Honorable Chairman Tung,

Honorable Secretary Paulson,

Honorable Secretary Daley,

President Bouton,

Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

      I feel deeply honored today to witness the grand launch of the report on "US-China 2022: Economic Relations in the next ten years", which was sponsored by the prestigious China-US Exchange Foundation. I am extremely delighted that this important event is held in Chicago, a great city very important to the development of China-US economic partnership.

 

      This report we are launching today has been unprecedented in many aspects. It is the first report on China-US economic relations initiated and funded by a private organization outside the United States. This report also enjoys the highest-level support and participation by many senior former government officials and renowned economists. And, of course, it is the most forward-looking report on China-US economic relations since we entered the 21^st century.

 

      I have read the report with great interest and I admired the wisdom of its authors. They have not only made comprehensive and in-depth assessment on the current status of the China-US economic relations, but also offered their enlightening recommendations for the future. This report will surely strengthen  our thinking on the complexity and importance of China-US economic relations and deepen our thinking on how to shape its future.

 

      This report is also timely as this year marks the new beginning in China-US relations and President Xi Jinping and President Obama are going to hold their first summit meeting in California very soon. As China and the US are exploring a new-type major-country relationship, a new era of China-US economic relations is also approaching. This report being launched today will help us better prepared for embracing this new era.

 

      In closing, I wish to express my high respect to Honorable Chairman Tung and the China-US Exchange Foundation for presenting us this wonderful report. I also wish to express my deep appreciation to all the distinguished guests present here today, in particular, to Secretary Paulson and Secretary Daley, for their strong support to China-US relations.

 

      Thank you.