US citizens welcome stronger relationship as partners

People in the United States welcomed the strengthening of bilateral relations with China, echoing the sentiment of the head-of-state summit that underscored the two nations are better off as partners, rather than rivals.

"It's always better to work together than against each other," said Graham Stanton, 43, from New York City. "I think the US should compete with China by being more open, more welcoming. There are some very impressive technologies in China."

Stanton added that the US and China working together would also be "a very good thing" for global stability.

President Xi Jinping, during his talks with US President Donald Trump on Thursday in Beijing, said that China is committed to the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-US relations. Trump told Xi that the relationship between the US and China is going to become better than ever before.

Emily Giffin, 22, a travel influencer from Nebraska, noted that the US-China ties are very important. "I think there's a lot of fearmongering regarding the two countries," she said, emphasizing the need to normalize the relationship to serve the interests of both nations.

Giffin, who has visited Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region and Sichuan province, said she was really impressed by the development there, particularly in rural areas.

"I think China has done a really good job with making sure that its people have access to things, so I admire it for that," she added.

Trump's entourage to China comprised about 17 US business leaders, including Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg.

Joshua Rubin, 74, an immigration rights activist from Brooklyn, New York, said that the summit provided an important platform for the world's two largest economies to find common ground on trade relations.

"I know we can make deals. …That's why he (Trump) brought his billionaire friends over there, right? That's what he had in mind," Rubin said.

Pamela Hoopes, an attorney from Minneapolis, Minnesota, said that a smooth US-China trade relationship is vital for global economic recovery.

"They can try and have a smooth trade relationship, because the more the two economies stabilize, the better it is for everyone in the world. Rather than trying to compete to have spheres of influence, I think it would be best if open trade is on the table, and they can collaborate to make that happen," she said.

Jake Renk, 28, a cultural strategist from Winona, Minnesota, said that any discussion on the regulation of artificial intelligence matters because of the "existential threat" it could pose. "If the two countries that are going to develop AI in tandem come to some sort of an agreement … I think that's really important," he added.

belindarobinson@chinadailyusa.com