Chinese President Xi Jinping is aiming for a successful partnership between China and the United States. At a media event on Wednesday, he said this is an opportunity for the two countries to be enablers for each other’s development rather than an obstacle.
“China is willing to be a partner and friend with the United States. This will benefit not only the two countries, but the world,” Xi said. He said this in remarks from a letter to the 2024 annual awards dinner of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, according to a CCTV news report.
China-US Friendship?
Xi pointed out that China-U.S. relations are among the most important bilateral relations in the world, which have a bearing on the future and destiny of mankind, according to the letter.
The two countries have been at odds over national security concerns and ongoing trade spats. There are tensions between the two nations as well as over China’s actions in the South China Sea and intensified military drills around Taiwan.
Trade relations soured even more over the past year. The two global powers have centred around issues including restrictions on electric vehicles and advanced semiconductors.
“China has always handled China-U.S. relations in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation. We also always believed that the success of China and the United States is an opportunity for each other,” Xi said.
Tensions Between Countries
Relations between China and the US plummeted last year after the United States shot down a Chinese spy balloon. However, both have since sought to keep open lines of communication to prevent, the U.S. says, competition from spiralling into conflict.
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan met Chinese President Xi Jinping in August at the end of talks to ease friction ahead of November’s U.S. election.
The White House said then a call was being planned soon between Xi and U.S. President Joe Biden.
(with inputs from Reuters)
