Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China and the United States can find the right path through mutual respect and cooperation ahead of his summit meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the 15th (local time), during his visit to the United States for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit held in San Francisco, President Xi made these remarks ahead of his summit with President Biden. He stated, "It is an objective fact that China and the United States differ in history, culture, social systems, and development paths," and emphasized, "If the two countries respect each other, peacefully coexist, and pursue cooperative win-win outcomes, they can fully overcome their differences and find the right path for reconciliation between the two major powers."
He pointed out, "The global economy is recovering, but the momentum remains sluggish; industries and supply chains are still under threat of disruption; and protectionism is on the rise," calling all these "serious problems." He added, "The China-U.S. relationship, the most important bilateral relationship in the world, must be understood and conceived within the broad context of unprecedentedly accelerating global transformations over the past century," and stressed, "It must develop in a way that benefits both peoples and fulfills responsibilities toward human progress."
He asserted, "It is not an option for major countries like China and the United States to turn their backs on each other," and said, "It is unrealistic for one side to try to remodel the other, and conflicts and confrontations bring unbearable consequences to both sides." Furthermore, he noted, "The China-U.S. relationship has never been a smooth voyage over the past 50 years and has always faced various kinds of problems," adding, "It has continued to move forward amid twists and turns."
President Xi also emphasized the role of each leader in coordinating bilateral relations. He said, "President Biden and I, who hold the helm of China-U.S. relations, bear heavy responsibilities to our two peoples, the world, and history," and expressed hope for "in-depth exchanges of views and new understandings with President Biden on important issues concerning the direction of China-U.S. relations and major issues affecting world peace and development."
Meanwhile, the leaders' summit comes one year and one day after their first face-to-face meeting on November 14 last year in Bali, Indonesia. President Xi set foot on U.S. soil for the first time in six years since the era of then-President Donald Trump in 2017.
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