Xi stresses sound China-US ties in virtual meeting with Biden

President Xi Jinping meets with US counterpart Joe Biden via video link in Beijing on Nov 16, 2021. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

President Xi Jinping highlighted on Tuesday the importance of a sound and steady China-US relationship in advancing the two countries' development and for safeguarding a peaceful and stable international environment.

Speaking at a virtual meeting with US President Joe Biden in Beijing on Tuesday, Xi said sound and steady bilateral ties are instrumental to finding effective responses to global challenges such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking at a virtual meeting with US President Joe Biden in Beijing on Tuesday, Xi said sound and steady bilateral ties are instrumental to finding effective responses to global challenges such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic

"China and the US should respect each other, coexist in peace, and pursue win-win cooperation," he said.

Xi called on the two countries to respect each other's social systems and development paths, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and respect each other's right to development.

"We need to treat each other as equals, keep differences under control, and seek common ground while reserving differences," Xi said.

Xi stressed peaceful coexistence between the two countries, saying that no conflict and no confrontation is a line that both sides must hold.

With their interests deeply intertwined, China and the United States stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation, Xi noted.

The world is big enough for the two countries to develop individually and collectively, Xi said. "The right thing to do is to choose mutual benefit over the zero-sum game or the I-win-you-lose approach."

President Xi Jinping meets with US counterpart Joe Biden via video link in Beijing on Nov 16, 2021. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Xi expressed his readiness to work with President Biden to build consensus and take active steps to move China-US relations forward in a positive direction."Doing so will advance the interests of the two peoples and meet the expectation of the international community," he said.

Multilateralism without China-US cooperation is incomplete, he added.

Xi expressed the hope that Biden will demonstrate "political leadership" to bring the US policy towards China back to a "rational and practical" track.

Climate Change

Climate change can well become a new highlight of China-US cooperation, Xi said. 

He reiterated that China will make the world's biggest cut in carbon emission intensity in the shortest time frame in history, a task that will require extraordinary efforts.

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"China means what it says," Xi said, pointing out that ecological conservation has become a household concept and social consensus in China.

Noting that China is still the largest developing country in the world, Xi said all countries need to uphold the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and strike a balance between addressing climate change and protecting livelihoods.

Xi called on developed countries to earnestly fulfill their historical responsibilities and due obligations and maintain policy consistency.

"What the world needs is less finger-pointing or blame game, but more solidarity and cooperation," he said.

Global Public Health

Xi also said that China and the United States need to call for the establishment of a cooperation mechanism for global public health and communicable disease prevention and control, and promote further international exchanges and cooperation.

COVID-19 will not be the last public health crisis facing humanity, Xi stressed.

Response to any major disease must be based on science, he said, adding that politicizing diseases does no good but only harm.

Xi also said the pressing priority in the global COVID response is to address the vaccine deficits and close the vaccination gap.

China is among the first to offer vaccines to developing countries in need, delivering over 1.7 billion doses of finished and bulk vaccines to the world and will consider making additional donations in light of the needs of developing countries, said Xi.

Economic, Trade Ties

Xi described the China-US economic and trade relations as mutually beneficial in nature, and said that economic and trade issues between the two countries should not be politicized. 

The two sides need to make the cake bigger for cooperation, he said.

Xi said China takes seriously the wishes of US business community to travel to China more freely, and has agreed to upgrade fast-track arrangement, which will further enhance economic and trade exchanges between China and the United States and boost the recovery of the two economies.

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He also said the United States should stop abusing or overstretching the concept of national security to suppress Chinese businesses.

Xi said it is imperative for China and the United States to maintain coordination on macroeconomic policies, support world economic recovery and guard against economic and financial risks.

The United States should be mindful of the spillover effects of its domestic macro policies, and adopt responsible macroeconomic policies, he added.

Xi also called on the United States to take concrete actions to meet its word of not seeking a "new Cold War." He said China does not approve of using human rights to meddle in other countries' internal affairs

Xi said that China has no intention to sell its own development path around the world.

"On the contrary," he said, "China encourages all countries to find development paths tailored to their respective national conditions."

Xi also called on the United States to take concrete actions to meet its word of not seeking a "new Cold War." He said China does not approve of using human rights to meddle in other countries' internal affairs.

Taiwan

Xi said that China will be compelled to take resolute measures, should the separatist forces for "Taiwan independence" "provoke us, force our hands or even cross the red line."

He noted the new wave of tensions across the Taiwan Strait, and ascribed the tensions to the repeated attempts by the Taiwan authorities to look for US support for their independence agenda as well as the intention of some Americans to use Taiwan to contain China.

"Such moves are extremely dangerous, just like playing with fire," Xi said. "Whoever plays with fire will get burnt."

The one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques are the political foundation of China-US relations, Xi said, noting that previous US administrations have all made clear commitments on this.

The true status quo of the Taiwan question and what lies at the heart of one China, Xi pointed out, are as follows: there is but one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China, and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing China.

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Calling achieving China's complete reunification an aspiration shared by all sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, Xi said, "We have patience and will strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification with utmost sincerity and efforts."

"That said, should the separatist forces for 'Taiwan independence' provoke us, force our hands or even cross the red line, we will be compelled to take resolute measures," Xi said.

Biden reaffirmed the US government's long-standing one-China policy, and stated that the US does not support "Taiwan independence" and expressed for peace and stability to be maintained in the Taiwan Straits.

He also reiterated that the United States has no intention to have a conflict with China.

The United States does not seek to change China's system, and the revitalization of its alliances is not anti-China, Biden said.

The meeting was the first of its kind between the two leaders since Biden took office in January. They had spoken twice over the phone, in February and September.

With inputs from Xinhua