US does not seek conflict with China – Sullivan
China and the United States, as two major countries, should be responsible for history, for the people and for the world, and should be a source of stability for world peace and a propeller for common development, said Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday afternoon.
Xi made the remarks when meeting with visiting Assistant to the U.S. President for National Security Affairs (National Security Advisor) Jake Sullivan at the Great Hall of the People.
Xi pointed out that in this changing and turbulent world, countries need solidarity and coordination, not division or confrontation; people want openness and progress, not exclusion or regress.
Xi stressed that when China and the United States, two major countries, engage with each other, the first issue is to develop a right strategic perception, and they need to first and foremost find a good answer to the overarching question: Are China and the United States rivals or partners?
China’s foreign policy is open and transparent, and its strategic intentions are aboveboard, both of which have been highly consistent and stable, Xi said.
China is focused on managing its own affairs well and will continue deepening reform comprehensively to further improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics that suits China’s national conditions, Xi added, noting that China follows a path of peaceful development.
While realizing its own development, China is also ready to work with other countries for common development, and to jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind, the Chinese president said.
Xi also pointed out that China’s U.S. policy is highly consistent.
While great changes have taken place in the two countries and in China-U.S. relations, China’s commitment to the goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship remains unchanged, the principle of handling the relationship based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation remains unchanged, its position of firmly safeguarding the country’s sovereignty, security and development interests remains unchanged, and its efforts to carry forward the traditional friendship between the Chinese and American people remain unchanged, according to Xi.
Xi expressed the hope that the United States will work in the same direction with China, view China and its development in a positive and rational light, see each other’s development as an opportunity rather than a challenge, and work with China to find a right way for China and the United States, two countries with different civilizations, systems and paths, to coexist in peace and achieve common development on this planet, and work to maintain the stability of China-U.S. relations and, on that basis, improve and take this relationship forward.
Sullivan, the first U.S. national security advisor to visit China since 2016, arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a three-day visit to China.
He was invited by Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, to attend a strategic communication between China and the United States.
For his part, Sullivan conveyed the regards of U.S. President Joe Biden to President Xi, and thanked President Xi for meeting him.
He said that since the San Francisco summit meeting between the two presidents, the two sides have earnestly implemented their common understandings and achieved positive progress.
Saying that this round of strategic communication with Director Wang Yi in China was in-depth, candid, substantive and constructive, Sullivan reiterated that the United States does not seek a new Cold War, it does not seek to change China’s system, the revitalization of U.S. alliances is not against China, the United States does not support “Taiwan independence”, and it does not seek conflict with China.
The one-China policy of the United States has not changed, and it has no intention to use Taiwan as a tool to contain China, Sullivan added.
The United States hopes to maintain strategic communication with China and find a way for the United States and China to coexist in peace and for U.S.-China relations to develop in a sustainable way, according to Sullivan.
He added that President Biden looks forward to having communication again with President Xi soon.
Asking Sullivan to pass on his regards to President Biden, Xi expressed readiness to stay in touch with President Biden to guide and steer the development of China-U.S. relations.