INTERNATIONAL: Relations between China and the United states cannot be allowed to deteriorate anymore, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the "Dr Kissinger and China-U.S. Relations" forum on Tuesday.
Wang expressed his appreciation to the friendly people in the United States, with former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger as a representative, for their long-term caring and support to the development of China-U.S. relations.
"As an old Chinese saying goes, a man with a great virtue enjoys longevity. Benjamin Franklin, one of the U.S. founding fathers, observed that if one wants to win immortality for one's name, he/she needs to do two thing, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing. Dr. Kissinger, you have done both," said Wang.
"The world today is faced with new changes unseen in a century. The raging COVID-19 pandemic, the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict and the darkening clouds of the Cold War all call for an answer from us to this question: Where should the world go?" said Wang.
Wang also called for building a world with a shared future and shared security, a world of interconnectivity, openness and development, a world of diversity and inclusiveness with common progress, a world that leaves no country or individual behind, a world filled with possibilities and promising future.
"Building such a world is an obligation and responsibility that China and the United States must take on. Whether they can manage their relations well is a question of the century, to which the two countries must give a good answer," said Wang.
Wang said President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden both agree that China and the United States should respect each other, coexist in peace and avoid confrontation.
"President Biden reiterated on multiple occasions the five important pledges of the U.S. side, including not seeking a new Cold War with China and not supporting Taiwan independence. But in reality, the China-U.S. relationship has not stepped out of the difficult situation created by the previous U.S. administration. It is even facing more and more challenges. The narration of China-U.S. relationship histories is being deliberately distorted, and its future is in danger of being further taken in the wrong direction," said Wang.
"The relationship cannot be allowed to deteriorate anymore. We must make the right choice. It is imperative to build the right strategic perception and to abandon the Cold War mentality. The current atmosphere surrounding China-U.S. relations is quite abnormal. The U.S. side's extreme anxiety is totally unnecessary," said Wang.
Wang stressed that China's overwhelming task is to focus on its own development and meet the people's aspirations for a better life.
"If the U.S. insists on taking China as a threat or even an enemy, it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy, bringing disasters to the two countries and the entire humanity. It is imperative to consolidate the political foundation and properly manage differences," said Wang.
The forum was held online by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs on the occasion of Dr. Kissinger's 99th birthday, reviewed the contributions that Dr. Kissinger has made to pushing forward the development of China-U.S. relations, and discussed issues concerning the bilateral relations.
