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China-U.S. relations have arrived at a new critical juncture in history. Beijing and Washington have the responsibility, capacity and wisdom to find a way for major countries with different political systems to get along with each other. To that end, it requires an even grander vision and greater political courage.
After all, it is always correct to choose working together instead of decoupling each other, and to choose tearing down barriers rather than building more walls.
With all the world’s eyes upon them, China and the United State have wrapped up their high-level strategic dialogue held in Anchorage, Alaska.
Undoubtedly, the China-U.S. relationship is one of the most important bilateral ties in today’s world. Therefore, for the two sides, dialogue is always better than confrontation.
During this round of dialogue, the two sides conducted candid, in-depth and constructive communication on their respective domestic and foreign policies, China-U.S. relations, and major international and regional issues of common concern.
They expressed their willingness to enhance cooperation or coordination in some specific areas. For instance, the two sides are committed to strengthening dialogue and cooperation in the field of climate change and will establish a joint working group on that subject. In the spirit of reciprocity and mutual benefit, the two sides will hold talks on facilitating activities of each other’s diplomatic and consular missions and personnel, as well as on issues related to media reporters.
The talks in Anchorage once again proved that communication and dialogue based on mutual respect can help the two sides increase trust, reduce misperceptions, properly manage differences and promote mutually beneficial cooperation.
What needs to be clarified is that the fundamental purpose of China’s development is to ensure that the Chinese people can live a better life and to benefit all humankind. Win-win cooperation is an important principle of China’s development and a golden rule in China’s external relations. China has no intention to interfere in the political system of the United States, nor challenge or replace its status and influence.
The U.S. side should take a right approach to China’s political system and development path, its influence on the world as well as its major policies.
Meanwhile, the U.S. side should also respect China’s core concerns such as sovereignty and security, and stop interfering in China’s internal affairs on Taiwan and issues related to Hong Kong and Xinjiang.
In Anchorage, the United States reiterated its adherence to the one-China policy on the Taiwan question, which sent a right signal to the rest of the world.
Containers of China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited are seen at the Port of Long Beach in Los Angeles County, the United States, Feb. 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Ying)
After all, the essence of China-U.S. relations is of mutual benefit and win-win results, rather than a zero-sum game. The two countries will gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. Neither side can afford the consequences of conflict and confrontation.
They should trust rather than suspect each other, understand rather than blame each other, and cooperate rather than obstruct each other.
In the past few years, due to Washington’s irrational suppression of China’s legitimate rights and interests, China-U.S. relations have encountered unprecedented difficulties. This situation should not continue any longer. The only right way is to follow the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
Moreover, enhancing coordination and cooperation between China and the United States, the two major players with global influence, is to follow the global trend of peace and development, which will also meet the expectations of the international community.
Forming cliques, turning back the wheel of history, inciting ideological divisions, or instigating confrontation will lead to nowhere.
China is ready to work with the United States to uphold true multilateralism, and provide more public goods with better quality for the international community.
The two countries can cooperate on three most pressing tasks facing the international community — fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, tackling climate change and promoting world economic recovery — and strengthen communication and coordination on major international and regional issues, so as to expand their cooperation on a bigger scale.
During the dialogue, the two sides said they will step up coordination and consultation on activities within such multilateral frameworks as the Group of 20 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.
They also exchanged views on a series of other topics, including climate change, the Iranian nuclear issue, Afghanistan, the Korean Peninsula and Myanmar, and agreed to maintain and enhance communication and coordination.
In the 1970s, then far-sighted leaders of China and the United States worked together to break the ice in bilateral relations, and charted the course forward for bilateral cooperation.
Today, China-U.S. relations have arrived at a new critical juncture in history. Beijing and Washington have the responsibility, capacity and wisdom to find a way for major countries with different political systems to get along with each other. To that end, it requires an even grander vision and greater political courage.
After all, it is always correct to choose working together instead of decoupling each other, and to choose tearing down barriers rather than building more walls.
Xinhua News Agency
