China urges U.S. to practice mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, win-win cooperation

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Wednesday urged the United States to truly practice the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.

In a recent speech, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken characterized the Biden administration's China strategy as "invest, align and compete."

In response, Zhao told a daily news briefing that China has always believed that building a world of connectivity, diversity, inclusiveness, security and shared benefits is a responsibility and obligation that both China and the United States must undertake.

He said China is glad to see the United States achieving development through legitimate investment, but the United States should not make China an "imaginary enemy."

How the United States improves its own innovation and competitiveness is up to the United States, but it should not suppress and contain China, interfere in China's internal affairs and harm China's interests, Zhao said.

"If such a thing occurs, China will firmly oppose it," he added.

He stressed that China does not interfere in the normal coordination and cooperation between the United States and its allies, but such relations should not target or harm the interests of third parties, nor should they violate the basic norms of international relations.

Zhao said China does not deny that there is competition between China and the United States in the field of economy and trade. "However, our relations cannot be defined by competition, nor should we pursue zero-sum vicious competition or engage in major power confrontation under the cover of competition."

If the U.S. side insists on defining China-U.S. relations by major power competition and pursuing "I win you lose" policy objectives, it will only push the two countries to confrontation and conflict and lead the world to division and turmoil, he said.

He pointed out that the U.S. side's recent China policy speech is "just old wine in a new bottle." The "three-point approach" is about using all the internal and external resources of the United States to encircle, suppress and contain China.

"As China-U.S. relations stand at an important crossroads, the United States must make the right choice. Instead of quibbling over the wording, it should focus its efforts on the three principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation," Zhao said.