Sino-US clash 'won't get you anywhere'

A confrontational China-US relationship does not benefit anyone because the interests of the two countries are deeply interwoven, Zhang Yesui, spokesman for the annual session of the National People's Congress, said in Beijing on Monday.

Asked at a news conference about Beijing's response to Washington's increasingly hard-line policy toward China, Zhang said, "It won't get you anywhere to deal with new problems in the context of globalization with a Cold War mentality."

Zhang, a former vice-minister of foreign affairs, said China has a consistent and clear policy toward the United States. China is dedicated to having a relationship based on nonconflict, nonconfrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, he said, adding that China will also firmly safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests.

Differences in history, culture, social systems and development stage are normal between the two countries, Zhang said, but such differences do not necessarily need to bring antagonism or confrontation.

"Facts have fully demonstrated that cooperation is the best choice for both sides," he said.

He also said the China-US trade talks have made substantive progress on many issues of common concern, and both countries and the international community have responded in a positive manner.

"We hope the two sides can continue to step up consultation and reach a mutually beneficial and win-win agreement," he said, calling trade ties mutually beneficial by nature.

The most important thing now is to honestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries and expand cooperation on the basis of managing and controlling disputes, thus ensuring that bilateral ties stay on the right track, Zhang said.

He also responded to some countries' concerns over telecom giant Huawei, saying that it is neither fair nor ethical for US government officials to play up so-called security risks associated with Chinese companies and link them to China's National Intelligence Law. That kind of behavior interrupts economic activities via political means, violates World Trade Organization rules and damages fair competition, he said.