Spokesperson: China, US should respect each other, pursue peaceful coexistence, win-win cooperation

As two major countries, China and the United States should respect each other and pursue peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, a Chinese spokesperson said on Wednesday.

China is willing to work with the United States to strengthen communication at all levels and through various channels, so as to create broader space for bilateral cooperation, Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress, made the remarks at a press conference held ahead of the opening of the session scheduled for Thursday.

Meanwhile, China adheres to its own principles and red lines, and will, as always, resolutely safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests, Lou added.

The spokesperson also pointed out that the head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-US relations.

The two leaders have since last year maintained frequent communication, calibrating the course of the giant ship of China-US relations and providing more momentum for it to sail forward steadily, Lou said.

The bilateral relationship has maintained overall stability and improvement, which is widely welcomed by both countries and the international community, he added.

Facts have proved that China and the US both gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation, Lou said, adding "as long as the two sides fully and faithfully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, uphold the attitude of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit, and lengthen the list of cooperation and shorten the list of problems, the two sides will be able to promote the steady development of bilateral relations."

Lou also said that the NPC is ready to maintain contacts and exchanges with the US Congress and contribute to the sound and steady development of China-US relations from the perspective of legislative bodies.

"We hope the US Congress will view China and its development in an objective and rational light, and do more things that are conducive to China-US relations and the friendship between the two peoples," said Lou.

(With input from Xinhua)