MNI POLICY: China Pushing to Fulfil Phase-1 Agreement: Advisor

     BEIJING (MNI) - China will overcome any difficulties and push to fulfil the

Phase-One agreement with the U.S., a senior advisor to the Chinese government

told reporters on Thursday.  

     "The China-U.S. Phase One agreement was negotiated with a huge amount of

time and energy: it is of great importance and it benefits both China and the

U.S., as well as the world economy," said Ruan Zongze, vice president of China

Institute of International Studies (CIIS), and a former diplomat to the U.S.

     "I have not heard that China is looking to rework the agreement; on the

contrary, my impression is that China will overcome all difficulties,

steadfastly and relentlessly implement this agreement," Ruan said in an online

forum.

     Ruan cited the telephone call between Vice Premier Liu He, China's lead

negotiator, and his U.S. counterparts as a sign that the two sides will abide by

the agreement. While the virus posed challenges after the signing of the

agreement, the two sides can work it out and see the agreement smoothly carried

out, he said. 

     --Other points of note:

     - China's growth may reach 3% this year given the pace of work resumption,

said Jiang Yuechun, CIIS's researcher on global economy.

     - Chinese observers of relationships with the U.S. have turned to "anxiety"

since the development of the Covid-19 pandemic, as the U.S. levelled "racist or

nationalist" remarks against China, said Shen Yamei, the deputy director on

America of the CIIS. 

     - China and the U.S. may be at a "preface" though not yet in a cold war,

Shen said. China has no intention to engage in ideological wars with the U.S.

nor wishes to ask other countries to take sides. China will do its most to avoid

a cold war, she said.

     - On whether China will boost nuclear arsenal: China won't give up or

change its minimum nuclear deterrence strategy, Ruan said. It's though better to

improve the quality rather than the quantity; China has no interest engaging in

an arms race but will focus on its internal development such as capabilities to

manage public health crises like the Covid-19, he said. 

--MNI Beijing Bureau; +86 10 8532 5998; email: william.bi@mni-news.com

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

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