Chinese FM stresses cooperation over competition in Sino-U.S. relations

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered a speech via video at a symposium named "Kissinger and China-U.S. Relations" on Tuesday to express his opinion on the right path of bilateral relations.

Wang expressed his appreciation to the friendly people in the United States, with former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger as a representative, for their long-term caring and support to the development of China-U.S. relations.

It is both the responsibility and obligation for China and the United States to build a connected, diversified and tolerant world with shared security, said Wang, adding that whether the two countries can properly handle their relationship is a question of the century which must be well answered by the two sides.

The China-U.S. relationship is encountering more and more challenges, and its historical narrative is being artificially distorted, with its development risking the danger of taking a wrong path, Wang said.

He pointed out that if the United States keeps backsliding on the Taiwan question, it will fundamentally damage the peace across the Taiwan Straits, and eventually hurt itself.

"The China-U.S. relationship cannot deteriorate further, and the right choice must be made, that is, to correct strategic recognition, abandon Cold-War mentality, solidify political fundamentals, properly manage divergences, get out of a competitive logic, and enhance communication and cooperation," he said.

Noting that the China-U.S. relations are now mired in an abnormal climate, Wang said the extreme anxiety of the U.S. side is completely unnecessary.

For China, the overriding task is to develop its economy to live up to Chinese people's aspiration for a better life, he said.

If the United States continues to define the China-U.S. relations as major-country competition and set its policy objective towards a zero-sum game, it will drag the two countries into a state of confrontation and conflict, and push the world into division and turbulence, Wang said.

He said as the world has entered a period of turbulence and transformation, it requires a new philosophy on diplomacy of peaceful coexistence and cooperation for mutual benefits.

It's expected that the insightful people in the United States should not hesitate to continue to inject positive energy into the China-U.S. relations, while people from all walks of life of both countries should no longer be silent but speak up to bring new hope to people of the two countries, Wang said.

The symposium, held online by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs, reviewed the contributions that Dr. Kissinger has made to push forward the development of China-U.S. relations and discussed issues concerning the bilateral relations.