File photo of Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai. (Photo: China's Foreign Ministry)

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai called on China and the U.S. to take the opportunities in 2021 to avoid "irreparable damage" to bilateral ties.

He made the remarks while addressing the U.S.-China Business Council's annual gala on Wednesday.

"This dangerous trend is still continuing. If left unchecked, it will cause irreparable damage to the fundamental interests of both countries and peoples," Cui said, adding that "efforts are needed more than ever to aim high and look far to find the correct direction for China-U.S. relations."

The ambassador highlighted that 2021 is essential for breaking new ground and sustaining new momentum for bilateral ties, saying that both countries stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation.

Stressing that shared interests always come first, Cui said that no difference justifies any conflict or confrontation though differences and disagreements do exist.

Meanwhile, he pointed out that 2021 does provide the two countries with new opportunities.

China will foster a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other, Cui said.

"This new development paradigm is put in place so that the engine will function more efficiently and provide stronger driving force for world economic development," he noted.

As for global cooperation in the post-pandemic era, he said that China and the U.S. should not be absent.

"China and the United States should coordinate and cooperate to combat COVID-19, promote world economic recovery and growth, and reform and improve international governance system and architecture to better address global challenges, such as climate change," he said.