China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday urged increased engagement with the United States and cautioned against confrontation between the two major powers, according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry.
Wang made the comments during a meeting in Beijing with a delegation of United States’ businesses that includes executives from Goldman Sachs, Boeing and Apple, the ministry said.
“China is willing to enhance engagement with the United States, avoid misjudgment, manage differences, and explore cooperation,” Wang was quoted as saying.
Tariff Truce Extension
His remarks came a day after top Chinese and U.S. negotiators wrapped up the latest round of trade talks in Stockholm, with both sides agreeing to seek an extension of their 90-day tariff truce struck in May.
Wang said that relations between China and the United States are affected by global developments and exert a “profound impact” on international dynamics.
“China and the U.S. need to establish more channels of communication and consultation, view each other objectively, rationally, and pragmatically, and foster a correct strategic perception,” he said, urging both countries to reject “unilateralism and bullying”.
He encouraged U.S. companies to maintain confidence in the Chinese market and welcomed them to continue to invest in China, the ministry statement said.
US Delegation’s China Visit
A high-level delegation of U.S. executives is visiting China this week and has also met with China’s commerce and industry ministers.
The trip comes as Beijing and Washington work towards a summit between the two countries’ leaders later this year, probably around the time of the APEC forum in South Korea from October 26 to November 1, sources previously told Reuters.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he thinks he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping before the end of the year, but did not elaborate.
(With inputs from Reuters)
