China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday that China wants to build a stronger partnership with the U.S., as the bilateral relations "have a direct bearing on where the world is going."
Speaking to guests at a 2020 New Year reception hosted by the foreign ministry, Wang said the past 40 years of interactions have shown that both sides stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation.
The China-U.S. relationship has reached a new historical juncture with notably increasing complexities and challenges, the foreign minister said, adding that China is willing to work with the U.S. to strengthen cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and equality.
The two sides should work together to strengthen mutual respect and equal dialogue and manage differences and seek common ground, Wang said, in bid to advance the bilateral ties based on coordination, cooperation and stability.
The two countries just concluded their first phase of a trade deal, and the agreement serves the interests of both countries and peoples and was welcomed by the international community, he added.
Speaking of the achievements in the past year, Wang said China has deepened friendship and cooperation with countries around the world and strengthened its network of global partnerships.
He highlighted China-Russia relations as they entered a new era at their 70th anniversary, saying the two countries are ready to make important contributions to world peace and prosperity with "mutual support, deep convergence, continuous innovation and mutual benefit."
Wang reiterated China's support for multilateralism and free trade when underscoring China's relations with Europe, and vowed to continue improving and strengthening its ties with neighboring countries.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' 2020 New Year reception, Beijing, China, January 20, 2019. /Photo via Chinese Foreign Ministry
"The year of 2019 marks the start of a new journey in Belt and Road cooperation," said the foreign minister hailing the high-quality cooperation as the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation yielded 283 cooperation deliverables and an initiative to jointly build a global partnership on connectivity.
"We stay committed to multilateralism to uphold and improve the existing international order," Wang said, reiterating China's firm support for the UN-centered international system while calling for extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits in global governance.
He also reviewed China's role as an effective mediator in hotspot issues, pledging that China will play "an increasing role as an anchor of stability in an uncertain world."
Outlook 2020
Wang regarded the year 2020 as a "new milestone" in China's development, as China will achieve its first centenary goal through a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and win its critical battle against poverty and eliminate absolute poverty.
"China will safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests with greater resolve to foster a favorable external environment for national development," Wang pledged, adding that the country will also seek "stronger partnerships in a more proactive manner" so as to maintain world stability and certainty.
Promising to put more efforts in building an open world economy, Wang also noted that China will continue to deepen beneficial cooperation and uphold multilateralism.
As the year 2020 also marks the 75th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the UN, Wang said that China will make greater efforts in safeguarding international fairness and justice and making new contributions to world peace and tranquility.
(Cover: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' 2020 New Year reception, Beijing, China, January 20, 2019. /Photo via Chinese Foreign Ministry)