Chinese minister says Sino-US relations must not derail, wants communication lines open

Amid deteriorating Sino-US relations, China’s Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said that Beijing needs to keep its relationship with Washington on the right track and prevent from getting derailed. In an interview posted on China’s Foreign Ministry website, Le said that the differences between the two countries should be handled with a rational and pragmatic attitude.

“The next few months will be critical. We must stay focused without being swayed by any extreme forces, keep to the right direction of the bilateral relationship, and prevent it from spiralling out of control or getting derailed,” said the minister.

Li highlighted the importance of keeping the communication lines open, and not putting the dialogue on hold. He said that all issues, including difficult and complex ones, should be kept on the table and there should be no "radio silence" between the two foreign ministries. The minister also called for cooperation in many areas, keeping COVID-19 response as a priority.

The United States has been at loggerheads with China over several issues, including coronavirus handling, Uighurs rights abuse, and Hong Kong security law. It recently ordered to shut down Chinese consulate in Houston which prompted Beijing to take retaliatory measure and revoked the license of US consulate in Chengdu.

“How can any problem get resolved without discussions? I myself stand ready for talks with my US counterpart at any time,” said Li.

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China denies accusations of expansionism

The US Treasury Department announced sanctions on 11 individuals, including Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam, Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) Commissioner Chris Tang. The department said that Lam is directly responsible for implementing Beijing’s policies of “suppression of freedom and democratic processes”.

Li denied that the Sino-US tensions are because of China's assertive and aggressive foreign policy. He claimed that expansionism and hegemony are not part of China's cultural tradition. The minister said that China should naturally shoulder greater international responsibility and make more contribution to the world since it is “making progress in its development”.

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