Bangkok, January 27, 2024, The Europe Today: In a significant diplomatic development, Wang Yi, a distinguished member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission, engaged in a new round of discussions with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Friday and Saturday. The talks, characterized by candor, substance, and productivity, focused on implementing the consensus established by the leaders of both nations in San Francisco and addressing pivotal and sensitive matters in China-U.S. relations.
Highlighting the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the United States this year, Wang Yi underscored the importance of drawing lessons from past experiences. He advocated for mutual respect and equality, emphasizing the need to seek common ground while acknowledging differences, genuinely respecting each other’s core interests, and fostering cooperation for the mutual benefit of both nations.
Addressing the Taiwan question, Wang Yi reiterated that it is China’s internal affair, emphasizing that recent elections in the region do not alter the fundamental reality that Taiwan is an integral part of China. The biggest threat to peace in the Taiwan Strait, according to Wang, is the pursuit of “Taiwan independence,” posing a significant challenge to China-U.S. relations. Wang urged the U.S. to adhere to the one-China principle, implement the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, and support the peaceful reunification of China.
Wang Yi acknowledged the legitimacy of national security concerns for every country but cautioned against politicizing or overstretching the concept. He emphasized that such concerns should not serve as pretexts for suppressing or containing the development of other nations.
Both parties agreed to delve deeper into discussions on the intersection between national security and economic activities. The talks also saw a commitment to the implementation of the San Francisco vision, which involves maintaining regular contact between the leaders of both countries for strategic guidance, promoting exchanges across various fields, leveraging existing communication channels, and establishing dialogue mechanisms in diplomacy, military affairs, economy, finance, business, and climate change.
Additionally, both nations pledged to further discussions on the guiding principles of China-U.S. relations. Notable initiatives include the establishment of a China-U.S. counter-narcotics cooperation working group, scheduling the inaugural meeting of the China-U.S. intergovernmental dialogue mechanism on artificial intelligence this spring, and enhancing people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
The discussions extended to regional and international issues, with both sides engaging in dialogue on matters concerning the Middle East, Ukraine, the Korean Peninsula, and the South China Sea.
The outcome of these talks reflects a commitment to constructive dialogue and collaboration between China and the United States, fostering stability and mutual understanding on the global stage.
