CGTN interview with Cui Tiankai: China's US ambassador calls for long-term view
POLITICS
By Gao Yun

2017-03-05 21:42:53

By CGTN's Tian Wei, Shi Haizhen
When asked whether Trump’s "America First" policy is a concern for China-US relationship, China's ambassador to the US, Cui Tiankai, said in a sense, it’s natural for every country to say that the interests of its people will come first. “If Americans say 'America first', Chinese people could say the interests of Chinese people would always come first -- there is nothing wrong about that. The point is, in today’s world, if countries, especially China and the United States, if we can cooperate with each other, each would be better able to achieve its own goal and serve the interests of its own people.”
Ambassador Cui shared those thoughts and others on China-US relations, in an interview with CGTN senior reporter Tian Wei on the sidelines of the ongoing Two Sessions activities. Cui thinks to boost cooperation, both sides have to tackle short-term problems. “But if you can keep in mind the long-term goals, the long-term interests, you’ll see the short-term interests in a different way,” said Cui.
The ambassador is optimistic that the American side will also do that, as there are many Americans who are able and ready to keep long-term goals and short-term problems in mind, like Dr. Henry Kissinger, the American diplomat and political scientist. He is sure that eventually the long-term interests will prevail.
About the transition with the new administration in Washington DC, Cui said it’s normal for China to wait in accordance with American practice, where it takes time for Cabinet and other high-level posts to go through confirmations.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (R) shakes hands with Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi before their meeting at the State Department in Washington DC, on February 28, 2017. /CFP Photo
High-level communication has begun to take place. In February, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Germany. On Tuesday, Tillerson met with Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi, who was visiting the US. Before that, he telephoned Yang in Beijing. The new Treasury secretary of the US also has made a few phone calls to Chinese officials, Cui said. “So there are ongoing discussions between the two sides about their mutual meetings or even visits. You might have noticed that during the recent phone call between President Xi and President Trump, they agreed to find an opportunity to meet each other at an early date. If we work hard enough, they could meet earlier,” said the ambassador.

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