FM calls for trust, cooperation between China, US
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Xinhua, December 31, 2013
Historic growth
Wang said China-U.S. relations have seen "historic growth" over the past 35 years.
"The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States in 1979 could be the most significant strategic event in international relations in the latter half of the 20th century," said the foreign minister.
China and the United States are now each other's second largest trading partner, with bilateral trade growing 200-fold and investment topping 100 billion U.S. dollars over the past 35 years.
In the past five years, the heads of state of the two countries have held 14 meetings. The two countries have developed more than 90 dialogue and cooperation mechanisms, including the Economic and Strategic Dialogue.
In 2013, nearly four million Chinese and Americans travelled between the two countries, compared to only a few thousand in 1979. Countless people from the two countries are now linked via daily flights across the Pacific, and through the Internet and mobile phones.
Now the two countries have far broader and closer cooperation on regional and international issues than 35 years ago. China and the United States have maintained close communication and coordination on addressing the global challenges of the international financial crisis, climate change, energy security and food security, as well as on regional hot-spot issues such as the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula, the Iranian nuclear issue and the Syria crisis.
Wang said history has proved that a healthy China-U.S. relationship is not only in the fundamental interests of the two peoples, but also conducive to peace, stability and development of the Asia Pacific region and the world.
"In retrospect, the past 35 years have given us much enlightenment," said Wang.
Holding the correct orientation is the key to the development of the China-U.S. relationship, he said.
"A peaceful China-U.S. relationship makes both countries winners while a confrontational relationship makes both losers," said Wang. "Cooperation is the only right choice for both sides."
He called on both sides to take the fundamental interests of the people into consideration, adhere to the direction stated in the three joint communiques of China and the United States and the consensus reached by both leaders so as to ensure sustained development of bilateral ties on a healthy and stable track.
Seeking common interests is the driving force to promote the China-U.S. relationship, Wang said.
As the largest developing country and the largest developed country in the world, China and the United States share extensive common interests and shoulder important common responsibility, he said.
He called on both sides to focus on common interests to carry out more cooperation.
Wang said it is "natural" for the two countries to have disagreement and differences, given differences in political systems, development levels as well as history and cultural traditions.
Mutual respect is the right path to control differences, he said.
So long as the two countries can respect each other's core interests and major concerns and gain mutual trust through dialogue and consultations, they can avoid disturbances to the development of bilateral ties, said Wang.
Wang also called for wide participation and strong support from the two peoples.
The friendship between the Chinese people and the U.S. people is forever the vital foundation of bilateral ties, said Wang.
Both sides should explore more channels and encourage more communication so as to always maintain the vigor and vitality of the China-U.S. relationship, he said.
"We are confident in the future of China-U.S. relations," Wang said at the end of his article, adding that the two countries' goal of establishing a new type of relationship will "definitely" come true so long as the two sides follow the direction set by leaders of the two states and make concerted efforts with concrete actions.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)