Jinbao, mascot of China International Import Expo (CIIE), stands at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the main venue of the first CIIE, in Shanghai, east China, July 26, 2019. File photo:Xinhua
 

China-US relations have taken a sharp downturn. Washington's core strategy is to contain Beijing, and try its best to cut off some key ties between the Western world and China. Under such circumstances, adhering to opening-up is China's key to breaking the US' new cold war strategy against China. Against US suppression, we must better implement opening-up. This is China's lifeline to achieve long-term development.

The US wants to push China into a secluded and conservative position, but China wants to further release its society's vitality, and participate more in globalization. This is the essence of the China-US confrontation. For China, US suppression means greater national security risks. Strengthening the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and consolidating political unity are the basis of China's victory over US containment.

Meanwhile, we should not let our national security concerns dominate our economy, society and foreign exchanges. The Trump administration does not represent the US, and the US does not represent the world. The US' anti-China mobilization at home and among allies violates the interests of many people, forces and countries, and will face endless resistance. As long as China better implements its opening-up policy, the above-mentioned factors will converge and form a resistance to Washington's radical anti-China policy.

What's important is that China is not as easily blocked as small and medium-sized countries are. China's market scale is on par with the US', and it attracts the world. As long as China's measures are proper, and China does not fall into the trap set up by the US, we will have much more leverage in opening-up than the US' leverage in blocking China. 

Expanding opening-up is not just a political declaration, but real action. This has two meanings.

First, expanding opening-up is China's internal demand for continuous progress, as well as an important driving force for reform. China's reforms have always been deeply intertwined with opening-up. Opening-up to the outside world must be supported by internal opening-up. Some domestic management methods will be reformed because they cannot adapt to opening-up to the world.

To expand opening-up, Chinese society also needs to encourage the continuous emancipation of minds and protect Chinese people's rights. Our society's governance in fairness and justice should not lose to the outside world.

Second, our opening-up to the world must be reciprocal. The key is China needs to strengthen the outside world's sense of gain during its interactions with China. To achieve this, China must gradually implement national treatment for foreign companies, the negative list reflecting China's level of opening-up to foreign investment must continue to shrink, and the transparency of management must increase. The scale of China's market must expand to meet the world's expectations.

Reform and opening-up is China's long-term national policy, which won't budge under any circumstance. It is not an empty slogan. The more challenges we face, the more realistic our insistence on the policy will be. 

Encountering the US' siege, we should respond while further open our arms to the world. This is difficult. We might feel better if we confront the US directly. However, we must pay attention to the strategy of struggle. We shouldn't give up opening up toward the US while we further embrace the world. This is the hardest part of our struggle with the US.

As long as China insists on opening-up, no other countries can block it. From this perspective, China's future is in our own hands. Victory will be ours, provided our insistence on opening up.