China urges international support for inter-Korean ties

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Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi urged international support for inter-Korean rapport and continued easing of tensions on the Korean Peninsula during his meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington on Thursday.

Yang kicked off his two-day US visit on Thursday at the invitation of Tillerson.

China and the United States should keep close contact and make good use of the established four high-level dialogue mechanisms to further promote bilateral exchanges and cooperation, Yang noted, announcing that the two sides have decided to hold the second round of diplomatic and security dialogue in China in the first half of this year.

He told Tillerson that China and the US could properly address bilateral trade issue through opening markets to each other and "making bigger cake of cooperation."

Tillerson said that the US remains committed to the one-China policy.

Yang noted that the sound development of bilateral relations is in line with the fundamental interests of the two peoples and the common aspirations of the international society.

Some politicians of the US executive and legislative branches have become increasingly interested in playing the Taiwan card in dealing with the US-China relations.

The US House of Representatives passed two Taiwan-related bills in January. The Taiwan Travel Act aims to encourage high-level visits and exchanges between the United States and Taiwan, while the bill H.R. 3320 will help Taiwan restore observer status in the Geneva-based World Health Organization.

The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations passed the Taiwan Travel Act on Wednesday, and the bill will now move on to the floor of the Senate.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Jan. 11 that the US should handle the Taiwan issue carefully, noting "the passage of the two bills seriously violates the principles of the one-China policy and three Sino-US joint communiques."

He urged the US side not to send any wrong messages to "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces.

The US and China can address their differences with mutual respect and further expand cooperation, said the top US diplomat.

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Source(s): Xinhua News Agency