Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai said that China and the United States are "still in the same boat" despite noises in the United States.

Speaking on Wednesday at the 8th US-China Civil Dialogue hosted by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a US think tank, Cui said that China and the United States are still faced with "fierce wind and huge waves", referring to threats like terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.  

In his speech, Cui called it an "illusion" should some in the US try to change China. No country can really change China given its long history, Cui said. 

The ambassador also refuted those saying that China is a "revisionist" nation that attempts to challenge international rules. He emphasized that China has been joining more and more global organizations and signing more and more global treaties in recent years. In contrast, the US withdrawal from multiple international pacts or agencies such as the Paris Agreement and the UNESCO proves that maybe the US is more of a "revisionist" country, Cui said. 

Cui also denied China's attempt to challenge the position of the US and its dominance in the world, saying what China focuses on is its own development rather than global dominance.

On trade relations, Cui said the economies and trade of the two countries are interdependent and mutually beneficial. 

The Chinese envoy added that the common challenge for both Beijing and Washington is to navigate the same boat through "the uncertainties or unchartered waters, for the benefits of both our countries, and for the entire world."

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(With input from Xinhua)