China, US express willingness to enhance communication, cooperation on ties

WASHINGTON - Senior Chinese and US officials met in Washington on Wednesday, and they agreed to strengthen communication and cooperation on bilateral ties and other issues.

Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, met with US national security advisor John Bolton at the White House.

During their talks, Yang and Bolton expressed willingness to enhance communication and cooperation in bilateral relations and on important international and regional issues.

The two also agreed that the upcoming second China-US Diplomatic and Security Dialogue will help make preparatory work for the planned meeting of the heads of state of the two countries during the G20 summit in Argentina.

The dialogue will take place in Washington on Friday, an event Yang will co-chair with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense James Mattis.

Yang said that Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump have kept close contact through meetings, phone calls and letters, providing strategic guidance for the bilateral ties.

In their latest phone call on Nov 1, Xi and Trump spoke of bilateral ties and issues of mutual concern, agreeing to meet bilaterally during the G20 summit.

Yang urged the two sides to strengthen communication and coordination, promote dialogue and cooperation, manage differences properly, and carefully prepare for the meeting of the two heads of state under the guidance of important consensus achieved by Xi and Trump so as to make the meeting a success.

Echoing Yang's remarks, Bolton said that President Trump was looking forward to holding talks with President Xi during the G20 summit, and that the United States was willing to keep close contact with China and promote fruitful results from the meeting of the two heads of state through careful preparations.

Referring to Friday's dialogue, Bolton added that it will help increase strategic mutual trust of the two sides.

Yang also noted that China firmly adheres to maintaining and promoting world peace and development, and expects other countries to make their efforts.

Strategic mutual trust is a fundamental issue related to the long-term China-US development, said Yang, adding that economic prosperity in the two countries will bring opportunities for each other.

China is willing to work hand in hand with the United States to achieve the goals of non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, Yang said.

Meanwhile, the senior Chinese official said that the Taiwan issue is the most important and sensitive core issue in the bilateral ties, urging Washington to adhere to the one-China policy and the principles of the three joint communiques, and properly deal with related issues.

Yang said that mutual benefit and win-win cooperation is the nature of the economic and trade ties between Beijing and Washington, and that the two sides should work together to seek solutions to their bilateral trade issues through negotiations in the spirit of equality and mutual benefit.

He also called on the two sides to enhance cooperation in military, counter-terrorism, law enforcement, fight against illegal drug, people-to-people exchanges among other bilateral and important international and regional issues.