“Neither party can shape the other according to its own wishes, let alone deprive the other of its legitimate right to development.”
The Chinese leader said countries around the world had aired concerns over worsening US-China ties and they did not want to witness conflict or confrontation between the two major powers.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken walks to attend a meeting with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi (not pictured), at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing on Monday. Photo: AFP
In what appeared to be a more conciliatory tone, Xi said China hoped for the return of “healthy and stable” relations with the US, and he believed the two countries could “overcome all difficulties and find the right way to get along”.
Xi also urged Washington to adopt a “rational and pragmatic attitude” when dealing with Beijing and to put their positive statements into action and work towards improving US-China ties.
According to the US State Department, Blinken said he travelled to Beijing because US President Joe Biden believed that both the US and China had an “obligation and responsibility” to manage bilateral relations.
“The United States is committed to doing that. It’s in the interest of the United States, in the interests of China, and in the interest of the world,” he said.
The Chinese statement about the meeting said Blinken added that Washington did not seek a new cold war and neither did it want to change China’s system or oppose Beijing by strengthening its alliances.
