Wang Yi Has a Phone Call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

On December 23, 2022, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the latter's request.

Wang Yi said that President Xi Jinping's successful meeting with President Biden in Bali last month has provided strategic guidance for taking bilateral relationship out of severe difficulties and returning it to the track of sound and stable development, sending a positive signal to the outside world. The two teams have had a series of engagements in accordance with the common understandings between the two presidents, which are beneficial on the whole. But it must be pointed out that the United States should not pursue dialogue and cooperation while containing and stabbing China in the back. This is not reasonable competition, but unreasonable suppression; it is not managing differences, but aggravating problems. In effect, it is still the old trick of unilateral bullying. It has not worked with China in the past, nor will it work in the future. China will continue to resolutely defend its sovereignty, security and development interests. The US must take seriously China's legitimate concerns, stop containing and suppressing China's development, and particularly stop using salami tactics to constantly challenge China's red line.

Wang Yi stressed that the two sides should focus on translating the common understandings reached between the two presidents in Bali into practical policies and concrete actions. The Langfang meeting between the responsible officials of the two sides was in-depth and constructive. The two sides should step up consultations on the guiding principles of China-US relations, advance dialogue at all levels and in various fields in an orderly manner, and resolve specific issues between the two countries through the joint working group.

Wang Yi said that with the new year there should come new changes. People in both countries and the rest of the world are hoping to see a stabilizing and improving China-US relationship. The zero-sum mentality will only lead the two major countries to mutual attrition and head-on collision. And it cannot be more obvious who is in the right and who is in the wrong. How the China-US relationship will evolve depends on how the two sides will act. It is important that the two sides follow the course charted by the two presidents, explore the right way for China and the US to get along as two major countries, and make due efforts to advance the well-being of the two peoples and world peace and stability.

Blinken said that the US side is willing to discuss with China the guiding principles of bilateral relations, manage US-China relations responsibly, and carry out cooperation in areas that serve the common interests of the two sides. The US will continue to follow the one-China policy and does not support Taiwan's "independence".

Blinken said the US appreciates China's leadership and role as president of the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in reaching an ambitious framework for biodiversity conservation, and looks forward to joint effort with China to promote its implementation. Wang Yi said that China will continue to follow the Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, and strive to build a community of life for man and nature. China is ready to work with all parties to safeguard the only planet we live together.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine issue. Wang Yi stressed that China always stands for peace, the purposes of the UN Charter, and international effort to promote peace talks. China will continue to play a constructive role in resolving the crisis in its own way.