Chinese, U.S. diplomats hold ‘candid, in-depth, constructive’ talks

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu on Monday met U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink, and Sarah Beran, White House National Security Council’s senior director for China affairs, in Beijing.

Yang Tao, director-general of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, held talks with the U.S. diplomats.

In accordance with the important common understandings between the two heads of state in a recent phone call and a summit meeting in San Francisco last November, the two sides conducted candid, in-depth and constructive communication on promoting dialogue and cooperation in various fields and properly managing differences between the two countries, according to a statement of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Both sides exchanged views on international and regional hotspot issues such as the Middle East, Ukraine, and the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

The two sides agreed to continue to implement the “San Francisco vision” and maintain exchanges at all levels to further stabilize and develop China-U.S. relations.

China has expressed its solemn position on Washington’s recent erroneous remarks and behaviors to push its “Indo-Pacific Strategy,” especially its attempts to cobble together a small circle of the U.S., Japan and the Philippines and destabilize the South China Sea.

The Chinese side urges the U.S. not to engage in camp confrontation and undermine the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region, according to the statement.

China has also clarified its position on the Taiwan question, and issues like economy and trade, science and technology, and cultural exchanges.

China urges the U.S. to stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, stop obstructing China’s development, stop groundless sanctions on Chinese companies, and stop suppressing China’s economic, trade and science and technological development.