ON THE INTERNET
Christopher Bovis, professor of International and European business law, Hull University Business School
"Amid the presidential campaign in the United States, there is an increasing demand for regulation of the Internet globally, and especially in China. The reason is twofold: international security and trade. The US wishes to cooperate with China on ways and means to effectively regulate the Internet, including monitoring content, data and voice to enhance national and international security. China has the means in both technology and investment to play a major part in Internet regulation in the 21st century, with primary focus on security. In addition, the Internet needs constant regulatory reform to allow international trade to be more productive and efficient, including payment and invoicing systems, the regulation of cloud services and electronic trade between the US and China."
ON CHINA-US TIES
Fredrik Erixon, director of the European Centre for International Political Economy, based in Brussels, and former economic adviser to the Swedish prime minister
"I think this is a nice proposal, but I don't expect cooperation to deepen anytime soon. There are too many controversies between the countries for both sides to begin cooperation in earnest. Furthermore, the differences in policy on many digital issues are too big for a forward-looking agenda to be agreed anytime in the near future. However, none of this detracts from the fact that it is always good when countries talk to each other and try to address misunderstandings."
ON REFORM
Teng Jianqun, director of the Department of American Studies at the China Institute of International Studies
"President Xi Jinping's several speeches in the US have sent a strong signal that China will stick to the path of reform, opening-up and peaceful diplomacy. It will not seek hegemony and will not seek to challenge the interests of other countries. China was one of the builders of the international order and has also been a guardian and beneficiary. Against such a background－though China and the US have structural discrepancies, such as their different social systems and values－Xi believes differences are natural. In his view, the key point is how we manage the differences."
ON THE ECONOMY
Wei Jianguo, vice-chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchange, former deputy minister of commerce
"China is entering the most difficult phase of the economic restructuring reform, as the traditional driving forces are weakening while the new engines are growing. When the export and investment-driven model is shifting into a service and consumption-oriented pattern, the macroeconomic indicators may be not as strong as before. The transformation will change the quality of the growth in the long run, and policy measures are sufficient to prevent a hard landing."
