The representatives attending a trade forum in New York on behalf of Chinese and U.S. business communities have expressed their confidence in a deepening cooperation in the sector of supply chain between the two countries.
Convened on Monday, the China-U.S. Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum was hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), a national trade promotion body.
CCPIT President Ren Hongbin pointed out at the forum that as a "cornerstone" of China-U.S. relations, the bilateral economic and trade cooperation has been deepening since the two countries established diplomatic ties 45 years ago.
With the two economies highly complementary and their interests deeply integrated, a stronger cooperation in the supply chain will help maintain the stability and smooth flow of the global supply chain and inject more impetus into the economic growth of both countries, the region and the world at large, he said.
Chinese Consul General in New York Huang Ping said that the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which concluded in Beijing earlier this month, made it clear that China will continue to pursue the policy of opening up.
U.S. companies are welcome to make good use of platforms such as the China International Supply Chain Expo to enhace cooperation with China and help foster a steady development of bilateral relations, he added.
Inaugurated in 2023 and hosted by the CCPIT, the second China International Supply Chain Expo is scheduled for November this year.
Peter Tichansky, president and CEO of the Business Council for International Understanding, underlined the more than 300 reform measures proposed at the Plenary, noting that they provide broad space for U.S.-China cooperation in sectors such as technological innovation, energy transition, artificial intelligence (AI), chips and trade.
He also expressed the hope to enhance cooperation with the CCPIT for contributing to a safer and more prosperous world.
Declan Daly, chief operating officer of the U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB), underscored the enormous benefits brought by sound bilateral relations for the enterprises of both countries.
He said the USCIB is willing to deepen cooperation with the CCPIT and its affiliates for building a more open and inclusive market.
"The supply chain cooperation between China and the United States is impossible to artificially decouple. Both Chinese and American enterprises have quite real and urgent needs [for each other's products]. Many CEOs of large companies from the United States told us last year that China has the most complete industrial system and it is impossible for them to leave China," said Lin Shunjie, chairman of the China International Exhibition Center Group (CIEC), in an interview with China Central Television on the sidelines of the forum.
"I see the partnership that I can make with Chinese manufacturers as a necessity. And it's going to the future of my business," said Jonathan Webb, co-founder and CEO of the U.S. e-commerce company Packable.
Chinese, US business representatives confident in supply chain cooperation
Chinese, US business representatives confident in supply chain cooperation
People in Panama City have firmly dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to retake the Panama Canal, calling his claims "nonsense" and saying such a move even risks world peace.
After his presidential election win in November, Trump has made a series of expansionist remarks, including stating his plans to make Canada a U.S. state, rename the Gulf of Mexico, and gain control of the Panama Canal and Greenland.
Last month, Trump accused Panama of treating the U.S. in a "very unfair and injudicious way," and has refused to rule out using military means or taking economic action in his pursuit of the Panama Canal.
At the start of this year, Panama celebrated the 25th anniversary of the handover of the canal, which had been under the control of the United States for nearly a century until the end of 1999.
During his inauguration speech shortly after taking the oath of office on Monday, Trump claimed Panama had 'violated' the treaty and said the U.S. would be "taking it back." In response, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino rejected Trump's position and said there is no presence of any nation in the world that interferes with the administration of Panama.
Many residents in Panama see the canal as a symbol of national pride and consider it a crucial driver of the country's economy.
Milena Marin, a local resident, criticized Trump's remarks and called on countries across Central America to stand together to protect their own interests from U.S. infringement.
"First of all, the Panama Canal belongs to the Panamanians, and we are doing an excellent job managing it. Since we took over its administration, we have been doing very well. Those (Trump's statements) are words of attack. We have to take care of our canal. It has a negative impact since [Trump's remarks] affect both the environment for us Panamanians but also the image of the country. We have been doing a great job with the management of the canal. These statements definitely affect world peace. They bring such negativity around Panama. [We need] more meetings and dialogue with Central American countries, because the more united we are, the stronger and less vulnerable we will be. And I think that the union between the countries of Central America could be a great solution," said Marin.
Meanwhile, Luis Gomez, a local photographer, said Trump's statements are lacking in reason, and said the issue should be resolved peacefully, citing the huge military disparities between the two sides.
"The president's statements do not make sense and seem a bit illogical, since Panama is such a small country that we don't even have a [traditional] military. We have no chance of being able to confront [the U.S.] because they are a powerful country. We cannot compare ourselves to a country of such size. The impact would be overwhelming for us. The canal is important not only for Panama but also for the whole world because it allows ships and goods from all over the world to pass through smoothly," said Gomez.
The Panama Canal, which started operation in 1914, serves as an important international waterway that links the Pacific and the Atlantic. It was taken over by the Panamanian government in 1999 following the terms set out in the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which were signed back in 1977 by Panama's General Omar Torrijos and then U.S. President Jimmy Carter, ending 85 years of the colonial enclave known as the Panama Canal Zone.
Panamanian residents dismiss Trump's claims of retaking Panama Canal