On October 10, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang hosted a regular press conference.
Question: Recently, U.S. leaders have repeatedly claimed that the United States has run a huge trade deficit with China over the past 20 years and given China a large amount of wealth, which is equivalent to the United States “rebuilding” China. What is China’s comment?
Answer: The US leader’s statement that China’s development achievements are attributed to the United States is not only completely inconsistent with the facts, but also logically untenable.
First, the development of any country fundamentally depends on itself. The great development achievements China has achieved so far rely on the correct leadership of the Communist Party of China and the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, on the unswerving promotion of deepening reform and opening up, and on the diligence and wisdom of all the Chinese people. Of course, China does not engage in construction behind closed doors, but opens its doors to carry out mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation with other countries. As a large country with a population of nearly 1.4 billion, China cannot rely on others’ charity and gifts for its development. I’m afraid no country has the strength to “rebuild” China? !
Second, the U.S. trade deficit with China is the result of multiple objective factors. We have fully elaborated on this in the white paper “The Facts and China’s Position on Sino-U.S. Economic and Trade Frictions” released in September this year. In summary, the U.S. trade deficit with China is caused by the comparative advantages of China and the United States and the international division of labor. decided. American economists have already made public comments on this. China’s foreign trade has always followed market rules and conducted fair transactions. The United States buys more from China and sells less to China. Especially when it imposes self-imposed restrictions on exporting high value-added products to China, a deficit will naturally occur. It is unfair and unreasonable for the United States to accuse China of this.
Third, Sino-US bilateral trade is by no means a “one-way street” for the wealth the United States gives to China. For a long time, the United States has obtained extensive and huge economic benefits from Sino-US economic and trade cooperation. According to estimates by organizations such as the U.S.-China Business Council, Sino-U.S. trade saves each American family an average of $850 per year. According to statistics from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, U.S. companies achieved sales revenue of approximately US$606.8 billion in China in 2016, with profits exceeding US$39 billion. A research report released by Deutsche Bank in June this year concluded that the United States actually obtains more net commercial benefits than China from the bilateral trade process between China and the United States. These data and analyzes all show that Sino-US economic and trade cooperation is essentially mutually beneficial and win-win. No one wants to do business at a loss, let alone for more than 20 years.
We urge the United States to correct its mentality, respect facts, stop making groundless accusations against China, view China and Sino-US economic and trade relations correctly, and do more things that are beneficial to the business communities and consumers of China and the United States. (Title: U.S. leader claims the U.S. “rebuilt” China, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs refutes it)
