In a closed-door event at the inaugural Family Business Summit in Hong Kong, Cui Tiankai, the former Chinese ambassador to the United States, expressed China's willingness to negotiate with the US on various issues as long as the one-China principle is respected. Cui, who held the ambassadorial post in Washington from 2013 to 2021, emphasized the importance of the principle that Taiwan is part of China, stating that as long as it remains unchallenged, there would be no need for the use of force.

"The key is the one-China principle. As long as this principle is still there, as long as nobody is trying to challenge this one-China principle, there's no need for the use of force. And under that basis within the framework of the one-China principle, everything else can be negotiated," Cui commented.

Cui further emphasized that any undermining or challenging of the one-China principle would significantly increase the risk of war. He called upon US politicians to exercise wisdom and common sense in their decision-making, hoping they would not advocate for war easily.

The event, co-organized by the South China Morning Post, Blue Pool Capital, and with the support of UBS, gathered prominent speakers, including Cui, to address China-US ties and discuss opportunities for stability. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu highlighted Hong Kong's suitability as a location for family office businesses, with a projection of having at least 200 such offices by the end of 2025.

Regarding the much-anticipated summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden, several speakers expressed their hopes that the volatile relations between the two countries would stabilize. Cui believed that the summit would provide an excellent opportunity for the leaders to agree on avoiding confrontation and miscalculation between the two great powers. He also mentioned the possibility of resuming military-to-military exchanges if the strategic guidance from the summit is followed.

Additionally, Zhou Bo, a senior fellow at Tsinghua University, anticipated that military dialogue between China and the US would resume after the summit. He identified Taiwan and the South China Sea as the top issues on the agenda. Recent tensions have been observed between the two superpowers in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly in relation to Taiwan.

While some experts downplayed the possibility of imminent military action over Taiwan, Cui stressed that the matter was of principle and involved China's national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national unity. He asserted that there would be no room for concessions.

China's position on Taiwan remains firm, as it declined to renounce the use of force on what it considers its territory. Despite not recognizing Taiwan as an independent state, the US continues to sell weapons to the island for its self-defense, strengthening economic ties, and supporting its participation in international affairs, which has drawn protests from Beijing.

In the aftermath of the summit, it remains to be seen how the negotiations between China and the US will unfold, particularly in the context of the one-China principle and the delicate issue of Taiwan.