Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai speaks at the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America during a Chinese New Year celebration reception in Washington D.C., the United States, on Feb. 13, 2018. (Xinhua/Yang Chenglin)
WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- It would be dangerous to advocate for confrontation against China, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai has said here.
"It's certainly paranoid to fear that a China that follows its own path of development would be confrontational to the United States. And it's dangerous to advocate any strategy for confrontation (against China)," Cui told a spring festival reception at the Chinese embassy on Tuesday.
"It would be wishful thinking to believe that some political or cultural genetic engineering could be done to change China's DNA," he said.
The Sino-U.S. relationship "should be characterized by overall cooperation. Friendly competition, if competition is necessary, and no confrontation," Cui said.
"We will continue to have differences between us, but our growing common interests are far more important. We may continue to have disagreements between us, but the need for cooperation will far outweigh any differences between us. We'll continue to have problems, but dialogues will lead us to solutions," Cui said.
Noting the Chinese new year will be the Year of the Dog, Cui said "dogs are seen as loyal, sincere, and trusting companions in both Chinese and the western cultures. I believe such virtues are equally essential for relations between countries."
More than 700 attended the event, among them U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, White House National Security Council senior director for Asian affairs Matthew Pottinger, Acting Assistant Secretary of State Susan Thornton.
