Exclusive interview with President of the U.S.-China Business Council: U.S. companies do not want to see the rise of trade protectionism

At this CIIE, American companies continue to rank first in terms of exhibition area. American companies in agriculture, consumer goods, high-end equipment, automobiles, medical care and other fields have high hopes for the CIIE, hoping to open up new markets in China through the CIIE. At this year's Hongqiao International Forum, Tan Sen, President of the US-China Business Council, was interviewed by a reporter from the main station. He said that American companies do not want to see the rise of trade protectionism.

Participating in forums and accepting interviews, Tan Sen, president of the U.S.-China Business Council, who has participated in the CIIE many times, still has a full schedule. This year, the exhibition area of ​​American companies has increased by 1,500 square meters compared with last year, with a total area of ​​more than 50,000 square meters. This is the eighth consecutive time that it has maintained its first place.

Tan Sen, President of the US-China Business Council: A large number of American companies are coming here, and they are not just here to sell products. They are looking for partners and want to see which brands, companies and technologies can create synergy. American companies have seen China's large number of innovative achievements and breakthrough technologies, and they hope to participate. They not only observe closely, but also explore ways to cooperate, integrate these technologies into their own development, and work with Chinese partners or other partners to enhance global competitiveness.

In the U.S. Food and Agriculture Pavilion, there is a dazzling array of American ginseng from Wisconsin, wine from California, soybeans, potatoes and even Dungeness crab from the United States. Many exhibitors are repeat customers of the CIIE, and the American products coming to the CIIE this time also cover high-end equipment, automobiles, medical care and other fields.

CCTV reporter Huang Da: In your opinion, what attracts American companies to continue to participate in the CIIE and cooperate with Chinese partners?

Tan Sen, President of the US-China Business Council: In the past few years, many companies were still hesitant, should I come to the CIIE? Do you want to come back in a few years? Nowadays, companies realize that participating in exhibitions can actually benefit. Consumer brands value the market itself and the continuous maturation of domestic consumer tastes; the technology track focuses on the supply chain, thinking about its position in the supply chain, where the customers are, and what the future direction is; if it is other industries, such as automobiles, the focus is on the development of the market. I think that for some industries, the core is China's economic growth; some industries value the development of China's supply chain; each company's reason for participating in an exhibition in China is different, and it is not just for the Chinese market, but has a broader connotation.

Regarding the current situation of rising trade protectionism, Tan Sen made it clear that this is not a situation that American companies want to see.

Tan Sen, President of the U.S.-China Business Council: Do we like trade friction? Of course not. Do we like tariffs? Certainly not. We survey American companies every year and ask them how important China is to their global strategy and global competitiveness. How important do you think American companies think China is in their global strategy? The result is a continued rise. The cooperation between the two parties is not only continuing, but statistics show that the scale of cooperation is increasing. This means that our companies and Chinese companies will always find ways to connect and cooperate, because cooperation will make both parties stronger.

This year, China-U.S. relations ushered in a historic moment. The two heads of state agreed to jointly build a "constructive strategic and stable relationship based on respect, fairness, and reciprocity." Tan Sen hopes that the new positioning of Sino-US relations will create a better cooperation environment for enterprises in both countries.