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U.S.-China Talks in Tianjin Both Sides Say “Frank”

Posted by on 2021/07/27. Filed under Headline News,International. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Cheryl Sherman held what both sides called “frank” discussions with Chinese officials in Tianjin, China on July 26.

After the meeting, Sherman called on China to rise above its differences with the United States and work with the United States as a responsible global power on difficult global issues such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. Zhao Lijian, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said in Beijing that the US “cannot undermine China’s interests while seeking co-operation”. But overall, the spokesman said, the talks were “beneficial for the next phase of healthy development of CHINA-U.S. relations.”

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Sherman held separate talks on 26 with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng in Tianjin. Both sides described the talks as “frank,” meaning they discussed their differences on a number of issues.

In a telephone interview with the Associated Press shortly after the talks, Sherman called on China to rise above those differences and take on the responsibilities of a great power.

“There are some things that go beyond specific differences and are the global responsibility of major powers,” she said.

She also said the United States welcomes strong economic competition with China, but does not want it to turn into conflict.

In a statement Monday, State Department Spokesman’s Office Heather Price said Deputy Secretary Sherman reiterated the importance of the two countries working together in areas of global interest, such as the climate crisis, the fight against narcotics, nonproliferation and regional concerns, including North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan and Myanmar.

However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, commenting on the meeting at a regular briefing in Beijing, said: “The United States should have a correct view of cooperation. It cannot seek cooperation while harming China’s interests. It will not work.”

But the spokesman said the talks were useful.

“On the whole, the talks were in-depth and frank, enhanced understanding of each other’s positions and were conducive to the healthy development of China-Us relations in the next stage,” he said.

“The Deputy Secretary and State Councilor Wang had a candid and open discussion on a wide range of issues, demonstrating the importance of keeping lines of communication open between our two countries,” State Department spokeswoman Price said in a statement. They discuss ways to set the conditions for managing the U.S.-China relationship responsibly.”

“The Deputy Secretary emphasized that the United States welcomes strong competition between our two countries, and to that end we intend to continue to strengthen our own competitive hand, without seeking conflict with the People’s Republic of China,” the statement said.

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