Kyodo News:

The 20th CPC National Congress will set out major principles and policies of the Party and the country. My question is about the Thucydides' trap, a concept we often hear about. It refers to the idea that, historically, emerging countries have always faced resistance from established powers, which results in inevitable conflicts. Now, tensions have been high between China and the U.S. How will China avoid the risks brought by such contentions from now until 2035 or 2049? In other words, does China have the determination to face hindrances on its way forward? 

Sun Yeli: 

The China-U.S. relationship bears on the future of the world. Whether this relationship can be handled well is a momentous question that both countries need to answer. If the most important event in international relations over the past 50 years was the rebuilding and development of China-U.S. relations, which has benefited both countries and the rest of the world, then the most important thing in international relations over the next 50 years will be that the two countries find the right way to get along. The key to doing so is mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, as pointed out by General Secretary Xi Jinping. We believe that the people of the two countries have the wisdom, opportunity, and capability to find such a way of getting along.

We have always had the view that China and the U.S. have more shared interests than differences. A sound and stable China-U.S. relationship serves the shared interests of the two peoples. In fact, China and the U.S. have deeply intertwined interests. Take the economy for example, China-U.S. trade registered a record-high volume of over $750 billion in 2021, up by 28.7% year on year. Trade with China has supported 2.6 million American jobs. Moreover, the world has many challenges that call for us to work together. The international community looks to China and the U.S. to take the lead and shoulder responsibilities as major countries to stabilize bilateral relations and promote global cooperation. 

The Chinese people have been pursuing and cherishing peace, amity, and harmony for more than 5,000 years. China's pursuit of development is to deliver better lives to its people rather than to challenge other countries. We don't believe in the so-called Thucydides' trap, and we reject the notion that a strong country is bound to seek hegemony and oppose a zero-sum mentality. We don't look for trouble, but we aren't afraid of trouble. We don't bully others, but we will not be bullied. China's national rejuvenation is an irreversible trend. No individuals or forces can impede the course of the rejuvenation. Thank you.