Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi urged the U.S. to return to a reasonable and pragmatic policy towards China to improve the China-U.S. relationship.

Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks on Friday when he met with the President of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR) Stephen A. Orlins in Beijing.

Noting that the China-U.S. relationship is currently facing many difficulties and challenges, Wang hoped that the NCUSCR and more rational and friendly people on the U.S. side could play a constructive role in bringing bilateral ties back to the track of sound and stable development.

He stressed that China's domestic and foreign policies have maintained great continuity and stability, and its policy toward the U.S. has been consistent and stable. However, the U.S. has made significant changes in its policy toward China, deliberately branding China as the most serious geopolitical challenge or even a threat, he added.

To improve the China-U.S. relationship, the U.S. should act on the consensus reached by the two presidents at their meeting in Bali, return to a reasonable and pragmatic policy towards China, and stop erroneous and short-sighted behavior including suppression, encirclement, decoupling and breakage of supply and industrial chains, he noted.

He reiterated China's solemn position on the Taiwan question, stressing that the most important principle in properly handling the Taiwan question is the one-China principle, the most fundamental adherence is the three China-U.S. joint communiques, and the most serious threat is the "Taiwan independence" separatist activities.

Wang urged the U.S. side to honor its commitment and take practical action to safeguard the political foundation of China-U.S. relations. 

For his part, Orlins congratulated China for brokering the Saudi-Iranian reconciliation recently, saying it was a diplomatic breakthrough that demonstrates China's commitment and important role as a responsible stakeholder.

He highly appreciated that China released a strong signal of deepening reform and opening-up and noted that slapping tariffs and decoupling are not conducive to both China and the U.S., as well as to the whole world.

He said the NCUSCR is strongly committed to promoting communications and people-to-people exchanges between China and the U.S. and will continue to play an active role in enhancing mutual understanding between the two countries.

(Cover: A file photo of Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee. /Chinese Foreign Ministry)