On 2nd February 2021, Senior Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, made the call in an online conversation with board members of the National Committee on the U.S.- China relations. He called on the Biden administration to concentrate on cooperation and manage differences in bilateral ties to bring the relationship back to its former course of sound and steady development.
Reviewing the historical achievement of China-US relations, the “Ping Pong Diplomacy” signifies the willingness and efforts of the American people and Chinese people to promote Sino-US friendship, mutual trust, and cooperation over decades of years. Yang regrettably pointed out that the extremely erroneous anti-China policy implemented by the Trump administration damaged Sino-US relations and the fundamental interests of the people of the two countries, especially the misinformation of the COVID-19. The murmur of the extreme anti-China faction is in sharp contrast with the interference, and it has played a valuable positive role in maintaining the overall stability of Sino-US relations.
The epidemic has brought many enlightenments to people. One of the most important is that in the era of globalization, the interests of all countries are highly integrated. Only by uniting and strengthening international coordination and cooperation can we effectively respond to various global challenges and create a better future. The interests of China and the United States are highly interrelated and integrated. As the world’s two largest economies and permanent members of the UN Security Council, whether China and the United States can effectively cooperate is directly related to the well-being of the people of all countries and world peace, development and prosperity.
Following the Biden administration officially took office, it is a task for both China and the U.S. to restore the development of bilateral relations along the track of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation for the benefit of the two countries and their peoples, based on the mutual respect of national sovereignty, security and development.
There are four major aspects can be perfected by the two sides:
View China correctly. The series of misjudgment and wrong policies implemented by the former administration toward China was a historical, directional, and strategic error. China adheres to the path of peaceful development and the open strategy of mutual benefit and win-win results, and sincerely hopes to achieve common development with all countries in the world rather than to be who’s a national threat. No one has the right to deprive the Chinese people of the right to pursue a better life, and China’s development and growth cannot be blocked by any force. The U.S. needs to surpass the old thinking of zero-sum games among major powers and work with China to firmly grasp the correct direction of Sino-US relations.
Resume normal communication. The cooperation and communication of Think tanks, universities, media, local governments, enterprises and other social sectors of the two countries add more positive energy to Sino-US relations through various forms. The new administration of the U.S. Should abolish the wrong and unpopular policies and measures that harass Chinese students studying in the United States, restrict Chinese media in the United States, close Confucius Institutes, and suppress Chinese companies, and remove the „stumbling blocks“ that hinder exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. The two sides should increase the positive understanding of the two peoples of each other, and consolidate the social and public support for the development of Sino-US relations.
Handle contradictions and differences properly. China and the United States are two big countries with different histories, cultures, and systems. China has never interfered in the internal affairs of the United States, including the general election, has never exported its development model to the outside world, has never engaged in an ideological confrontation, has never sought to challenge or replace the United States, and has no intention of dividing its sphere of influence, which should be achieved by the U.S. side as well. The U.S. should strictly abide by the one-China principle, stop interfering in Hongkong, Xizang (Tibet), Xinjiang, Taiwan province and other issues involving China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and stop trying to contain and hinder China’s development by interfering in China’s internal affairs. Both sides should respect each other’s historical and cultural traditions, respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, and respect their respective political systems and development paths.
Develop mutually beneficial cooperation. There are so many major events can be accomplished by both, some US politicians should immediately stop using the epidemic to stigmatize China, explore how to jointly improve the global public health system, and create a favorable atmosphere for the two sides to carry out cooperation in many aspects. On economic and trade issues, both sides shall provide a fair, open and non-discriminatory environment for each other’s companies. In the field of tackling climate change, China and the United States can promote new energy to achieve economic and social development sustainably. The two sides can also promote exchanges and cooperation in the fields of the two-armed forces, law enforcement, drug control, cybersecurity, poverty reduction, counter-terrorism, and non-proliferation; strengthen cooperation within the United Nations, World Health Organization, G20, APEC and other multilateral frameworks, further improve and strengthen global governance, and promote globalization toward a more open, inclusive, balanced, inclusive and win-win direction.
“China is willing to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination with the United States, cooperate on safeguarding the security of global industrial chains and supply chains, and maintaining global economic and financial stability, so as to boost economic growth in both countries and the world. I hope that the National Committee on US-China Relations, its members and people from all walks of life in the United States will continue to play an active role and contribute more wisdom and strength to the healthy and stable development of China-US relations,” expected Yang.
Judging from the historical development trend, the future of Sino-US relations is bright. As long as the two sides proceed from the fundamental interests of the two peoples and the people of the world, adhere to mutual respect, seek common ground while reserving differences, persist in an effective management of differences, and expand common interests, Sino-US relations will surely embark on a path of improvement and development, benefiting the two peoples and all countries in the world.
(Source: xinhuanet.com / dw.com)
