Sino-US ties should be based on mutual respect

The Foreign Ministry said on Monday that China is ready to carry out both bilateral and multilateral communication and cooperation with the United States on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, but urged Washington not to cross the red line on the Taiwan question.

Speaking ahead of a planned visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that the US cannot demand communication and cooperation from China while continuing to interfere in China's internal affairs and hurting its interests.

She noted that the Taiwan question is at the very core of China's core interests, adding that it is the bedrock of the political foundation of China-US relations and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations, warning Washington does not try to cross this line at any time.

Blinken's visit, as a result of the first face-to-face meeting between President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden in Bali, Indonesia, in November, would be the first by a US secretary of state since October 2018.

According to the US side, Blinken is scheduled to discuss with the Chinese side how to manage competition with China responsibly and cooperate with China in dealing with cross-border challenges. The US side is also expected to express concerns on issues concerning Taiwan, fentanyl and the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

Speaking at a regular news briefing in Beijing, Mao said: "China does not avoid or fear competition. What we oppose is defining the entire China-US relationship in terms of competition and using competition as an excuse to contain and suppress others."

Noting that China has taken an active part in international counternarcotics law enforcement cooperation under the framework of the UN conventions on drug control, Mao said that US sanctions against Chinese institutions have severely limited China's counternarcotics capabilities, and she urged the US not to shift the blame on this issue.

As for the Ukraine and Korean Peninsula nuclear issues, the spokeswoman said China has always been committed to seeking a political settlement and promoting negotiations, and opposes actions that could fuel tensions and exacerbate the situation.

"The future of the entire planet depends on a healthy and stable China-US relationship," she said, urging the US to work with China and let bilateral interactions be defined by dialogue and win-win cooperation, rather than confrontation and zero-sum competition.

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn