The trade friction between China and US has drawn widespread attention recently. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited China on October 8th. Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, and Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China, met with him separately. The two sides exchanged views on keeping China-US relations on the right path. Several days before the visit, US Vice President Mike Pence made groundless accusations against China’s domestic and foreign policies. Many people are interested in where China-US relations will go and what impact it will have on the global and regional situation. Here is my response to queries in this regard:
About Mike Pompeo’s visit to China. The Chinese side stressed that China-US relations stand now at a critical juncture. For China and the US as two major countries, only cooperation leads to win-win outcome. China is committed to developing cordial China-US relations. Meanwhile, China will continue to take necessary measures to resolutely defend its sovereignty and firmly safeguard its security and development interests. During his visit to China, Pompeo said the US and China have differences on many issues, but the US is not against China’s development and has no intention to contain China. The US is willing to strengthen communication with China, and together work out constructive solution to the current challenges. We believe this represents the mainstream rational voice of the American people.
About Mike Pence’s groundless accusations. The US should view and understand China’s development in a right way and immediately stop its misguided comments and actions which harm China’s core interest. China is unswervingly pressing ahead with comprehensively deepening reform and opening wider to the outside world. China is committed to the path of peaceful development and forging a community with a shared future for mankind. China always follows the principle of non-interference in others’ internal affairs. The US has provoked trade disputes, and China has to make the necessary response, which is legitimate self-defense. The US should reflect on its own practice of interfering in the internal affairs of developing countries such as China and India under the pretext of human rights and religious matters. The so-called “militarization” of South China Sea by China is distorting of facts. The US should stop making troubles and creating tensions, and respect the efforts of relevant parties to resolve problems through negotiation and consultation. The allegation that China has put some developing countries into “debt trap” is nothing but an attempt to sow discord. China’s economic cooperation with other developing countries is committed to win-win cooperation and common development. China is open to all initiatives that will help regional development and cooperation. What we are firmly against is attempts to use the so-called Indo-Pacific strategy as a tool to counter China. We are looking forward to the US taking concrete steps to become a trusted partner of the developing countries.
Under the current circumstances, China and India need to deepen their cooperation to fight trade protectionism. As the two largest developing countries and major emerging markets, China and India are both in the vital stage of deepening reform and developing economy, and both need stable external environment. Practicing unilateral trade protectionism in the name of “national security” and “fair trade” will not only affect China’s economic development, but also undermine the external environment of India and hinder India’s booming economy. China and India share common interests in defending the multilateral trading system and free trade. President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modiji spoke with one voice to safeguard the multilateral trading system and free trade at the World Economic Forum in Davos respectively. This year, the two sides jointly participated in publishing the “Qingdao Declaration” and the 10th BRICS Summit Johannesburg Declaration, sending a clear message against protectionism. Facing unilateralism and bullying activities, China and India have more reasons to join efforts to build a more just and reasonable international order.
Please wait...
