US President Joe Biden (L) greets Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima, Peru, on Saturday. AFP
China is committed to ensuring a smooth transition in its relations with the United States and is prepared to collaborate with the incoming administration of Donald Trump, President Xi Jinping conveyed to his counterpart Joe Biden on Saturday. Their discussion took place during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit, just two months before Trump's inauguration in January, amid worries of fresh trade conflicts and diplomatic turbulence.
"China is eager to work with the new US administration to sustain dialogue, broaden cooperation, and address differences, aiming for a smooth transition in the China-US relationship," Xi communicated to Biden through an interpreter. During his first term in the White House, Trump initiated a contentious trade war with China, imposing tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Chinese goods and facing reciprocal measures from Beijing. He maintained a similar stance during his recent campaign.
Both nations should "continue to seek the appropriate path for two major countries to coexist harmoniously," Xi stated. He cautioned on Saturday that bilateral relations could "face challenges or even regress" if either side viewed the other as an adversary or foe, according to the Chinese state news agency Xinhua.
"Competition between major countries should not define the era," Xi added, advocating against a "small yard, high fences" approach. He emphasized that "a stable China-US relationship is crucial" for both nations and the global community, noting that Beijing remains committed to fostering healthy ties. However, he underscored that Beijing's stance of "resolutely protecting its sovereignty, security, and development interests remains unchanged," as reported by Xinhua.
Present at the talks were US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, among other officials. The Chinese delegation included Cai Qi, a senior member of the Chinese Communist Party, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Commerce Minister Wang Wentao.
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