China and the United States should act with a sense of responsibility for history, for the people and for the world, and handle their relations properly, said Chinese President Xi Jinping when meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Beijing on June 19.
In this way, the two countries may contribute to global peace and development, and help make the world, which is changing and turbulent, more stable, certain and constructive, Xi said.
Xi expounded on China's principled position and offered strategic guidance on the stable development of China-U.S. relations, which fully demonstrated China's sense of responsibility as a major country in stabilizing and improving China-U.S. relations.
The heads of state of the two countries met in Bali, Indonesia last November, creating hard-won positive momentum for the two sides to recalibrate the China-U.S. relationship and bring it back on the right course.
However, a series of erroneous words and deeds by the U.S. side since then have disrupted the agenda of dialogue and cooperation agreed upon by the two countries.
It further revealed to the international society that the U.S. perception and views toward China are seriously distorted, which is the root cause of the difficulties currently faced by the China-U.S. relationship. The United States regards China as its "primary rival" and "the most consequential geopolitical challenge," and the result is that the United States' China policy has entirely deviated from the rational and sound track.
Blinken's visit to Beijing came at a critical juncture in China-U.S. relations, and a choice needs to be made between dialogue and confrontation, and cooperation and conflict. The talks between the two sides this time were candid, in-depth and constructive.
The relations between China and the United States are at a low point, and the root cause is U.S. misperceptions toward China, which has led to misguided China policies. China hopes that the United States will adopt an objective and rational perception of China, work with China in the same direction, uphold the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and handle unexpected and sporadic events in a calm, professional and rational manner.
China also hopes that the United States could work with China to jointly manage differences and avoid strategic surprises, act on the important common understandings reached by the two presidents in Bali with real actions, avert the downward spiral of the relationship, and bring it back to the track of sound and steady development.
One of the important positive consensuses and results achieved this time was that both sides agreed to jointly implement the important common understandings reached by the two presidents in Bali and to return to the agenda set by them.
China's reception of Blinken's visit fully demonstrated that China takes a stable and consistent policy toward the United States, and is committed to building a stable, predictable and constructive relationship with the United States.
Xi said that planet Earth is big enough to accommodate the respective development and common prosperity of China and the United States. The Chinese, like the Americans, are dignified, confident and self-reliant people. They both have the right to pursue a better life. The common interests of the two countries should be valued, and their respective success is an opportunity instead of a threat to each other.
China always hopes to see a sound and steady China-U.S. relationship and believes that the two major countries can overcome various difficulties and find the right way to get along based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation. It reflects China's sense of responsibility for history, for the people and for the world.
Major-country competition does not represent the trend of the times, still less can it solve America's own problems or the challenges facing the world. The international community is generally concerned about the current state of China-U.S. relations. It does not want to see conflict or confrontation between China and the United States or choose sides between the two countries. It expects the two countries to coexist in peace and have friendly and cooperative relations.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has warned repeatedly that the fate of humanity depends on whether America and China can get along, and there will be no winner in the conflict between the two sides.
China respects U.S. interests and does not seek to challenge or displace the United States. In the same vein, the United States needs to respect China and must not hurt China's legitimate rights and interests. Neither side should try to shape the other side by its own will, still less deprive the other side of its legitimate right to development.
The Taiwan question is the core of China's core interests, the most consequential issue and the most pronounced risk in the China-U.S. relationship. The U.S. side must abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, and truly deliver on its commitment of not supporting "Taiwan independence."
Managing and stabilizing China-U.S. relations is an ongoing process to which there's no end. To fully release the positive effects of the dialogue, the two sides must act sincerely and proactively to implement the consensus and outcomes achieved through the dialogue. Communication should not be carried out for the sake of communication, and one can't say one thing and act in a different way.
China is committed to maintaining the stability of China-U.S. relations and remains open to dialogue, but it will never sacrifice its national interests. The United States claimed that it does not seek a new Cold War, it does not seek to change China's system, its alliances are not directed at China, it does not support "Taiwan independence," and it does not seek conflict with China. It is hoped that the United States can do what it says.
At the meeting venue, there were blooming lotus flowers placed in the middle of the meeting table. The Chinese word for "lotus" sounds like "peace" and "harmony." China will remain committed to handling the China-U.S. relationship in line with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation.
It is hoped that the U.S. side can adopt a rational and pragmatic attitude, work with China in the same direction, remain committed to the common understandings reached by the two heads of state in Bali, and translate the positive statements into actions so as to stabilize and improve China-U.S. relations.
(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)
