China's top diplomat: Washington should work with China "to improve relations between the two countries

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to "work with China" to improve relations between the two countries, according to a report released by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday.

According to the report, Wang told Blinken that Washington "should adopt a rational and practical approach and work with China in the same direction."

The two men met on Thursday in Jakarta on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) discussions.

This was their second face-to-face meeting within a few months, following Blinken's visit to China in June with the aim of defusing tensions between the two powers.

In turn, Blinken warned the Chinese official that Washington will hold "those responsible" for the SolarWinds cyberattack on US government agencies accountable, which is alleged to have originated from China.

Meanwhile, Wang urged the United States to refrain from interfering in Chinese affairs.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that "Wang expressed China's firm position on the Taiwan issue and urged the United States to avoid any interference in China's internal affairs."

China considers Taiwan as part of its territory.

Wang also called on Washington to "stop hurting China in the fields of economy, trade, science, and technology, and to lift the illegal and unjustified sanctions against China."

Tensions between the two countries have escalated in recent years due to various issues, including trade, technology, US military support for Taiwan, China's increased presence in the South China Sea, and its strong relationship with Moscow.

The ministry noted that the discussion between the two ministers did not achieve significant progress but described it as "frank, pragmatic, and constructive," and emphasized that both sides "agreed to continue communication."

Diplomatic exchanges between Washington and Beijing have increased in recent weeks, including Blinken's visit, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's visit, and the upcoming visit of US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFP