BEIJING, Sept 21 – President Xi Jinping has urged the United States to avoid taking unilateral trade restrictive measures in order to prevent undermining the achievements from multiple rounds of economic and trade consultations.
Xi made the remarks during a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump on Friday.
Both leaders had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on current China-US relations and issues of mutual concern, providing strategic guidance for the stable development of bilateral ties in the next stage. The conversation was “pragmatic, positive and constructive”, according to a press statement issued following the phone talks.
Noting that the countries’ relationship is greatly important, Xi emphasized that China and the US can fully achieve mutual success and common prosperity to benefit both nations and the world.
To realize this vision, both sides need to make joint efforts to achieve mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, Xi said.
The phone talks followed the fourth round of high-level economic and trade talks between the two countries in Madrid, Spain, which concluded on Monday. A framework agreement on the issue of the short-video platform TikTok was reached during the two-day talks.
Xi said that recent trade talks between the two countries reflected the spirit of equality, respect and mutual benefit. He called for continued efforts by both sides to properly handle prominent issues in bilateral relations to strive for win-win results.
He noted that China’s position on the TikTok issue is clear — the Chinese government respects the will of firms, and is glad to see them conduct business negotiations in line with market rules and reach a solution that conforms to Chinese laws and regulations, and balances interests.
China hopes Washington will provide an open, fair and nondiscriminatory business environment for Chinese companies investing in the US, Xi said.
While speaking over the phone, Xi also noted that China and the US were allies fighting side by side during World War II.
He talked about inviting descendants of the Flying Tigers to watch the military parade held in Beijing on Sept 3, when China held a grand gathering to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War.
Xi said that the Chinese people will not forget the valuable support provided by the US and other allied countries during China’s resistance against Japanese aggression. Both countries should cherish peace and forge a better future while honoring the martyrs and bearing history in mind, he added.
It was the third time that the two presidents talked over the phone this year, with previous ones taking place in January and June.
The conversation on Friday marked the latest efforts by the two major countries to stabilize their relationship. The two countries are at odds on an array of issues, including the tariff war initiated by the US and TikTok.
Trump said that US-China relations are the most important bilateral relationship in the world, and the two countries can work together to get a lot of things done that are conducive to world peace and stability.
He said that the US is committed to maintaining a long-term, sound and great relationship with China.
The US hopes to promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation and will support the teams from both sides in consultations to properly resolve the TikTok issue, Trump said, adding that Washington is willing to work with China to strive to uphold world peace
