On the morning of February 28, 2024, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council met with a U.S. Chamber of Commerce delegation led by President and Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Suzanne P. Clark at the Great Hall of the People.

Li Qiang said that since the summit meeting between the heads of state of China and the United States in San Francisco last November, the two sides have carried out a series of dialogues and communication to promote pragmatic cooperation between the two countries. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden exchanged congratulatory letters, emphasizing the continuous commitment to stabilizing and developing China-U.S. relations for the benefit of both countries and the world. The practice over the past 45 years has proved repeatedly that China and the United States both stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation, and cooperation is the only correct choice. Based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, China is ready to work with the United States to follow through on the important common understandings reached between the two heads of state to promote the sound and steady development of bilateral relations.

Li Qiang noted that the Chinese and U.S. economies are highly complementary, and their interests are deeply integrated. Both sides benefit from each other's development, and strengthening economic and trade cooperation is beneficial to both countries. The two sides should be partners rather than rivals. Engaging in "decoupling and severing supply chains" or "a small yard, high fences" in all forms is not in the fundamental interests of both sides and will only bring huge losses to enterprises in the two countries, to the economy, and even to global development. China is now advancing Chinese modernization on all fronts through high-quality development, and will continue to unleash huge demand in advanced manufacturing, new urbanization, the upgrading of the consumption structure, green and low-carbon transformations, and other aspects. U.S. companies are welcome to continue investing in China and exploring the Chinese market to share the development opportunities. China will open its door even wider to the outside world, continue to foster a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized, and provide more support and convenience for U.S. companies and firms from other countries to invest and do business in China. He expressed the hope that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and its entrepreneurs will continue to serve as a bridge in promoting more communication and mutual understanding between the two countries.

Clark said that the U.S.-China relationship is extremely important. She was pleased that the two heads of state held a successful summit meeting in San Francisco, and that the relationship between the two countries showed momentum of improvement. Decoupling between the United States and China is not a viable option, and China's further opening-up is welcome. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is willing to act as a bridge, conduct candid and constructive communication and exchanges with the Chinese side, make efforts to deepen U.S.-China economic and trade relations and mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote the steady development of U.S.-China relations.

Wu Zhenglong was present at the meeting.