China calls for courage and wisdom to put Sino-US relations back on the right track

BEIJING -- The United States and China are expected to show courage and wisdom, listen to each other, face up to each other, respect each other, and engage in dialogue and cooperation in order to "heal and recover" bilateral relations, a spokesperson said on Thursday.

"I believe that with joint efforts of both sides, the 'better angels' in China-US relations will be able to overcome forces for evil," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a routine press briefing.

Hua's response came after Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th US President on Wednesday.

"We congratulate President Biden on taking office, and we wish President Biden every success in state governance," said the spokesperson.

"I noticed that President Biden has repeatedly stressed the term 'unity' in his inaugural address, which is precisely what's needed in current China-US relations," Hua said.

She said that over the past four years, a small number of anti-China politicians in the United States have lied too much out of their own political interests and incited too much hatred and division, adding that both the Chinese and American people have suffered greatly and deserve a better future.

Many people of insight in the two countries and the international community are looking forward to an early return of China-US relations to the right track, along with the necessary contributions to jointly solving the major and urgent challenges facing the world today, Hua said.

"President Biden also mentioned that the United States has a lot of healing and recovery to do. I think the same also applies to China-US relations," Hua said. "In the past few years, the Trump administration, especially Pompeo, has laid too many mines, burned too many bridges and destroyed too many roads in China-US relations, which are waiting to be cleared, rebuilt and repaired."

"We believe anything's possible if we set our mind to it," and with the joint efforts of both sides, the "better angels" in bilateral relations can overcome forces for evil, according to Hua.

In response to a query about China's comments on the United States rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization (WHO), Hua said China welcomed those decisions and is willing to work together with the United States within those frameworks.

In her reply to a question on the COVID-19 death-toll in the United States which had surpassed 400,000, Hua expressed China's deep condolences to the people who have unfortunately lost their lives in this epidemic.

"Unity and cooperation are the most powerful weapons to defeat the virus," Hua said, adding that China will continue to provide help and support to the United States in the fight against the epidemic to the best of its ability.