Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday afternoon. Xi noted that the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the United States is being celebrated this year, and he emphasized the importance of drawing lessons from the past.
Xi highlighted that China and the United States should be partners rather than adversaries, supporting each other’s success instead of causing harm. He stressed the need to seek common ground and manage differences instead of engaging in cutthroat competition. Furthermore, Xi emphasized the importance of honoring words with actions, rather than making empty promises.
The Chinese president proposed three overarching principles for the relationship: mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation. These principles, he stated, serve as both lessons learned from the past and a guide for the future. Xi also mentioned that during his recent phone call with President Joe Biden, he shared his thoughts on stabilizing and developing China-U.S. relations in 2024, emphasizing the importance of peace, stability, and credibility.
Xi emphasized that the finer details of the relationship will fall into place when they align with the bigger picture. He acknowledged the ongoing transformation of the world and stressed the need to respond to it. Xi’s answer to this global challenge is to build a community with a shared future for mankind, a concept that has become a cornerstone of China’s foreign policy and has garnered support from many countries.
Xi highlighted the interconnectedness of countries and the need for cooperation in addressing common challenges. He quoted an old Chinese saying, stating that “passengers in the same boat should help each other.” Xi emphasized that dwellers of the same planet should similarly assist each other, as the world is interdependent and countries rise and fall together. He urged all countries to seek maximum consensus for win-win outcomes, emphasizing this as China’s fundamental approach to the world and the China-U.S. relationship.
Xi stressed the importance of major countries behaving in a manner befitting their status, acting with broad-mindedness and a sense of responsibility. He called on China and the United States to set an example by undertaking responsibilities for world peace, creating opportunities for the development of all countries, providing public goods to the world, and playing a positive role in promoting global unity.
Xi mentioned the five pillars he proposed for China-U.S. relations during his meeting with President Biden in San Francisco: developing a right perception, effectively managing disagreements, advancing mutually beneficial cooperation, shouldering responsibilities as major countries, and promoting people-to-people exchanges. He stated that these pillars should form the foundation of China-U.S. relations, making it easier to address specific issues.
Xi expressed China’s willingness to cooperate, highlighting the importance of a two-way street in cooperation. He emphasized that China is not afraid of competition, as long as it is about progressing together rather than engaging in zero-sum games. He reiterated China’s commitment to non-alliance and urged the United States not to create small blocs, while also expressing China’s welcome for a confident, open, prosperous, and thriving United States.
Xi stressed the need for progress in China-U.S. relations, stating that no progress means regression. He expressed hope that the two teams would actively work together to implement the vision reached in San Francisco and truly stabilize, improve, and advance bilateral relations.
Secretary Blinken conveyed President Biden’s greetings to President Xi and acknowledged the progress made in U.S.-China cooperation in various areas since the San Francisco meeting. Blinken emphasized the importance of the United States and China working together to address the multiple and complex challenges facing the world. He stated that Americans from all walks of life he met during his visit expressed the hope for improved U.S.-China relations.
Blinken reiterated that the United States does not seek a new Cold War, does not aim to change China’s system or suppress its development, and has no intention of revitalizing alliances against China or engaging in conflict with China. He affirmed the United States’ adherence to the one-China policy and expressed the desire to maintain communication, implement the agreements made in San Francisco, seek more cooperation, avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations, responsibly manage differences, and achieve stable development of U.S.-China relations.
President Xi asked Secretary Blinken to convey his regards to President Biden. Wang Yi also participated in the meeting.
