Financial Secretary Paul Chan on Sunday said he found that there was a general consensus in the United States that a stable relationship between China and the US doesn’t only benefit both economic giants, it’s also crucial to the future of the global economy.

Chan was writing on his blog after travelling to New York and Washington to attend the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group as a member of the Chinese delegation.

He said there was a clear consensus at both conferences – and when he spoke to business leaders and think tanks – that people generally want to see a stable China-US relationship.

“No matter how the world evolves, it’s a certainty that mutual respect and win-win cooperation are objective criteria for successful development,” he wrote.

“In the face of division, we must work hard to seek mutual understanding through communication and dialogue, and actively seek the greatest common ground.”

The finance chief also said there’s much concern about the global economic outlook.

He noted that the International Monetary Fund is predicting global GDP to grow 3.2 percent in 2025 – 0.1 percentage point lower than last year, while growth is expected to further slow down to 3.1 percent in 2026.

He said people around the world are hoping the tense international trade situation would ease, allowing a stable growth environment for the global economy.

During the exchanges with the business sector, Chan introduced Hong Kong’s latest economic situation and development plans, especially the territory’s efforts to promote financial and innovation development, the Northern Metropolis and the Greater Bay Area.

He said many US businesses are impressed by the innovative advances on the mainland and hope to use Hong Kong as a springboard to the mainland and Asian markets.