China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi Talks about China-U.S. Relations
On March 8th, 2017, at the press conference on China’s foreign policy and external relations held during the Fifth Session of the 12th National People’s Conference (NPC), Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized China-U.S. relations. Below is the full script of his remarks:
Through the intense communication and joint efforts of both sides, the China-US relationship is transitioning steadily and developing in a positive direction. Last month, President Xi Jinping and President Trump had a very important telephone conversation where they reaffirmed the importance of following the one-China principle and pledged to push China-US relations to greater heights from a new starting point. The phone call has set the direction and paved the way for bilateral relations. The two sides are having fruitful communications on realizing exchanges between the two leaders as well as other levels and expanding all areas of cooperation. As long as we act on the consensus reached between the two presidents, follow the principles of no conflict or confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, then there is no reason why China and the United States cannot become good partners.
The importance of the China-US relationship, one between two major countries with global impact, is self-evident. Preserving and developing the China-US relationship is in the mutual interests of our two peoples and the expectation of the international community. The Three Joint Communiqués between the two countries have laid a solid foundation for China-US relations. Looking ahead, the following two points should be stressed:
First, we need to transcend the difference of our social systems. China and the United States have chosen different systems and developmental paths. The Chinese people have great confidence in our own social system and development path; we welcome efforts to build a better United States. In the age of progress and plurality, there is a compelling reason for China and the United States to respect each other, learn from each other, live together peacefully and realize common development.
Second, we need to transcend the zero-sum mentality. China and the United States have a growing set of common interests. The areas where we need to work together on far outweigh what divides us. In many ways, our interests are increasingly intertwined. We should spare no efforts to enlarge our shared interests rather than building one’s success at the expense of the other, because it’s just not possible.
It’s been 38 years since China and the United States normalized diplomatic relations. The Chinese people often say, “When turning thirty, one should be able to stand firm; when reaching forty, one should no longer have any doubts.” We hope that China and the United States can truly rise above the old ideas, open up new horizons and build a more robust and mature China-US relationship as it turns forty, so that we can put the minds of our two peoples and the whole world at ease. (AACYF Los Angeles)
