President Xi Jinping’s Seattle visit, a historic milestone in US-China relations
I met President Richard Nixon, when I was involved in politics back in the 1970s. My wife and I saw the Dalai Lama in the late 1990s, as he was leaving a peace conference in Florence. That was a very momentous experience, as his presence, at least with me, had an instantly powerful and emotional impact.
Last night, I was fortunate enough to be included in a group of business leaders from Seattle and across the US, who met at The Westin with President Xi Jinping, the leader of China and one of the most powerful world leaders. Bill and Melinda Gates and the CEOs of Ford, IBM, Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks and many other companies from across the country all came to Seattle to hear President Xi’s major policy address and meet with members of the President’s delegation, which includes 1,000 of China’s business and governmental leaders.
‘The Chinese Dream’
Not since Chairman Mao Tse-tung or Deng Xiao Ping has China had such a forceful leader, who in his first three years is having a major impact both inside China and in elevating China’s image and power around the world. President Xi has rapidly consolidated his authority, launched internal anti-corruption and reform campaigns inside China, modernized China’s military, and held out for Chinese citizens the vision of “The Chinese Dream” each citizen can aspire to. Like the “American Dream,” which took hold in the US, this visions holds out the notion that hard work and education can lead to a good job and fulfilling life.[box type=”shadow” align=”alignright” width=”200px” ]President Xi’s government has set ambitious goals to lift the prosperity of the 70 million who still live in poverty, reform the governmental system of corruption (“we will punish the tigers and fleas”) in government, and make the China Dream of a better life a reality for all its citizens.[/box]
This is a far cry from the collectivist group mentality of Chairman Mao and his Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution mass movements between 1949, when modern China was founded, and 1976, when Chairman Mao passed away. As a history student at Stanford University, I majored in Modern Chinese History and took a special interest in China and the efforts of Chairman Mao to redefine communism and the socialist economic model first advanced in the Soviet Union. His successor, Deng Xiaoping, gradually reversed the collectivist trend and introduced capitalism and free trade into China in the late 1970s. His efforts started a meteoric rise in China’s economic growth and growing prosperity. Today China is the second largest economy on the world.
Milestone in US-China Relations
The event last night was a historic milestone in US-China relations. China under President Xi is at a pivotal point, seeking to transform its economy from one based on exporting cheap manufacturing goods to the world, to one which focuses on higher end products and is driven by a growing consumer economy inside China. In foreign affairs, China is far more involved in infrastructure and investment opportunities around the world, and has a growing military capability. US-China relations are very strong in economic ties and trade. However, hacking, privacy issues with the internet, and increased tension in the South China Sea are only a few of the issues which create tension and differing views between the countries.
Henry Kissinger, esteemed guest at Seattle dinner honoring the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping. / Photo by Alabastro Photography.
President Xi was introduced last night by former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, the key figure in normalizing diplomatic relations in 1972 between the US and China. Kissinger introduced the President, and noted how vital it is to world peace and stability that the US and China understand each other and have strong relations. In his remarks, President Xi reinforced this message, stressing repeatedly his desire to identify “win-win” resolutions to many issues that affect the US-China relationship, an approach that will promote the self-interest of both countries and improve the betterment of mankind.
President Xi sought to reassure his American audience on many fronts. He noted its foreign policy is defensive in nature, and it will never seek hegemony or force. He observed the many areas the US and China are working very closely together on international issues such as Iran’s nuclear capability, Afghanistan, Sudan and developing research solutions to Ebola.
He acknowledged that it is inevitable that two great powers may have policy differences in various areas, he stressed the importance of reading each other’s intentions clearly, adopting a non-confrontational approach, promoting greater understanding and less surprises, and basing judgments on facts, not suspicions. He called out to American leaders to manage whatever differences may exist between the two nations with a constructive approach.
A Great Honor for Seattle
Local industry leaders and CEOs of major companies from across the country all came to Seattle to hear President Xi’s major policy address and meet with members of the President’s delegation, which includes 1,000 of China’s business and governmental leaders. Photo by Alabastro Photography.
After two more days in Seattle, President Xi will move on to Washington D.C. for a state visit with President Obama before concluding his US visit with an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
It was a great honor for Seattle to host President Xi and his delegation. It reflects the many decades of increasingly friendly relations between Washington State and China, and the many business, cultural and governmental visits and dealings over the years. I was fortunate enough to join Washington State Governor Inslee and a trade delegation two years ago in a mission to Beijing and Shanghai, and I devoted much of my time to meeting with education leaders and discussing problems and opportunities we face in both nations.
Here at Northeastern University – Seattle we are fortunate to have graduate students from China studying in our computer science, engineering, project management and economic degree programs, doing our small part to foster greater understanding and mutual benefit between these two great nations.