BEIJING: China-US relations should return to the track of sound and steady development as soon as possible to benefit both countries and the world, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on Friday, as the two sides agreed to work together for a meeting between the two heads of state next month.
In addition to inviting China to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in San Francisco, the US has sent a separate invitation to China for a summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden at the APEC venue, a senior Chinese official, who preferred not to be identified, told China Daily on Saturday.
While Wang’s meeting with Biden lasted for roughly an hour, more than double than originally planned, Wang and Blinken met for more than seven hours over the two days, had a dinner together, and held “comprehensive” and “in-depth” discussions, the official said.
In their meeting, Wang said China always believes that the common interests of the two countries outweigh their differences and disputes, that their respective success is an opportunity rather than a challenge, and that the way for them to get along should be dialogue and cooperation rather than a zero-sum game.
Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, underscored that there are “five musts” to be followed when summarizing the experience and drawing lessons from the course of bilateral relations this year.
“The two sides must follow the common understandings reached by the two heads of state; must stabilize bilateral relations; must keep communication channels open; must properly manage differences, disputes and frictions; and must promote mutually beneficial cooperation,” he said.
In addition, the minister said, to stabilize and improve their relations, the two sides should also have objective understandings of each other’s strategic intentions, correctly view the competitive factors in the exchanges between China and the United States, and define the concept of national security.
As part of the outcome of the talks, the two sides will hold consultations in the coming days on maritime affairs, arms control and non-proliferation, and foreign policies, in addition to a coordination meeting on disability affairs that may result in a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in disability affairs, according to a Chinese readout.
It said the two sides agreed to further increase direct passenger flights. –The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
