US urged to open markets to China as Beijing grants American investors greater access
Li says that despite strains between the two countries, common interests outweigh differences
Premier Li Keqiang called on the United States to open up its markets to China, saying Beijing would give more access to American investors under a bilateral investment treaty.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, Li said the two countries should treat each other in an equal and mutually beneficial way, despite the “sharp differences” on various issues.
The underlying direction of US-China ties would not change, irrespective of who won this year’s US presidential election, he said.
The premier said that with bilateral trade reaching US$560 billion, “the common interests between the two countries far outweigh their differences”.
Ties between the US and China have been strained on various fronts over the past few months.
US Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Scott Swift warned on Wednesday that if the US lost access to international waters claimed by China in the South China Sea, it would have far-reaching implications, affecting the global economy and international law.
READ MORE: US to blame for escalating tension in South China Sea, China claims
Washington has accused Beijing of “militarising” the South China Sea by deploying advanced missiles and fighter jets on islands under China’s control. The US has also sent naval vessels near the islands, calling the operations freedom-of-navigation exercises. Six other claimants have territorial claims in the area.
The Pentagon plans to base 60 per cent of its naval forces in the Asia-Pacific region and Swift said the US did not expect to ever lose access to the South China Sea.
China is also protesting against the US plan to install the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence missile system in South Korea following North Korea’s recent nuclear and rocket tests.
The US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade deal signed last month by 12 countries in the region – but not China – is also seen as a strategic step in the US “pivot” policy to counter China’s growing influence in the Asia-
Pacific region.
READ MORE: Tough questions, straight answers: China’s top diplomat on the South China Sea, North Korea, Japan, the US and more
Li said China, with its priority on development, needed a stable neighbourhood and a peaceful international environment, and it would remain a “staunch force” in maintaining global peace.
China had no problem with the US’ continuous presence in the region because the US had “never left”, Li said. “All countries can work together to improve our cooperation and properly manage differences,” he said.
The premier said that as cooperation between China and the US grew, the number of differences could rise butthe role of those differences in the overall China-US relationship would only narrow. He said there were already more than 100 dialogue mechanisms between the two countries to manage differences.
“As long as the two sides act in good faith and properly manage their differences, I believe our common interests will further expand,” Li said.
Additional reporting by Associated Press
