Wang Yi, Blinken meet amid tensions

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met on Friday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in New York at China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

The current China-U.S. relations have suffered a serious impact, and the U.S. side needs to learn from it, said Wang.

China-U.S. relations are at a critical juncture, and it is urgent for both sides to establish a correct way for the two major countries to get along with each other with a responsible attitude toward the world, history and people, in order to promote the stability of bilateral relations, Wang said.

Wang stressed China's solemn position on the recent U.S. erroneous actions on Taiwan-related issues. He emphasized that Taiwan-related issues are the core of China's core interests. Safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity is our mission, and this mission is never ambiguous, he said.

Wang said the United States has made a clear political commitment to China on the Taiwan question. Historically, three Sino-U.S. joint communiques were agreed on between the two countries. Recently, the current U.S. administration has repeatedly claimed that it does not support "Taiwan independence".

However, said Wang, the actions of the U.S. run counter to this. The recent U.S. actions attempt to undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and obstruct China's peaceful reunification. The U.S.' "using Taiwan to control China" and even openly claiming to help defend Taiwan, has sent a very wrong and dangerous signal, Wang said.

The U.S. should seriously return to the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques and the original meaning of the one China principle, it should reiterate the one-China principle and clearly oppose and curb "Taiwan independence", Wang said.

He underscored that the Taiwan question is China's internal affair, and that the U.S. has no right to interfere. He said China's position on resolving the Taiwan question is consistent and clear, and that the country will continue to adhere to the basic policy of peaceful reunification and "one country, two systems".

Peaceful resolution of the Taiwan question and "Taiwan independence" separatist activities are incompatible. The more rampant "Taiwan independence" separatist activities are, the less likely the peaceful resolution of the Taiwan question would be achieved, said Wang. "To truly maintain peace across the Taiwan Strait, we must clearly oppose and stop any 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities," he said.

Wang stressed that China and the U.S. have common interests and profound differences, which will not change. From day one, the two sides knew that they were dealing with countries with different systems. This did not prevent the two sides from cooperating based on common interests, nor should it be a reason for the confrontation between China and the U.S., Wang said.

It is hoped that the U.S. will correct its perception of China, reflect on and change its containment policy toward China, stop trying to deal with the Chinese with its position of strength, stop thinking about hindering China's development, and stop unilaterally bullying, Wang said.

It is necessary to create a favorable atmosphere for the two sides to resume normal exchanges and to push China-U.S. relations back to a healthy and stable development track, he said.

Blinken said that U.S.-China relations are currently in a difficult period, and it is in the common interests of both sides to bring bilateral relations back to a stable track.

The two countries have successfully managed differences in the past, and the U.S. side is willing to have candid communication and dialogue with the Chinese side to avoid misunderstandings and misjudgments and find a way forward, Blinken said.

Blinken reiterated that the U.S. does not seek a "new Cold War" with China, there is no change in its one-China policy, and it does not support "Taiwan independence".

The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine at Friday's meeting. Both sides believed that their meeting was candid, constructive, substantive and productive, and they agreed to continue to maintain communication.