With an eye to the differences between the two sides, Biden said the U.S. welcomes "healthy and fair competition" from China and believes strongly that whenever possible, China should be included at the table of writing new rules.
Biden promised that, as part of its Asian rebalance strategy, the U.S. is "working to build more constructive and productive ties with China" and address the differences candidly and constructively despite that there will be "intensive" competition and disagreements.
Kerry also applauded the "very positive steps" taken by the two countries in tackling issues including climate change, Iranian nuclear talks, fight against Ebola virus, and military-to-military engagement.
"So more and more I think we have both decided that our partnership is an essential starting point to the resolution of global problems," Kerry said, noting that the world is looking to the two countries to fulfill their commitments.
He added that the U.S. is aware that the two countries will not agree on all issues, but "we don't accept that a narrowing of differences is beyond our reach."
Liu said that, facing the complicated and volatile international situation, the two sides should and can work together in a wide range of areas. "As long as our two countries adopt an overall perspective, respect and accommodate each other's core interests and be committed to a constructive approach to reduce misunderstanding and miscalculations, we can manage our differences and maintain our common interests," she said.
PLEDGING TO CONTINUE COOPERATION, MANAGING DIFFERENCES
At the same time, both sides have expressed the willingness to continue their cooperation on a wide range of issues while responsibly managing their differences.
It is the common wish of both sides to achieve a win-win relationship through joint cooperation and avoid the historical trap of zero-sum great power rivalry, Wang said, warning that both countries, and the world as a whole, will have to pay heavy prices if they head for confrontation.
The two countries should keep on the path of building a new model of major-country relationship to seek peaceful co-existence despite all the difficulties that they may face on the road ahead, he said.
Yang also said China and the U.S., as the largest developing country and biggest developed nation, should stand on the higher ground to look at and deal with the bilateral ties, and stick to the path of pushing forward their cooperation, working together to maintain world peace and security, and helping every nation in the world with their development.
"So the point I'm driving is that both of us have our respective strengths. We need to be mutually complementary to each other. We need to turn competition into cooperation," Yang said.
Lew noted that the U.S. and China "have an enormous stake in each other's economic performance." As the world's two largest economies, a mutually beneficial economic relationship is of great importance "not only to the prosperity of our own peoples, but to the health and development of the global economy."
Biden said the two sides cannot solve all the problems at this talks or multiple meetings, but "we have to be committed to working towards solutions in each of these areas," including economic growth, trade and investment, climate change, energy, maritime security, cyber issues, human rights, public health and education.
