17th November, 2024
Agency report
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday met with U.S. President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Lima, Peru.
Xi told Biden that over the past four years, China-U.S. relations have experienced ups and downs, but the two sides have also been engaged in dialogue and cooperation, adding that the relationship has remained stable overall.
Under the stewardship of the two presidents, the two teams have developed a number of guiding principles for China-U.S. relations through consultations, and the two presidents have jointly brought China-U.S. dialogue and cooperation back on track, Xi said.
He said more than 20 communication mechanisms have been restarted or established, and positive achievements have been made in areas such as diplomacy, security, economy, trade, fiscal affairs, finance, military, counternarcotics, law enforcement, agriculture, climate change, and people-to-people exchange.
Xi stressed that it is worthwhile to review the experiences of the past four years and draw inspiration from them. He listed the following:
First, it is important to have a correct strategic perception. The Thucydides Trap is not a historical inevitability. A new Cold War should not be fought and cannot be won. Containing China is unwise, unacceptable and bound to fail.
Second, it is important to match words with actions. A man cannot establish himself without credibility. China has always honoured its words. If the U.S. side always says one thing but does another, it will be detrimental to its image and undermine trust between China and the United States.
Third, it is important to treat each other as equals. As two major countries, neither China nor the United States should seek to remodel the other according to one’s own will, suppress the other from the so-called “position of strength,” or deprive the other of the legitimate right to development to maintain its leading status.
Fourth, it is important not to challenge red lines and paramount principles. Contradictions and differences between two major countries like China and the United States are unavoidable. But one side should not undermine the core interests of the other, let alone seek conflict or confrontation. The one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques are the political foundation of China-U.S. relations. They must be observed. The Taiwan question, democracy and human rights, China’s path and system, and China’s development rights are four red lines for China. They must not be challenged. These are the most important guardrails and safety nets for China-U.S. relations.
Fifth, it is important to conduct more dialogue and cooperation. Under the current circumstances, common interests between China and the United States are expanding rather than shrinking. Their cooperation is crucial not only for the economy, trade, agriculture, counternarcotics, law enforcement and public health but also for handling global challenges of climate change and artificial intelligence (AI) as well as addressing international hotspot issues. The two sides should expand the list of cooperation and make a bigger pie of cooperation to achieve a win-win result.
Sixth, it is important to respond to the expectations of the people. China-U.S. relations should always advance the well-being of the two peoples and bring them closer together. To facilitate personnel and cultural exchange, the two sides need to build bridges and roads, remove distractions and obstacles, and refrain from making any moves that have a chilling effect.
Seventh, it is important to step forward to shoulder the responsibilities of major countries. China and the United States should always keep in mind humanity’s future and their responsibilities for world peace, provide public good for the world, and act in a way conducive to global unity, including carrying out constructive interactions, refraining from mutual attrition, and not coercing other countries into taking sides.
Noting that the trajectory of China-U.S. relations has proved the validity of these experiences and inspirations from the past 45 years of diplomatic ties, Xi said when the two countries treat each other as partners and seek common ground while shelving differences, their relationship will make considerable progress.
But if they regard each other as rivals and pursue vicious competition, they will roil the relationship or even set it back, Xi warned.
Noting that humanity is faced with unprecedented challenges in this turbulent world suffering from frequent conflicts, Xi said major-country competition should not be the underlying logic of the times; only solidarity and cooperation can help humanity overcome current difficulties.
He said neither decoupling nor supply-chain disruption is the solution; common development can only be achieved through mutually beneficial cooperation.
He also said “small yard, high fences” is not what a major country should do; only openness and sharing can advance the well-being of humanity.
A stable China-U.S. relationship is critical not only to the interests of the two peoples, but also to the future and destiny of the entire humanity, Xi said, adding China and the United States should keep exploring the right way for the two major countries to get along well with each other, realize long-term, peaceful coexistence on this planet, and inject more certainty and positive energy into the world.
Xi stressed that China’s goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship remains unchanged; its commitment to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation as principles for handling China-U.S. relations remains unchanged; its position of resolutely safeguarding China’s sovereignty, security and development interests remains unchanged; and its desire to carry forward the traditional friendship between the Chinese and American peoples remains unchanged.
China is ready to engage in dialogue, expand cooperation, and manage differences with the United States so as to sustain the hard-won momentum toward stability in China-U.S. relations, he said.
Xinhua/NAN
