Wang Yi on China-U.S. summit and common understandings

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald J. Trump paid a state visit to China from May 13 to 15. On May 15, member of the political bureau of the Communist Party of China central committee and minister of foreign affairs Wang Yi briefed the press on the China-U.S. summit and the common understandings reached.

Q: Chinese and American societies and the international community have been following U.S. President Donald J. Trump's visit to China with intense interest. How do you assess the summit meeting between President Xi Jinping and his counterpart?

Wang Yi: During the visit, President Xi Jinping and President Donald J. Trump had long discussions on major issues concerning China-U.S. relations and world peace and development in a way that was open, thorough, constructive, and strategic.

First, China and the United States have both entered a crucial stage in our development. This year marks the start of China's 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development, and we are advancing Chinese modernization on all fronts through high-quality development.

Second, China-U.S. relations have reached a new starting point. This is the first face-to-face engagement between President Xi and President Trump since their Busan meeting last October, and also the first visit to China by a U.S. president in nine years. It is a continuation and strengthening of the good momentum in the interactions between the two presidents. As transformation not seen in a century accelerates across the globe, the world has once again reached a crossroads. President Xi raised some important questions: Can China and the United States overcome the Thucydides Trap and create a new paradigm of major-country relations? Can we meet global challenges together and provide greater stability for the world?

Third, the two presidents' in-depth discussions have produced fruitful outcomes. The visit included not only official talks and a welcoming banquet, but also private exchanges and a cultural visit. Throughout the nearly nine hours the two presidents spent with each other, they showed mutual respect, a commitment to peace, and a shared interest in pursuing cooperation.

Q: What is meant by "a constructive relationship of strategic stability," the new vision for China-U.S. relations?

Wang Yi: President Xi and President Trump agreed on a new vision of building a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability, providing strategic guidance for bilateral relations over the next three years and beyond. The new vision they articulated has been well received by the people of both countries and the broader international community. This is how China understands it: It should be positive stability where cooperation is the mainstay and the relationship gets more resilient through exchange and cooperation. As the world's top two economies, China and the United States share deep ties. Neither can cut the other out, nor prosper without the other. We both gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation.

Q: During this summit, what has been agreed in terms of interactions at the leadership and other levels?

Wang Yi: The China-U.S. relationship is one of the most important and complex bilateral relationships in the world. It is anchored by presidential engagement. Since President Trump took office last year, the two presidents have had two meetings and five phone calls, and written each other many letters. Their engagement provided strategic direction for the improvement and development of China-U.S. relations and kept the relationship on an even keel despite a few ups and downs. During this visit, the two presidents agreed to keep in close touch through meetings, calls, and letters. At the invitation of President Trump, President Xi will pay a state visit to the United States this fall. In the meantime, the two sides should work together to make thorough preparations for these presidential interactions, foster the right atmosphere, and secure more outcomes of cooperation.

With the authorization of the two presidents, the political and diplomatic channel has stayed active. The two countries' foreign policy officials and diplomats have properly handled differences, solved practical problems and increased mutual understanding, contributing to stronger bilateral ties.

Q: In what ways will the summit boost people-to-people exchanges?

Wang Yi: President Xi has pointed out that the hope of China-U.S. relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in grassroots connections, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from subnational exchanges. During this summit, both presidents spoke about the importance of promoting people-to-people exchanges. President Xi specially cited the "Ping-Pong diplomacy" which took place 55 years ago. It opened up the China-U.S. relations that had remained frozen for over two decades, and marked a milestone in contemporary international relations. President Trump also reviewed historical interactions between the two nations, noting that Sino-U.S. friendship goes all the way back to America's founding and the American and Chinese people have shared a deep sense of appreciation and respect that ran in both directions.

As the relationship entered a new phase, President Xi announced an important initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs over a period of five years. It was warmly received and actively joined by both societies. President Xi welcomes more young Americans to visit and study in China. President Trump has also said multiple times that he welcomes Chinese students to the United States. This kind of two-way exchange will broaden the horizon of the young people in both countries, and shape a better future of China-U.S. relations.

Q: The Taiwan question came up in the summit. Can you share more details?

Wang Yi: The Taiwan question was an important topic taken up at the summit. China's position is very clear:

First, the Taiwan question is China's internal affair. Realizing complete reunification is an aspiration shared by all sons and daughters of the Chinese nation. It is also the unwavering, historic mission of the Communist Party of China. The mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China. This is a fact established since antiquity, the real status quo of the Taiwan Strait, and an important part of the postwar international order. We hope that the U.S. side will strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, and honor its international obligation.

Second, the Taiwan question is the most important issue between China and the U.S., one that affects the entire relationship. If it is handled properly, the overall relationship will be stable, and the two sides will be able to devote more energy to advancing mutually beneficial cooperation. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, and the entire relationship will be in great jeopardy. China hopes that the U.S. side will take concrete actions to keep the relationship on an even keel and contribute to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Third, China and the U.S. both agree on the vital importance of safeguarding cross-Strait peace and stability. To ensure this is the case, one must never indulge or support "Taiwan independence," because "Taiwan independence" and cross-Strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water. Our impression coming out of the summit is that the U.S. side understands China's position, takes China's concerns seriously, and, like the rest of the international community, does not agree with or accept Taiwan's moving toward independence.

Q: What outcomes did the summit produce on economy and trade?

Wang Yi: The two presidents had in-depth discussions on China-U.S. economic and trade ties, pointing the direction and providing safeguards for economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. President Xi emphasized that the economic and trade ties are mutually beneficial and win-win by nature. Where disagreements and frictions exist, equal-footed consultation is the only right approach. The two economic and trade teams produced generally balanced and positive outcomes, including continuing to implement all the consensus reached in prior consultations, establishing a board of trade and a board of investment, addressing each other's concerns regarding market access for agricultural products, and expanding two-way trade within the framework of reciprocal tariff reduction.

Q: What international and regional hot spots did the two presidents cover?

Wang Yi: President Xi and President Trump have maintained close communication on international and regional issues. During this summit, they again had in-depth exchanges on various issues of mutual interest.

On the Middle East situation, President Xi set forth China's consistent position. He emphasized that the use of force cannot solve problems, and dialogue is the only right choice. Negotiation may not produce immediate results, but now that the door of dialogue has been opened, it should not be closed again. China encourages the U.S. and Iran to continue settling their differences and disputes through negotiation, including on the nuclear issue. China calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible on the basis of continued ceasefire, and believes that the fundamental solution to the stalemate in the Strait lies in achieving a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.

On the Ukraine crisis, both China and the U.S. want to see an early end to the conflict, and both have done a great deal to promote peace talks in their own ways.