China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns on Tuesday in Beijing, aiming to foster healthy and stable relations between the two nations.
Wang Yi, who also serves as a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, welcomed Ambassador Burns to his post and expressed hope that he will play an active role as a communicator, mediator, and promoter of cooperation.
“China-U.S. relations are at a critical juncture,” Wang stated. “Looking back on nearly half a century since establishing diplomatic ties, equality and respect have been the foundation for our exchanges. Dialogue and cooperation remain the only correct choices.”
He emphasized that China has earnestly implemented consensus from recent economic and trade talks but expressed concerns over actions by the United States that he described as infringing on China’s legitimate rights and interests. “China firmly opposes such actions,” Wang noted.
Wang called on the U.S. to meet China halfway and implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state earlier this year, creating necessary conditions for bilateral relations to return to the right track.
Ambassador Burns conveyed that President Joe Biden holds great respect for President Xi Jinping and stressed the importance of maintaining positive and constructive exchanges between the two leaders.
“As the U.S. ambassador to China, I am committed to maintaining close communication with the Chinese side in the spirit of mutual respect and attentive dialogue,” Burns said.
