Against the backdrop of lingering trade disputes between China and the U.S., cooperation and exchange at local level are of great importance, said Qian Jin, Deputy Consul General of China in New York, during his speech at the China Day event held in Boston on August 15.

Co-sponsored by the Chinese Consulate General in New York and the Asian-American Caucus of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, it's the third China Day held in the Great Hall of Massachusetts State House.

In order to strengthen the relations between the two countries, Qian said both sides should pay attention to three English words ending with "t," i.e. trust, benefit and confident.

According to Qian, the two countries should promote cooperation and enhance trust, realize that both of them benefit from cooperation and lose in confrontation, and can still be confident in the future of the bilateral relationship as long as they insist on the only option, which is cooperation.

"This is the third time we've held a China Day. We very much enjoy the opportunity to interact with the Chinese community, but more importantly, continue to foster the opportunity for economic development between Massachusetts and China," said Paul J. Donato, State Representative of Massachusetts, at the event.

According to a report of the U.S.-China Business Council (USCBC), the value of goods exports from Massachusetts to China reached $2.3 billion in 2017, a 49-percent increase compared to the $1.5 billion in 2008. Massachusetts' services exports to China recorded a 394-percent increase, among which education, travel, management and advisory services rank the top three. According to USCBC statistics, Massachusetts' exports to China supported 27,200 American jobs in 2016.

"I think the local businesses are happy that we have the opportunity to continue to work with China," said Donato.

The cooperation between China and Massachusetts has expanded to the manufacturing industry and benefited local residents. On August 14, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority introduced its new subway cars and put them into service on Boston's Orange Line. The new cars were assembled at China Railway Rolling Stock Corp. (CRRC)'s new rolling stock manufacturing facility in Springfield, Massachusetts.

"The trains are beautiful and they were made in China but assembled here in Massachusetts, but I think it shows that there's an opportunity for both China and Massachusetts to continue to work together economically because it will benefit both Massachusetts and China," said Donato, who attended the rolling out ceremony on August 14 with Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker.

"As the production continues to accelerate, we will give a full update on the cars of the red and orange lines of Boston in the next four years," said Jia Bo, Chairman and President of CRRC Massachusetts. With a 204,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Springfield, CRRC Massachusetts contributed to local employment as well. "We have 265 employees, and 93 percent are local," said Jia.

"With more and more people coming here from China, it is an opportunity to create new partnerships, new joint ventures that expand what we have already," said Gene Hartigan, Co-chair of the U.S.-China Partnership Committee and a board director of Shanghai Zhangjiang Boston Enterprise Park.

When talking about the ongoing trade friction between China and the U.S., Hartigan expressed his optimism on dispute settlement.

"For every wave that goes down there must be a wave that comes up. We know that in time the U.S. and China will end the conflict they have," Hartigan said. "The U.S. and China, for many decades to come, will see advantages to working together. Both presidents are fighting for what they think is the right thing for their countries, and eventually they will solve the problem because it cannot go on for a long time."

(Reporting from Boston)

Copyedited by Madhusudan Chaubey

Comments to zhaowei@bjreview.com