Chinese President Xi Jinping met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on Monday, June 19th, amid soaring Sino-US tensions.
Xi said the world requires a generally stable China-US relationship and that the future and destiny of mankind depend on the two nations’ ability to get along. He noted that the world is evolving and that the times are changing.
The meeting took place at a time when the China-US relationship has reached the nadir and is on the brink of a conflict over Washington’s hegemonist quest in the Indo-Pacific region.
Underscoring the need for peace and cordial ties, Xi observed that the current status of Sino-US tensions has rung an eerie alarm worldwide. He said that both countries should strive to live in peace and enjoy cordial ties.
Xi said China doesn’t wish to see war or confrontation between itself and the US. He said China also doesn’t want to take any side in any conflict.
The two countries should act with a sense of responsibility for history, for the people and the world, and handle China-US relations properly, Xi said, adding that in this way, they may contribute to global peace and development, and help make the world, which is changing and turbulent, more stable, certain and constructive.
During the 35-minute session, both parties expressed a desire to engage in more discussions. It will be interesting to watch if they can fix their most pressing issues.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Xi and Blinken decided to go back to the list of “common understandings” they had achieved at their meeting in Bali last year. These agreements have been in jeopardy recently, particularly when the US military shot down a Chinese balloon in February, accusing Beijing of spying.
Xi emphasised that major-country rivalry does not reflect the current trend and is unable to resolve either the US’s internal issues or global concerns. In a similar spirit, the US must respect China and refrain from undermining its legitimate rights and interests.
Xi also stated that China respects the US’s interests and doesn’t want to threaten or replace it. “Neither side should attempt to impose its own will on the other side, much less deny that other side its legitimate right to development”, he said.
China, according to Xi, has consistently hoped for a solid and stable China-US relationship and believes the two major powers can overcome obstacles and find a way to get along based on respect for one another, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation.
Xi urged the US side to adopt a logical and practical mindset and cooperate with China in the same direction.
To develop and stabilise China-US relations, Xi emphasised that both parties must remain dedicated to the consensus agreements that he and US President Joe Biden established in Bali and turn the good remarks into deeds.
For his part, Blinken conveyed President Biden’s greetings to President Xi. He said Biden believes that the US and China must manage their relations responsibly, adding that this is in the interests of the US, China and the world.
Blinken stated that the US is committed to adhering to the agenda established by the two presidents in Bali and that the country upholds the declarations made by Biden, in particular, that the country doesn’t seek a new Cold War, changes to China’s political system, alliances aimed at China, support for “Taiwan independence”, or conflict with China.
He added that the US side looks forward to having high-level engagement with the Chinese side, keeping open lines of communication, responsibly managing differences, and pursuing dialogue, exchanges and cooperation.
Xi asked Blinken to convey his regards to President Biden.
Wang Yi, the director of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee’s Foreign Affairs Commission Office, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Qin Gang, among others, were present at the meeting between Xi and Blinken.
