Chinese exports, and considering more. Addressing the crowd, Ambassador Cui Tiankai called for better mutual understanding between the two countries. And, laid out his vision for China-US relations going forward.

CUI TIANKAI CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO THE US "We'll continue to have differences between us. But our growing common interests are far more important. We may continue to have disagreements between us. But the need for cooperation will far outweigh any differences between us."

Cui then pushed back against some in Washington who've grown vocally suspicious of China's rise and its intentions.

CUI TIANKAI CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO THE US "It would be wishful thinking to believe that some political or cultural genetic engineering could be done to change China's DNA. And it's certainly paranoid to fear that a China that follows its own paths of development would be confrontational to the United States."

CHENG LI SENIOR FELLOW, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION "Ambassador Cui certainly very strongly criticized these kind of noises in arguing that we should emphasize cooperation rather than confrontation, we should emphasize diversity but at the same time US-China relations have no other choice except that we cooperate with each other."

Last year, at a China National Day event at the embassy, the front row included Ivanka Trump, daughter of US President Donald Trump, and her husband, Jared Kushner, a senior adviser to the President. At the time, Kushner was helping drive Washington's policy toward Beijing. Cui's speech then was notably more optimistic.

CHENG LI SENIOR FELLOW, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION "The trade war is getting some momentum, or probably, some would even argue, already started, although both sides still do not want to have all around trade war. Nevertheless, it's quite worrisome."

ROEE RUTTENBERG WASHINGTON This event is just a glimpse of the approach China will be taking in its position toward the US. Expect to hear echoes of this speech in the coming months, especially at key events like the Security and Diplomatic Dialogue that's coming up. Roee Ruttenberg, CGTN, in Washington.