Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng held talks with the US vice-president-elect J.D. Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk at separate meetings in Washington ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to a “long and fruitful” relationship.
Han said Beijing was ready to work with Washington to “implement the important consensus reached between President Xi Jinping and president-elect Trump”, said China’s official news agency Xinhua.
According to the statement, Han – who is in Washington to attend the inauguration as Xi’s special representative – said this would include “promoting the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-US relations”.
Separately, the Chinese foreign ministry on Monday said both countries “stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. This is based on our history”.
“We are willing to … properly manage our differences, expand practical cooperation and find a new way to get along in the new era,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
Han’s meetings came two days after Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s phone conversation on Friday, when they “discussed balancing trade, fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects”, the incoming US president said on his social media account.
According to the Chinese readout of the call, Xi said that he and Trump “attach great importance to mutual interactions” and “hope for a good start of the China-US relationship” during Trump’s second term.
Trump will be officially sworn in as the next occupant of the White House on Monday and has told advisers that he would like to travel to China in his first 100 days in office, according to a Wall Street Journal report on Saturday.
During the Friday phone call, Trump said that he “looks forward to meeting Xi at an early date”, according to the readout released by Beijing.
During the first three months of his first term in 2017, Trump also spoke to Xi via phone within weeks of taking office and hosted the Chinese leader at Mar-a-Lago in April that year.
However, the following year – just months after Trump’s own visit to China in November 2017 – his administration started a trade war that has continued to this day and is widely expected to intensify over the next four years.
Han’s exchange with Vance and Musk came a day before the first meeting of China’s Politburo this year. The key decision-making body of the Communist Party met on Monday, just hours before Trump’s inauguration.
The Politburo approved annual work plans for several of China’s top governing bodies, including top legislative body the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee and the State Council, the country’s cabinet.
The statement from the Politburo conference, released by Xinhua, made no mention of Trump’s inauguration, focusing solely on domestic issues. The Politburo seldom discusses foreign affairs but sometimes highlights external challenges when it meets.
In his meeting with Musk, Han said that China “welcomes US companies, including Tesla, to seize the opportunity to share the fruits of China’s development and make new and greater contributions to the promotion of China-US economic and trade relations”.
Musk – who was picked by Trump to co-lead a government efficiency drive – told Han that Tesla was willing “to deepen its investment and cooperation with China and play an active role in promoting US-China economic and trade exchanges”, Xinhua said.
The tech mogul’s massive investments in China, along with his previous engagement with the Chinese leadership, mean that Musk is widely expected to act as a private mediator between Beijing and the Trump White House.
Musk is seen as playing a role over the next four years similar to that of Henry Kissinger, the former US secretary of state best known for helping to establish relations between Washington and Beijing during the Richard Nixon administration.
Kissinger, who died in November aged 100, visited China more than 100 times – including just a few months before his death – and was hailed for his efforts to promote US-China ties both in and out of office.
During his phone call with Trump on Friday, Xi reiterated that China and the US could be “good friends and partners”.
“As two big countries with different national conditions, it is inevitable that there will be some differences between China and the US, and the key is to respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, and to find a proper solution to the problem.”
Trump later echoed the talks on social media, saying “it is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately … President Xi and I will do everything possible to make the World more peaceful and safe”.
Han’s meetings with Vance and Musk came on the same day as the popular Chinese-owned app TikTok started restoring its services in the US after Trump said he would revive access to the platform when he returns to the Oval Office on Monday.
According to Xinhua, Han has also met representatives from the US-China Business Council, the US Chamber of Commerce and other business leaders since his arrival in Washington.
Han told the business representatives that “a good start” to the bilateral relationship when ushering in the next administration “aligns with the shared interests of both peoples and the expectations of the international community”, Xinhua said.
He reassured US investors of Beijing’s “unswerving” commitment to deepening reform, expanding openness, and enhancing the business environment and expressed the hope that US companies would continue to invest in China.
According to Xinhua, the business leaders told Han that they remained confident in China’s economic prospects and the opportunities for continuing to do business in the country.
Hours before the Chinese readout of the Han-Vance meeting appeared, the Trump-Vance transition team released a statement saying the incoming vice-president had “welcomed” his soon-to-be counterpart.
According to the transition team’s statement, Vance and Han discussed a range of topics, including fentanyl, balancing trade, and regional stability.
Han maintained the conciliatory tone on the bilateral relationship struck by Xi two days ago, noting that as “two great countries” China and the US “are striving to achieve our respective development goals and dreams”.
He added that the two nations “will achieve mutual success” and “make significant contributions to global peace and development”, according to the statement.
Han put bilateral trade relations at the top of his agenda, characterising the issue as “a common concern” for both sides.
“Despite differences and frictions between China and the United States, the two countries have huge common interests and room for cooperation, and the two sides can strengthen dialogue and consultation on this,” he said.
Trump said on the campaign trail that he would impose tariff increases of 60 per cent or more on goods imported from China.
After winning the US presidential election in November, Trump said that one of his first executive orders would impose an extra 10 per cent tariff on goods from China and a 25 per cent tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico.
According to the Chinese readout of the meeting with Han, Vance said that economic ties were “important” to both Washington and Beijing and the US “is willing to develop a long and fruitful relationship with China”.
Vance added that the second Trump administration was ready to “strengthen dialogue and cooperation between the two sides on international and regional issues, and work together to promote world peace and stability”, Xinhua said.
