On July 20th local time in the United States, a private roundtable titled "Beyond the Arena: US-China Business, AI, and Global Collaboration," co-hosted by SINA Finance and the China General Chamber of Commerce - USA, was held in New York. Stephen Orlins, President of the National Committee on United States-China Relations (NCUSCR), delivered a keynote address at the event. Drawing on his nearly half-century of experience in US-China diplomatic and economic relations, Orlins provided a profound analysis of the critical importance of people-to-people exchanges for bilateral ties.

In his speech, Orlins first recalled the historic moment in 1972 when he helped host the visiting Chinese table tennis team in the US. He likened that ice-breaking journey to the "World Cup" of that era, stating that seeing young athletes from both countries compete together overnight completely transformed American public perception of China. "When the Chinese table tennis team came to the United States, it was unbelievable. We needed two planes—one for the team and another for the accompanying media. Overnight, watching these young Chinese athletes compete alongside American youth, the American view of China was completely changed."

"At that time, the Chinese team had a slogan: 'Friendship first, competition second.' Whenever they played in an American player's hometown, the Chinese players would courteously concede one match, keeping the final score at 9-1 or 8-1."

As a seasoned diplomat who joined the US State Department in 1976 and was deeply involved in the process of US-China normalization, Orlins shared his experiences from his multi-year posting in China beginning with his first arrival in Beijing in 1979. He played an instrumental role in facilitating the entry of early foreign investment projects into China, such as those by Sino-American Tianjin Smith Kline & French and Squibb.

Orlins particularly emphasized that, over time, US-China economic and trade cooperation has evolved into a deeply integrated, mutually beneficial two-way street. Citing the successful acquisition of IBM's personal computer division by Lenovo two decades ago as an example, he pointed out that two-way investment is not only vital for industry development but also serves as a crucial link connecting the economies and the people of both nations. "Twenty years ago, Lenovo acquired IBM's PC business. I gave that acquisition my full support at the time because I believed it was critical not just for Lenovo and the PC industry, but also profoundly significant for the future of US-China relations."

He also reflected on the decades-long trend of mutual business engagement between the two countries.

"Seeing Chinese companies like Lenovo, Fuyao, and Wanxiang investing in the US, and seeing American companies like Apple and Motorola developing in China, I believe I have seen the future. These are the people-to-people and commercial ties that bind our two countries together. Some might say, 'Steve, you're wrong, that's not the reality.' I am absolutely not wrong. I may be ahead of my time, but I am absolutely not wrong. Because a day will come when investment and cooperation between the US and China will flourish again, because it is in the vital interest of all Americans and all Chinese people."

Addressing the current complex international landscape, Orlins reaffirmed his confidence in the future of US-China relations. He stated that history has repeatedly demonstrated the resilience of people-to-people bonds, whether through the earlier "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" or subsequent cross-border economic and investment activities.

In concluding his address, Orlins called for the US and China to continue expanding two-way openness and to approach commercial cooperation and investment with rationality and an open mindset.