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March 19, 2021 | Issue 2021-17 |
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Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, attended a high-level strategic dialogue on March 18 L.T. with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in the Alaskan city of Anchorage.
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Following the opening remarks of the U.S. side, Yang Jiechi and Wang Yi put forth China's stands on relevant issues. |
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Yang Jiechi emphasized that, on the eve of the Chinese New Year, President Xi Jinping held a successful telephone conversation with President Joe Biden and the two sides agreed to enhance communication, manage differences and expand cooperation, which is of great significance in guiding the growth of China-U.S. relations in the time to come. China's attendance at the high-level strategic dialogue at the invitation of the U.S. side is an important step to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state in their phone talks, and the dialogue was decided by the two presidents personally. The Chinese and American people, as well as the wider international community, are looking forward to practical outcomes from the dialogue.
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Yang Jiechi said that we hope this dialogue will be candid and frank. As major countries of the world, China and the United States shoulder responsibility for global and regional peace, stability and development. China just concluded the two sessions and adopted the Outline of the 14th Five-year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. China stands at a historical juncture of achieving the two centenary goals, i.e. basically achieving socialist modernization by 2035 and building China into a great modern socialist country by 2050. China has made major strategic achievements in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, achieved comprehensive victory in eradicating poverty, and made great historical achievements in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. The Chinese people unite more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core.
Yang Jiechi pointed out that China upholds humanity's common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom. China stands for safeguarding the international system with the United Nations (UN) at the core and the international order based on international law, rather than the order based on the rules formulated by a small number of countries. Most countries in the world do not recognize that the U.S. values represent international values, do not recognize that what the United States says represents the international public opinion, and do not recognize that the rules formulated by a few countries represent international rules. The United States has its own model of democracy, and China has its own style. Unlike the U.S., which willfully uses military forces, and causes instability and unrest worldwide, China is committed to the path of peaceful development and has made unremitting efforts to promote international and regional peace and development and uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. The United States has many domestic problems in areas like human rights. What the United States should do is to improve its image and mind its own business, rather than leaving its own problems unsolved, shipping its problems to other parts of the world, diverting the attention of others, and making irresponsible remarks about China's human rights and democracy. The CPC's leadership and China's political system are supported wholeheartedly by the Chinese people, and any attempt to change China's social system will be futile.
Yang Jiechi stressed that China and the United States are both major countries in the world, and share tremendous common interests in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, resuming work and production and tackling climate change. He hopes that the U.S. side will change its zero-sum mentality, abandon wrong approaches such as "long-arm jurisdiction", and does not abuse the concept of national security to interfere with normal trade between the two countries. China and the U.S. should develop good relations with all countries in Asia-Pacific and have common friends. This is how the world works in the 21st Century. Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xinjiang are inalienable parts of China. China firmly opposes U.S. interference in its internal affairs and will continue to make strong responses. The United States is not qualified to talk to China in a condescending manner. The Chinese people will not accept that. It must be based on mutual respect to deal with China, and history will prove that those who seek to strangle China will suffer in the end.
Yang Jiechi said that many achievements have been made since the "ice-breaking" of China-U.S. relations, which are accomplished by the joint efforts of people with vision on both sides and are hard-won. The international situation has witnessed great changes. Under the new situation, the two countries must enhance mutual communication, properly manage differences, strive to promote cooperation and avoid confrontation. There was an era of confrontation between China and the United States, and China has come through. Facts have proved that confrontation has no benefits for the United States. President Xi Jinping pointed out that China and the United States should be committed to non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, and President Joe Biden also said the two countries should avoid conflict or confrontation with each other. The two sides should fully and correctly implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries so as to return China-U.S. relations to the track of healthy and stable development.
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Wang Yi said, at the invitation of the U.S. side, the Chinese delegation came to Anchorage, which is located in the middle of the flights between the capital cities of China and the United States. It is the "gas station" of China-U.S. relations, and the "intersection" where the two countries meet each other halfway. In the past few years, China's legitimate rights were wantonly oppressed, which caused unprecedented serious difficulties in bilateral relations. It has harmed the interests of the two peoples and undermined world stability and development. Things should not continue like that. China did not, does not and will not accept baseless accusations made by the United States. We request the U.S. side to completely refrain from arbitrary interference in China's internal affairs. It's time to change its old pattern!
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Wang Yi said that it needs to be noted in particular, on March 17, 2021, the United States once again upgraded its so-called sanctions against China on Hong Kong-related issues. The blatant interference in China's internal affairs has provoked strong outrage among the Chinese people. Of course we are firmly against it. The measure undertaken by the U.S. side when the Chinese delegation was about to attend the China-U.S. high-level strategic dialogue is not a proper way of hosting guests. If the U.S. side intends to enhance its so-called advantages against China, it's absolutely barking up the wrong tree. On the contrary, it exposed its internal weakness and vulnerability. This act will not affect China's legitimate position, nor the determination of the Chinese people to safeguard national sovereignty and dignity.
Wang Yi pointed out, just now the U.S. side claimed in the opening remarks that some countries believe they are coerced by China. The U.S. side needs to make it clear if that's their statements or its own subjective assumption. If the U.S. side is biased in favor of some countries because of their alliance or even protects their wrong words and deeds, it would be difficult to develop normal international relations. The people in the world have their own judgment as to which side is coercing the other side. And the history will draw a fair conclusion.
Wang Yi stressed that the telephone conversation between President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden on the eve of the Chinese New Year is very important. The consensus made by the two sides have charted the course for getting China-U.S. relations back on track. The international community is watching closely at our dialogue here to see if we can really show sincerity and goodwill and if we can send active and positive signals to the world. If the United States is ready, we can work with the U.S. side to exchange our opinions on the basis of mutual respect, take responsibility together, and do a good job which we are supposed to do.
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The Chinese side came to Anchorage with sincerity for the high-level strategic dialogue between China and the United States at the invitation of the U.S. side, and was ready to conduct the talks in line with the procedure and arrangement agreed upon by both sides in advance.
However, when delivering opening remarks first, the U.S. side seriously overran the agreed time and provocatively launched groundless attacks and accusations against China's domestic and foreign policies.
It is not the proper way of hosting guests, nor is it compatible with diplomatic protocol, and the Chinese side solemnly responded to it.
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