The South China Morning Post reported (January 29) that China's Vice President Wang Qishan while speaking to US business leaders and former officials at a videoconference on January 29, was quoted by China Radio International as saying “Upholding the spirit of non-conflict and non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, focusing on cooperation and managing differences are the keys to promoting the healthy and stable development of Sino-US relations.” Stating that the relationship between China and the United States mattered to global prosperity and stability, he said: “Although there have been low tides of friction, conflict, contradictions and differences, we also have enjoyed the profits of moving closer, which proves that China and the United States have more common interests than differences". Separately, China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Le Yucheng, on January 28, urged Washington to take immediate action to repair its relationship with Beijing, while China’s ambassador to the US, Cui Tiankai, delivered a major speech titled “42 Years of Sino-US Relations: Past Accomplishments, Future Adjustments” to an online forum. Caixin reported that though he touched on areas for cooperation, Cui Tiankai’s criticisms were particularly conspicuous. He said “In the past few years some people have…fabricated rumours, incited hostility…and pushed US-China relations toward a dangerous abyss” and asked, “[The US] must honestly answer the question: Can it accept the development of countries with different history and political systems and peacefully coexist with them?” He also highlighted the growing skepticism of the US among average Chinese citizens and said: “More and more Chinese students are asking: Is the US still the ideal study abroad destination?” He added too that “More and more Chinese entrepreneurs are wondering: is America’s ‘fair and open’ business environment really as advertised?”
|
