US business leader says cooperation critical to overall US-China relationship

A US business leader said Friday that strengthening cooperation between China and the United States is "critical to the overall relationship" between the world's largest economies.

Myron Brilliant, executive vice president of the US Chamber of Commerce, told American and Chinese entrepreneurs and government officials at a major business event held in downtown San Francisco that the relationship between China and the United States is "simply too big to fail."

"We certainly understand that this is a particularly difficult environment in the US-China relationship," he said, referring to the tensions in the economic ties between the two countries after the US government started tariff frictions without considering the sincere efforts made by the Chinese side.

"But if our relationship is to improve and strengthen, it will be because we continue to do business between our two countries, and we continue to invest in ties that must exist between our two nations," Brilliant said.

"Since we began our diplomatic relationship, economic growth has been to the benefit of both countries," he said.

He stressed that the current tariff disputes do no good to both countries. "The tariffs do not help the United States, they do not help China, and they do not help their economy."

"We do not want to see an escalation of further tension that will harm businesses on both sides of the equation. It will hurt consumers, it will hurt our economy," said Brilliant.

He warned that trade frictions will amplify concerns about a more divided world between China and the United States, and the chamber is "against that narrative."

Brilliant was speaking at the China (Guangdong) Investment Cooperation Conference. He noted that the US Chamber of Commerce supports US and Chinese governments to work together "to erode the strategic mistrust that has expanded in this period of time."

Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council, also expressed "deep hope" that the US and Chinese governments would resolve their differences on trade quickly and that the trade talks "can be ended successfully so that we can resume the great history between two great countries."

"We've been working specifically very hard with China for over a decade to have more trade, to have more business, and to have more cooperation," he said.

Wunderman said his council aims to build a relationship between the San Francisco Bay Area and China, particularly its close connection with Guangdong Province, manifested by Chinatown downtown, the oldest and largest Chinatown in the United States.

He added his council has established four offices in China to bring more business opportunities for companies and entrepreneurs from both countries.

Courtney Ellington, president and CEO of Chance Evoe Inc, a construction and consulting firm, said it was amazing to see the participants of the event to work together for more business opportunities.

"There is still love between the two countries despite all the differences," Ellington said. "I hope they work with each other so that we can continue to do business together."