What do we know from the new round of China-U.S. strategic communication?

The Director of China's Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, and U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan held a new round of China-U.S. strategic communication in Beijing on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The discussions were "candid, substantive and constructive," according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

On China-U.S. relations

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, put forward five proposals on finding the right way for the two countries to get along with each other.

For China-U.S. relations to maintain the right direction, the key is the guidance of the two heads of state, Wang said, calling on China and the U.S. to uphold the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation and implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state to promote the stable, sound and sustainable development of bilateral relations.

Wang called for complying with the three China-U.S. joint communiques to avoid confrontation and conflict between the two countries.

It is imperative to respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, respect China's political system and development path, and respect the legitimate development rights of the Chinese people, Wang said.

He urged efforts to uphold mutual equality to carry out smooth China-U.S. interactions.

Wang said the key for bilateral relations to maintain steady and long-term development is to consolidate the foundation of public opinion. 

Efforts must be made to build more bridges and pave more roads for people-to-people exchanges instead of putting up obstacles, he said.

He also called for establishing a correct understanding for the two countries to achieve peaceful coexistence.

China is committed to delivering a better life for its people and to making greater contributions to world peace and development, he said, adding that the U.S. should not use its own path to speculate on China.

For his part, Sullivan said there are differences and competition between the U.S. and China, but there are also many areas where cooperation is needed.

He agreed that the two countries should treat each other as equals and competition should be healthy and fair. "The United States has no intention of decoupling from China," he said.

The U.S. side is willing to continue to maintain strategic communication with China, enhance mutual understanding, and reduce misunderstandings and misjudgments, said Sullivan.

On the Taiwan question, South China Sea issue

Wang emphasized that Taiwan is part of China, and China will surely be reunified. 

Noting that "Taiwan independence" is the biggest risk to peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, Wang urged the U.S. side to act on its commitment of not supporting "Taiwan independence," abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, stop arming Taiwan, and support China's peaceful reunification.

Sullivan said the U.S. side adheres to the one-China policy, and does not support "Taiwan independence," "two Chinas," or "one China, one Taiwan."

On the South China Sea issue, Wang said China stands firm in safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests over the South China Sea Islands (Nanhai Zhudao) and upholds the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

The U.S. side should not use bilateral treaties as an excuse to undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and should not support or condone the Philippines' infringements, he said.

Noting that the security of all countries must be common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable, Wang urged the U.S. to stop suppressing China in the fields of economy, trade and technology.

Using "overcapacity" as an excuse to engage in protectionism will only harm the global green development and affect world economic growth, he added.

On Ukraine crisis

The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis, conflict in the Middle East and situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Wang said China has always been committed to promoting peace talks and the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

The U.S. should not shift responsibility to China on Ukraine, let alone impose illegal unilateral sanctions, he said.

Since July 28, Li Hui, a special representative of the Chinese government on Eurasian affairs, has visited Brazil, South Africa and Indonesia to launch a new round of "shuttle diplomacy" addressing the Ukraine crisis, underscoring China's active commitment to maintaining global peace.

During the visit, the countries praised China's constructive role in promoting peace talks and voiced commitment to working with China and other relevant parties to find a collective, inclusive approach to resolving the crisis.

The two sides also discussed a new round of interaction between the two countries' heads of state in the near future, agreeing to continue to implement the important consensus reached at the San Francisco meeting between the two heads of state, maintain high-level exchanges and communication at all levels, and continue to carry out cooperation in drug control, law enforcement, repatriation of illegal immigrants, and climate change mitigation.

Wang and Sullivan also agreed to institutional arrangements for holding a video call between theater leaders of the two militaries as well as the second round of China-U.S. intergovernmental dialogue on artificial intelligence at an appropriate time.