Positive Note for U.S.-China Relations: Vice President Wang Signals Openness to Talks

China’s Vice President Wang Qishan has stated he is ready to engage in dialogue with the United States on all fronts. This is interpreted as a positive sign leading to the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden, scheduled for next week.

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on the 8th that Vice President Wang said at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore, “We are ready to strengthen dialogue in all dimensions to improve relations with the United States and cooperate on global challenges.” This statement comes just over a week before the anticipated bilateral meeting between President Biden and President Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco.

China has not yet confirmed President Xi’s attendance at APEC, but the high-level exchanges with the U.S. over the past few months are considered preparations for the bilateral talks. Vice President Wang said of the recent official exchanges, “We have sent positive signals and heightened international expectations for the improvement of China-U.S. relations.”

He added, “Stable and healthy China-U.S. relations are the common expectation of people from all walks of life in other countries and the international community as a whole. We are ready to enhance communication and dialogue with the U.S. at all levels to promote mutually beneficial cooperation, manage differences appropriately, and jointly address global challenges.” He further insisted that China always handles its relations with the U.S. based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and cooperative mutual benefit.

In his speech, he argued, “Unilateralism and protectionism lead nowhere, and security issues should not be over-interpreted. Industrial and supply chain decoupling, so-called ‘risk removal,’ only divides the world economy into isolated islands.” He further emphasized, “There should be an even stronger will to resolve conflicts through dialogue and consultation and to create a stable international environment conducive to development.”

Following Vice President Wang’s remarks at the forum, Saudi Arabia’s Investment Minister Khalid Al Falih said there are positive signals in U.S.-China relations as participation between the two economic powerhouses increases. He noted that “pragmatism is surfacing” and added, “We call for cooperation and coexistence between the two major economic and geopolitical powers in the world.”

By. Kim Hyun Jung