China US

The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), leading a Chinese business delegation, wrapped up a visit to the US at the invitation of its US counterparts, the CCPIT said on Sunday.

The trip covered three cities — Washington, San Francisco and Oakland, California — and several industry associations, aiming to promote the active implementation of the important consensus reached between the two heads of state during their meeting in Busan, South Korea and their phone talk on November 24, among the business communities of both nations, and to deepen economic and trade exchanges and cooperation. 

During the visit, CCPIT Chairman Ren Hongbin held working talks with the US Department of Commerce, led the delegation to meet with the mayors of San Francisco and Oakland, and conducted research visits to companies such as Apple and HP, a post on the CCPIT's official WeChat account said.

In collaboration with the Oakland city government and US organizations — including the US Chamber of Commerce, US Semiconductor Industry Association and the US Soybean Export Council — the CCPIT hosted multiple China-US business matchmaking events, engaging in discussions with more than 170 US companies and institutions.

Ren emphasized that the CCPIT will support and encourage more proactive efforts by Chinese and American businesses to deepen exchanges and cooperation. He said that such efforts will contribute to the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-US relations.

American business leaders said that the recommendations for China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) have strengthened the confidence of American companies in China's economic development. They pledged to continue their commitment to the Chinese market, expand investments, and deepen industrial and supply chain cooperation between Chinese and American enterprises, according to the CCPIT.

Commenting on the fruitful outcomes, Li Yong, executive council member of the China Society for WTO Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday that the visit reflects both a solid foundation for cooperation and a continued strong willingness within the US to develop economic and trade relations with China. 

This will significantly benefit the advancement of bilateral trade and economic ties, he added. 

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also Chinese lead person for China-US economic and trade affairs, held a video call on Friday with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, reported the Xinhua News Agency on Friday. 

They said that, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, they will make full use of the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism, continuously lengthen the list of cooperation and shorten the list of problems, and promote the sustained and stable development of China-US economic and trade relations.

In a separate article posted on the CCPIT's official WeChat account on Saturday, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee stated that she had visited China multiple times, and the delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs was the first international delegation she had received as mayor. Oakland is a crucial port city and trade gateway on the US West Coast and has long maintained close economic and trade ties with China.

The Oakland government adheres to the spirit of open cooperation and is committed to providing greater facilitation for enhancing collaboration between American and Chinese enterprises in fields such as green technology, port logistics, clean energy, the digital economy, and cultural, tourism, and educational exchanges, according to Lee. 

Su Zhi, chairman of Optimize Integration Group Inc, said in an interview with the China News Service that this visit would involve the procurement of premium US agricultural products such as meat, seafood, and soybeans, while also aiming to introduce more high-quality Chinese agricultural products into the American market.

Li said that the business community is sincerely dedicated to cultivating healthy, mutually beneficial, and win-win economic and trade relations. He added that, in the absence of political interference, China-US trade possesses substantial growth potential—a dynamic fundamentally rooted in the mutual needs of the business sectors in both countries.

The essence of China-US economic and trade relations is mutual benefit and win-win. China and the US share broad common interests and vast room for cooperation, and have formed a pattern of complementary advantages and mutual benefit in the economic and trade fields, Li noted.