'Historic, fruitful': Chinese FM Wang Yi briefs media on Xi-Trump meeting

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday briefed the press on the just-concluded meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Beijing and the consensus reached during the visit.

During the visit, Xi and Trump engaged in candid, in-depth, constructive and strategic communication on major issues concerning China-US relations and world peace and development, exploring a correct way for the two major countries to get along and reaching a series of consensuses, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Historic, fruitful meeting

Their meeting included formal talks, a welcoming banquet, a private meeting and a visit, Wang said, adding that the leaders spent nearly nine hours in interactions, with a tone of mutual respect, shared commitment to peace, and a willingness to cooperate.

"As many media outlets have pointed out, this is a historic meeting," he said.

This is an important meeting as both countries enter a crucial stage of their respective development, Wang said, adding that the two heads of state had in-depth exchanges on governance, China-US relations, and international and regional hotspot issues.

Wang said the meeting has achieved fruitful results, noting that the most important political consensus reached was the two heads of state agreeing on a new vision of building a constructive bilateral relationship of strategic stability.

The two sides have also expressed willingness to conduct more exchanges in areas including diplomacy, military affairs and law enforcement, Wang said, adding that this has injected new impetus into the interactions of the two countries in the future.

The economic and trade teams of China and the US will work to expand two-way trade under a reciprocal tariff reduction framework, Wang said, adding that the two sides have also agreed to establish a trade council and an investment council and address each other's concerns over market access for agricultural products.

On new vision of bilateral ties

Wang said the new vision of building a constructive bilateral relationship of strategic stability will provide strategic guidance for bilateral relations over the next three years and beyond.

Wang said that the "constructive strategic stability" should be a positive stability with cooperation as the mainstay, adding that efforts should be made to continuously strengthen the resilience of China-US relations through exchanges and cooperation.

The "constructive strategic stability" should be a sound stability with moderate competition, Wang said, noting that zero-sum games in which one side wins at the expense of the other must be rejected.

The top diplomat added that the "constructive strategic stability" should be a constant stability with manageable differences, rather than relations fluctuating like a roller coaster.

The "constructive strategic stability" should also be an enduring stability with promises of peace, and the two sides should not allow conflict, confrontation or even war to occur, Wang said.

On peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait

China hopes the United States will take "concrete actions" to safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, the Chinese top diplomat said on Friday.

Stressing that the Taiwan question is China's internal affair, Wang said the Chinese side hopes the US side will adhere to the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques and fulfill its due international obligations.

The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations, he said. "China hopes the US side will, through concrete actions, safeguard the steady development of China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."

Safeguarding cross-Strait peace and stability is the biggest common denominator between China and the United States, Wang said.

"During the meeting, we felt that the US side understands China's position, attaches importance to China's concerns, and just like the international community, does not stand for or accept Taiwan moving toward independence," he added.

On reopening the Strait of Hormuz, resolving Ukraine crisis 

China maintains that on the basis of sustaining the ceasefire, the Strait of Hormuz should be reopened as soon as possible and at the same time believes that the fundamental solution to issues concerning the strait lies in the realization of a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, said Wang.

Wang added that China encourages the United States and Iran to continue resolving their differences and disputes, including those related to the nuclear issue, through negotiations.

China has been working hard to promote peace talks and will continue to play its role in pushing for an early end to the war and restoring peace in the Middle East, said the Chinese top diplomat. 

As for the Ukraine crisis, Wang said China and the United States hope the Ukraine crisis can come to an early end.

Both China and the United States are willing to maintain communication over the Ukraine crisis and play a constructive role in working for its political settlement. 

(With input from Xinhua)