China and the U.S. agreed to continue to maintain close contact through various 
means and bring bilateral relations back to the right track of sound and steady 
development in a virtual meeting between the two heads of state on Tuesday.

The meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Joe 
Biden was "candid, constructive, substantive and productive," and major topics 
of concern including the Taiwan question, trade and climate change topped the 
agenda.

The highly-anticipated virtual meeting came after a year of ups and downs in 
bilateral ties.

Principles of bilateral ties in the new era

Mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation are three 
principles in developing China-U.S. relations in the new era, Xi told Biden.

Highlighting the significance of a sound and steady China-U.S. relationship, he 
expressed readiness to work with Biden to build consensus and take active steps 
to move bilateral ties forward in a positive direction.

He also expressed the hope that Biden will demonstrate "political leadership" 
to bring the U.S. policy towards China back to a "rational and practical" track.

"China and the U.S. need to increase communication and cooperation, each run 
their domestic affairs well and, at the same time, shoulder their share of 
international responsibilities, and work together to advance the noble cause of 
world peace and development," he said.

Biden agreed that as major countries, the U.S. and China have a responsibility 
to the world as well as to their people.

"The two sides need to have open and candid dialogues to enhance understanding 
of each other's intentions, and make sure that competition between the two 
countries is fair and healthy and does not veer into conflict," said the U.S. 
president.

Priority areas requiring joint efforts 

China and the U.S. should lead the global response to outstanding challenges, 
make the cake bigger for bilateral cooperation, manage differences and 
sensitive issues in a constructive way, and strengthen coordination and 
cooperation on major international and regional hotspot issues, Xi stressed.

The two countries should fully harness the dialogue channels and mechanisms 
between their diplomatic and security, economic and financial, and climate 
change teams, to advance practical cooperation and resolve specific issues, he 
said.

China's principled position on the Taiwan question was emphasized by Xi, who 
said that achieving the country's complete reunification is an aspiration 
shared by the Chinese nation. "Should the separatist forces for Taiwan 
independence provoke us, force our hands or even cross the red line, we will be 
compelled to take resolute measures," he noted.

Biden reaffirmed the U.S. government's long-standing one-China policy, and 
stated that the U.S. does not support "Taiwan independence."

The U.S. will work with China based on mutual respect and peaceful coexistence, 
increase communication, reduce misperception, and handle differences 
constructively, he said, calling for joint efforts in responding to global 
challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.

The attendees on the Chinese side included Ding Xuexiang, director of the 
General Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Vice 
Premier Liu He, Yang Jiechi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs 
Commission of the CPC Central Committee, Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign 
Minister, and Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng.

On the U.S. side, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet 
Yellen, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Kurt Michael Campbell, 
coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs at the National Security Council, and 
Laura Rosenberger, senior director for China, attended the meeting.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-11-16/Xi-Biden-meeting-Taiwan-question-trade-climate-change-top-agenda-15eAZVw5uLK/index.html




SOURCE: CGTN