China and the United States pledged to enhance their agricultural cooperation, during the China-US Agriculture and Food Seminar held in Washington DC on Tuesday.

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang delivers a speech at the China-U.S. Agriculture and Food Seminar held during the 27th Session of the China-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT), in Washington D.C., the United States, Nov. 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

According to US government officials, China was the second-largest international market for American exports last year and that trade has continued to grow.

But in the face of a global movement against free trade, and the election of a US president who has promised to re-negotiate or withdraw from major regional trade agreements, how should Chinese businesses proceed? CCTV's Jessica Stone spoke to some Chinese business leaders in Washington for some insight.

Dozens of leaders from both the US and Chinese government are here in Washington this week for the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade meetings.

This is the last such gathering taking place before the new U.S. president, businessman, Donald Trump, takes office.

At an event centered on agriculture Tuesday, I spoke to Chinese leaders in technology, groceries and dairy trade.

They tell me they are already working with their US counterparts to create more effective systems for food safety in China....and to meet international norms.

Of course the global food market is trillions of dollars a year, a huge area for trade between the US and China.

E-commerce site JD.com over course sells hundreds of food and health items to its base of more than 200 customers - who are mostly inside China.

JD.com says it ensures food safety by using a closed and quality-controlled delivery system.
The company's corporate vice president told me that the Chinese people can adjust to whomever they need to work with in the incoming US administration, but he stressed that the future of US-China trade demands an open door and a balanced approach.

"I would not say we have concerns. I would say that we should make sure that the president-elect and the future administration make sure that you know, open trading environment is good, not just to the Chinese but also to Americans. We want to make sure they are open to the attitude of working with each other," said Jerome Ma, Corporate VP, JD.com.

Every time there is a new president in the US or in China - there is always a period of getting to know each other. Certainly that is happening right now -- especially with an incomings US president that has no political experience.

But one of the reasons that there is a people to people effort of international exchange between the US and China -- and trade missions between the state and provincial levels is to create a network of relationships that can withstand tests at other top leadership levels of government.

Certainly the business leaders I spoke with understand that those connections at the local and regional levels can be even more enduring.