Chinese Envoy Says Trade, Economic Issues Remain 'Worrisome'.
The Chinese ambassador to Washington said Friday that efforts to politicize trade and economic matters between the two nations are worrisome. Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong told a crowd of several hundred at a luncheon forum that Beijing remains concerned by protectionist efforts in Congress and thinks the U.S. trade deficit issue should be resolved through discussions.
China's 2007 trade surplus with the United States expanded 19 percent to $163.3 billion. Washington says China keeps its currency, the yuan, undervalued and gives Chinese exporters an unfair price advantage, which adds to the trade surplus. Beijing has said the U.S. could reduce the deficit with a boost in sales to China by relaxing restrictions on high-tech exports. Zhou echoed that option.
Zhou, who cited recent U.S.-China discussions on the safety of food, drugs and toys made in China as a way dialogue can be used to resolve differences. Zhou also mentioned two possible reasons the deficit could change -- American innovation overcoming China's advantage in low-cost labor, and the loss of jobs by China to lower-paying countries including Vietnam.
Asked later if China might be hurt if the U.S. economy goes into a recession, Zhou said Beijing wants the U.S. to prosper so the global economy benefits. Zhou also announced a a jointly sponsored program at Cleveland State University and a proposal by the Cleveland Clinic research hospital to build a hospital in Shanghai and said they reflected the cooperation that would assure good U.S.-Chinese relations.
China's health care system needs management skills like those at the Cleveland Clinic, Zhou said. Zhou said the summer Olympics in Beijing might attract political protests but said the games weren't the place to make a political statement with unlawful disruptions.
"Olympics are a sports event, so it's not really a political occasion," he said. "But somehow I think there will be people who want to do this and we hope they will respect the right of others who are there to enjoy the games, to celebrate the occasion, so I think that they should respect the law."
The Chinese ambassador to Washington said Friday that efforts to politicize trade and economic matters between the two nations are worrisome. Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong told a crowd of several hundred at a luncheon forum that Beijing remains concerned by protectionist efforts in Congress and thinks the U.S. trade deficit issue should be resolved through discussions.
China's 2007 trade surplus with the United States expanded 19 percent to $163.3 billion. Washington says China keeps its currency, the yuan, undervalued and gives Chinese exporters an unfair price advantage, which adds to the trade surplus. Beijing has said the U.S. could reduce the deficit with a boost in sales to China by relaxing restrictions on high-tech exports. Zhou echoed that option.
Zhou, who cited recent U.S.-China discussions on the safety of food, drugs and toys made in China as a way dialogue can be used to resolve differences. Zhou also mentioned two possible reasons the deficit could change -- American innovation overcoming China's advantage in low-cost labor, and the loss of jobs by China to lower-paying countries including Vietnam.
Asked later if China might be hurt if the U.S. economy goes into a recession, Zhou said Beijing wants the U.S. to prosper so the global economy benefits. Zhou also announced a a jointly sponsored program at Cleveland State University and a proposal by the Cleveland Clinic research hospital to build a hospital in Shanghai and said they reflected the cooperation that would assure good U.S.-Chinese relations.
China's health care system needs management skills like those at the Cleveland Clinic, Zhou said. Zhou said the summer Olympics in Beijing might attract political protests but said the games weren't the place to make a political statement with unlawful disruptions.
"Olympics are a sports event, so it's not really a political occasion," he said. "But somehow I think there will be people who want to do this and we hope they will respect the right of others who are there to enjoy the games, to celebrate the occasion, so I think that they should respect the law."
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