Washington, (Samajweekly) Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the world’s two biggest economies “need to have dialogue” following a period of volatile bilateral relations.
Yi, who is in the US on a four-day official visit, also said that “not only should we resume dialogue, the dialogue should be in-depth and comprehensive so that with dialogue we can increase mutual understanding, reduce misunderstanding and misjudgment, constantly seek to expand common ground and pursue cooperation that will benefit both sides so that we can stabilise China-US relations and return it to the track of healthy, stable, and sustainable development”.
He made the remarks to reporters before a one-on-one meeting with Blinken which is part of a reciprocal visit following the Secretary’s travel to Beijing and recent high-level meetings as part of ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage US-China relations, according to the State Department.
The top Chinese diplomat noted that “we have disagreements; we have differences. At the same time, we also share important common interests and we face challenges that we need to respond together”.
He also said that “from time to time there will be some jarring voices” in the bilateral ties.
When that happens, Wang said, “China treats it calmly because we are of the view what is right and what is wrong is not determined by who has the stronger arm or a louder voice”.
On his part, Blinken said that he “agreed with what the Foreign Minister said”, adding that he “very much look forward to constructive conversations over the next two days”.
Following the meeting, the State Department said that Blinken and Wang “discussed a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues, including addressing areas of difference as well as exploring areas of cooperation”.
The Secretary of State also “reiterated that the United States will continue to stand up for our interests and values and those of our allies and partners”, it added.
Blinken also expressed his condolences on the passing of former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who died at the age of 68 due to a heart attack in Shanghai.
Wang and Blinken will continue their discussions on Friday.
The Chinese Foreign Minister is also scheduled to meet National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and speak with President Joe Biden.
The Biden administration is seeking to re-establish normal diplomatic ties with China after a high tension period.
When Blinken visited China in June, he became the first US Secretary of State to travel to the Asian giant in five years and the most senior American official to make such a mission since Biden took office in 2021.
