State councilor meets US state secretary, calling for win-win cooperation

2018-10-09
Xinhua

BEIJING — State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Oct 8, saying that China and the United States should “follow the right path of win-win cooperation, rather than go astray toward conflict and confrontation.”

Wang said Pompeo proposed his visit to China, and the Chinese side was willing to arrange meetings.

“Recently the United States escalated trade friction with China, took actions that jeopardized China’s rights and interests on the Taiwan issue and unwarrantedly condemned China on its domestic and foreign policies,” Wang said.

Stressing that the moves directly impacted mutual trust and cast a shadow over China-US relations, Wang urged the United States to immediately stop making negative remarks.

“I know that during your visit, you also want to exchange views with the Chinese side on regional hotspot issues including the situation in the Korean Peninsula,” Wang said. “This demonstrates that as two major powers and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and the United States should strengthen communication and cooperation, so as to live up to their responsibilities entrusted by the international community.”

Wang expressed his hope that Pompeo’s Beijing visit would play a positive role in supporting healthy bilateral ties.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and the United States.

“The past four decades have witnessed tremendous changes in both countries and substantial benefits from mutual exchanges,” Wang said. “The most important lesson is that cooperation leads to win-win results while conflict ends up with a loss for both sides.”

He said current China-US ties were at a critical phase, and China would maintain peaceful development and continue reform and opening-up, to realize rejuvenation while avoiding the “power leading to hegemony” stereotype.

He called on the US side to stop “groundless accusations against China and wrong actions undermining China’s core interests.”

“China is committed to developing good relations with the United States, meanwhile, China will firmly safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests,” Wang stressed.

Wang illustrated China’s positions on trade friction with the United States, as well as the Taiwan issue and the South China Sea issue.

He said a trade war would never solve problems and promised that China was still willing to negotiate with the United States “on the basis of equality, honesty and solemnity.”

“China completely respects all countries’ decisions, and will never intervene in other countries’ domestic affairs,” Wang said.

“China urges the US side to abide by the one-China principle and the regulations of the three China-US Joint Communiques, stop official and military contact with Taiwan, revoke arms sales to Taiwan, stop unreasonable intervention in countries that have established or are hoping to establish relations with China, restrain ‘Taiwan independence’ forces, so as to maintain China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait through practical actions,” he said.

Pompeo said that despite obvious differences on many issues between the two sides, the United States does not mean to oppose China’s development, and there is no policy to fully contain China.

As the world’s two largest economies and most powerful countries, the United States and China shoulder important responsibilities for world peace and prosperity, he said.

Pompeo called for more communication, trust and cooperation based on rules and promised that the US side adhered to the one-China principle.

He also expressed his hope of facilitating communication and cooperation with China on major international and regional issues.

He briefed Wang on his visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), voiced the US side’s appreciation of China’s consistent position on the Korean Peninsula and its efforts on denuclearization, and expressed a willingness to continue related cooperation.

Wang said China’s position is “clear, consistent and will never change.”

He called on the US to attach importance to the DPRK’s reasonable demands for safety and development with positive responses.

“China supports direct dialogue between the United States and the DPRK, Wang said. “Based on mutual respect and accommodation of each other’s concerns, China is willing to continue its unique and important role.”