China, US communicating closely on leaders’ meeting

In this file photo taken on Dec 17, 2020,
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson
Wang Wenbin speaks at a regular press conference of China's Foreign Ministry. (PHOTO FROM THE FOREIGN MINISTRY WEBSITE)

BEIJING – A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Friday said that China and the United States are in close communication on the specific arrangements of their leaders' meeting.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily news briefing when answering a relevant query. He said that this year, President Xi Jinping has had two phone conversations with President Joe Biden at request. The two heads of state have agreed to maintain regular contact in various ways.

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"We hope that the US side will work with China to make the meeting a success and bring China-US ties back to the right track of sound and stable development," said the spokesperson.

BENEFICIAL NATURE OF TIES

The US should correctly view the mutually beneficial nature of China-US relations, and adopt a rational and pragmatic policy toward China, he said while commenting on US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's recent remarks that the US is going to compete vigorously with China across multiple dimensions, and there's no reason that the competition has to turn into conflict or confrontation.

Competition does exist in international relations, but it should be healthy competition based on observing the basic norms governing international relations, said Wang.

"We oppose unfair competition where one's own rules are forced on other countries as international rules. We oppose unjust competition where the word 'competition' is used as a pretext to undermine other countries' sovereignty and interfere in other countries' internal affairs. We oppose unethical competition where 'competition' is cited as an excuse to restrict other countries' development and deprives them of their legitimate rights and interests.”

China and the US have both differences and broad common interests, and to define China-US relations with competition contravenes the reality of bilateral relations and deviates from US policies on China, he added.

"The US should correctly view the mutually beneficial nature of China-US relations, adopt a rational and pragmatic policy toward China, work with China to strengthen dialogue and communication, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, properly manage differences and follow the path of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation," he said.