Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai briefs media during a news conference on Trump's upcoming visit to China in Washington DC, Oct 30, 2017. (Photo by Zhao Huanxin/chinadaily.com.cn)
U.S. President Donald Trump's first state visit to China, coming at a "historical moment" after a key Party congress in Beijing, will be a successful trip with significant outcomes on trade, the Korean Peninsula and other issues, China's top envoy in Washington said on Monday.
Trump is expected to arrive in Beijing on Nov 8 for what Ambassador Cui Tiankai called a "state visit-plus" featuring talks, a military honor guard and formal banquet and some "special arrangements", whereby China reciprocates the hospitality the U.S. president and the first family showed their visitors at the Mar-a-Lago meeting in Florida in April, Cui told a briefing.
Cui said the recent 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China reaffirmed China's commitment to following a path of peaceful development, a strategy of opening-up, and efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
Beijing also will ramp up its close and effective coordination with other countries, especially major powers like the U.S..
Trump will be the first head of state of a major power to visit China at this historical moment, Cui said.
During the visit, the two presidents are expected to chart the course of development for the world's most important bilateral relationship, he said.
The ambassador said the Korean Peninsula situation will be a priority in the talks between the two presidents.
"I hope they reach more agreement between them and will give us a clear guidance on how the two countries could handle this issue together," Cui said. "We are taking measures to implement the (United Nations Security Council) sanctions, although obviously many of the sanctions would be implemented with a high cost for China itself, because we are DPRK's neighbor."
Cui stressed that the Korean Peninsula issue cannot be solved by China itself. It requires a concerted effort of all the parties concerned, including the U.S. and the DPRK.
"It is clear that if only China is making its efforts, while others are doing things that could lead to escalation of tensions, this issue would not be solved, and it would become even more difficult, and the end result would hurt everybody's interest," he said.
Cui said there is a strong sense of urgency regarding the peninsula, adding that China is open to any talks between any parties as long as they are conducive to a peaceful solution, to a negotiated solution of the nuclear issue.
"I'm sure at the conclusion of the visit, both sides would have something to say about this issue," Cui said.
