FM calls for healthy Sino-US ties

China and the United States have reaffirmed the importance of dialogue and signaled a shared willingness to pursue stability and cooperation amid mounting tensions, experts said after Foreign Minister Wang Yi met on Tuesday in Beijing with David Perdue, the new US ambassador to China.

The meeting came about three weeks after Perdue arrived in Beijing to take up the post in mid-May.

China-US relations stand at a "critical and pivotal juncture", Wang said, expressing the hope that Perdue, the 13th US ambassador to China, would "play an active role" in promoting the sound, stable and sustainable development of bilateral ties.

Referring to recent economic and trade talks in Geneva, Wang emphasized that China has been "earnestly and strictly" implementing the consensus reached by both sides.

"However, it is regrettable that the United States has since introduced a series of negative measures on unfounded grounds, infringing upon China's legitimate rights and interests. China firmly opposes such actions," he said.

Looking back on nearly five decades of diplomatic ties, Wang said the key takeaway is that "equality and respect are prerequisites for exchanges between the two sides, and dialogue and cooperation are the only correct choice".

The foreign minister urged Washington to meet Beijing halfway and to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state during their phone call in January, in order to create the necessary conditions for bilateral relations to return to a healthy trajectory.

Wang also expressed the hope that Perdue would serve as "a reliable communicator, a mediator of differences, and a promoter of cooperation" between the two nations.

Perdue said that US President Donald Trump holds great respect for President Xi Jinping, and that positive and constructive engagement between the two heads of state is very important.

As US ambassador to China, he expressed his readiness to maintain close contact with the Chinese side in a spirit of mutual respect and attentive dialogue.

It was Perdue's second interaction with senior Chinese officials after he held a meeting with Vice-Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu just five days after arriving in the Chinese capital.

"These meetings reflect the consistent importance that Beijing attaches to China-US relations, as well as its long-standing commitment to stabilizing the relationship through dialogue and communication," said Diao Daming, a professor at Renmin University of China's School of International Studies.

"The future trajectory of the relationship will largely depend on whether the US is willing to move in the same direction as China," he added.

Gao Fei, vice-president of China Foreign Affairs University, emphasized that the foundation of stable China-US relations lies in cultivating accurate mutual perceptions and ensuring open, reliable channels of communication.

"It is hoped that the new ambassador will truly serve as a bridge between the two countries and peoples, accurately conveying China's concerns and positions," Gao said.

Gao further noted that disagreements in bilateral economic relations are to be expected, but they should not be viewed as obstacles. Instead, they should serve as a starting point for the next round of dialogue.

"Maximum pressure is not the right way to engage with China," he cautioned. "Such tactics only heighten tensions and undermine the conditions necessary for meaningful dialogue and progress in bilateral talks."

zhaojia@chinadaily.com.cn