No less than Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has recently stated that the establishment of a ‘correct’ understanding and cooperation between China and the United States is “no longer an option… but an imperative.”
This, according to him, will not only be beneficial for each of the two countries but the world in general.
Minister Wang made this pronouncement when he keynoted the reception commemorating the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States held over the weekend.
There, Minister Wang stressed the importance of peace, cooperation and a win-win effort, as he summarized the bilateral relations between the two countries over the past 45 years.
In connection with this, Minister Wang also put forward three proposals on implementing the important consensus reached by the two heads of state.
First, he called for upholding mutual respect, adding that the top priority is to establish a correct understanding. Second, he called for adhering to peaceful co-existence, adding that the top priority is to effectively manage differences. Third, Minister Wang called for upholding a win-win cooperation, adding that the cornerstone is to advance mutually-beneficial cooperation.
“Cooperation is the “most correct choice for China and the United States to get along…it can be said that China-US cooperation is no longer an option for the two countries and even for the world, but an imperative that must be seriously addressed,” he said.
This declaration is very timely, as relations between the two giant countries seem to be affected by a wide range of issues, including the holding of military drills in the South China Sea.
“We are willing to commit ourselves to building a stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relationship on the basis of mutual respect,” said Minister Wang, as he also said that China will assume greater responsibility for the world’s peace and development, stressing that China has no intention of “replacing anyone, overriding anyone and … of seeking hegemony.”
While there may be differences, these, he said, should not lead to confrontation, adding that “we must insist on peaceful coexistence and the most important thing is to effectively manage differences.”
In response to these statements of Minister Wang, US deputy chief of mission for the US Embassy in Beijing David Meale, who was attending the same event with Minister Wang, said: “as we look ahead to 2024, my colleagues in the US embassy and in our four consulates-general look forward to working with our counterparts to continue to responsibly manage our bilateral relationship.” With these pronouncements from both camps, the Philippines can help by not fueling anything that may trigger a conflict between the two superpowers. Our country does not, in any way, stand to benefit from it.
***
(Comments and suggestions may be emailed to peoplestonightonline@gmail.com.)
