China will not challenge or replace the United States.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a high-profile visit to Beijing with a surprise meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 19 as the two governments sought to pull relations out of a deep freeze.

The 35-minute meeting sent a signal that neither the United States nor China wants their relationship to be defined by open hostility.

Mr. Blinken and Mr. Xi held talks at the Great Hall of the People, the large building on the west side of Tiananmen Square where Mr. Xi often receives state leaders.

“The two sides have also made progress and reached agreements on some specific issues. This is very good,” Xi said without elaborating, according to a transcript of the meeting released by the US State Department.

Mr. Blinken, Mr. Xi, Mr. Wang Yi and other top Chinese foreign policy officials at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 19. Photo: AP

While Mr Xi did not specify what agreements Mr Blinken reached in China, there were signs of progress on tangible issues from previous meetings.

On June 18, both sides said they had discussed increasing flights between the two countries, many of which have been canceled during the Covid-19 pandemic.

China's foreign ministry said in a statement they also agreed to encourage educational exchanges, a sign that more visas for students from both countries could be coming soon.

Xi expressed confidence that the two countries could overcome difficulties and find a way to get along based on mutual respect, adding that China hoped to achieve a stable and lasting relationship with the United States.

“The world needs a stable China-US relationship, and the two countries should handle relations with a sense of responsibility,” Chinese state broadcaster CCTV quoted President Xi Jinping as saying during a meeting with Mr. Blinken.

Whether China and the United States can get along or not affects the future and destiny of mankind, and the success of each country should be seen as an opportunity, not a threat, Xi said.

“China respects the interests of the United States and will not challenge or replace the United States. Likewise, the United States must also respect China and not harm China’s legitimate rights and interests,” Xi said.

“Neither side can bend the other to its will, let alone deprive the other of its legitimate right to development,” he added.

Mr. Blinken (left) shakes hands with China's top diplomat Wang Yi at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on June 19, 2023. Photo: SCMP

Mr Blinken told the Chinese leader that the US government was committed to responsibly managing its relationship with China because it was “in the interests of the United States, China and the world”, and described conversations with senior officials during his trip as “candid” and “productive”.

The meeting was attended by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying along with other senior officials, including US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang.

The positive tone of Mr Blinken's landmark visit to Beijing will raise expectations that relations between the two superpowers can reach a more stable footing.

The meeting between Mr. Blinken and Mr. Xi also laid the groundwork for direct talks between him and US President Joe Biden scheduled to take place at the APEC summit in California later this year, and is a catalyst for more bilateral interactions between the two countries in the coming time .

Nguyen Tuyet (According to Bloomberg, CNBC, NY Times, SCMP)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/chu-tich-tap-can-binh-trung-quoc-se-khong-thach-thuc-hay-thay-the-my-a613301.html