The tone of this article published by Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng in the United States is particularly noteworthy! On May 14, as U.S. President Trump had already arrived in China for his visit, the People's Daily published an article titled "Striving to Explore the Right Way for Sino-U.S. Relations in the New Era." The piece states that whether China and the United States are partners or rivals is a directional issue determining the development of bilateral relations—it must get the "first button right." Viewing each other through the narrow lens of zero-sum games turns every matter into a "life-or-death struggle"; but viewing one another from the broad perspective of a community with a shared future reveals cooperation opportunities everywhere.
The article emphasizes that Taiwan, democracy and human rights, national development paths and systems, and development rights are China’s four red lines—China’s sovereignty, security, and developmental interests are inviolable. China calls on the United States to abide by the one-China principle and the three joint communiqués between China and the U.S. through concrete actions, cease illegal and unwarranted containment and suppression of China in economic, trade, and technological fields, and stop arbitrary inspections, harassment, and deportations targeting Chinese students, scholars, and other travelers to the U.S., thereby removing obstacles to the development of bilateral relations. Why is this article so particularly significant?
The uniqueness lies in the fact that while welcoming President Trump with high-level hospitality during his visit to China, we have not shied away from addressing existing differences or concealing our dissatisfaction with U.S. conduct. What does this positioning indicate? It clearly demonstrates that China is engaging with the United States in a candid, pragmatic, neither arrogant nor subservient manner. We are willing to make maximum efforts to promote communication and convey goodwill for cooperation. Cooperation can be discussed—but our bottom lines will never be compromised.
We have drawn clear red lines and directly put forward demands to the United States, hoping it corrects its inappropriate behaviors. This is meant to clearly inform the U.S.: dialogue can proceed, cooperation can move forward—but sovereignty, security, and development interests must never be violated, and any act of containment, suppression, or interference in internal affairs must come to an end. Clearly, viewed from a strategic height, there is immense room for cooperation between China and the U.S.; yet from a practical standpoint, the U.S. must adjust its approach to dealing with China and respect China’s core interests. We are not afraid of differences or confrontation—but we hope even more that the U.S. will join us in finding a way to coexist peacefully.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865122923335817/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.