Wang Yi puts forth 'three basic demands' during meeting with US senior official Wendy Sherman

On Monday (July 26) afternoon, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in Tianjin.

Noting severe difficulties and challenges in China-U.S. relations, Wang Yi said, it requires serious consideration for the U.S. side to make correct choices as to whether the bilateral ties will head to confrontation or improvement. 

Wang Yi said, as the new U.S. administration has in general continued its predecessor's extreme and erroneous China policy, constantly challenged China's bottom line, and stepped up containment and suppression on China, China is firmly opposed to such U.S. practices.

The United States, regarding China as the uppermost rival or even tending to consider China as an opponent, attempts to impede and disrupt China's modernization drive. Such an attempt is doomed to fail for now, and is even more so in the future, Wang stressed.

"I would like to tell the U.S. side clearly and explicitly that China's development and revitalization, driven powerfully from within, is an irresistible trend of historical evolution. Socialism with Chinese characteristics totally fits China's national realities and requirements, has already made and will continue to make an overwhelming success. With a close bond and a shared future with the Chinese people, the Communist Party of China is always supported by the 1.4 billion Chinese people," Wang underscored.

Wang pointed out that China sticks to the path of peaceful development and follows an open strategy of win-win cooperation. China will never tread the beaten track of big powers in seeking hegemony, he said.

Wang added that China's development is aimed at seeking happiness for all Chinese people. "Just as President Xi Jinping indicated, people's aspiration for a better life is the goal of all our efforts. China's development is not to challenge or replace the U.S. We never export our ideology or development model because we take the basic position that each country should independently explore a development path suited to its national conditions," he said

Wang Yi pointed out, to properly manage the differences between the two sides and prevent China-U.S. relations from further deteriorating or even getting out of control, China puts forth three basic demands on the United States as bottom lines that China firmly upholds.

First, the United States must not challenge, slander, or even attempt to subvert the path and system of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Second, the United States must not attempt to obstruct or even interrupt China's development process. "Modernization is not an exclusive right of the U.S. but involves the basic conscience of mankind and international justice. China urges the U.S. to remove all unilateral sanctions, high tariffs, long-arm jurisdiction and technology blockade it has imposed on China as soon as possible," he stressed.

Third, the United States must not infringe upon China's state sovereignty, or even damage China's territorial integrity. The issues regarding Xinjiang, Xizang and Hong Kong have never been about "human rights" or "democracy", but about fighting against "Xinjiang independence", "Xizang independence" and "Hong Kong independence," he underscored.

"As for the Taiwan question, it's even more important. Although the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have not yet been reunified, the fact that the Chinese mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China and Taiwan is part of China has never changed and will never change. If "Taiwan independence" forces dare to provoke, China has the right to take any necessary measure to stop it. We urge the U.S. side to honor its commitment on Taiwan question and act prudently," Wang reiterated.

Wang said the two countries should find a way for two major countries with different systems, cultures and stages of development to coexist peacefully on this planet through dialogue. He hopes that the U.S. side will have an objective and correct understanding of China, abandon arrogance and prejudice, stop acting as a preacher, and return to a rational and pragmatic China policy.

Noting the U.S.-China relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world, Sherman said that the two sides have contacted each other many times since Biden was sworn in, and that the U.S. is willing to continue to have open and candid contacts and dialogues with China.

"The United States also hopes that the two countries can coexist peacefully. It has no intention of restricting China's development, nor does it want to contain China, but would like to see China's development. The two sides can engage in healthy competition, cooperate on climate change, drug control and international and regional hotspot issues, strengthen crisis management capacity, and avoid conflicts," Sherman indicated. She hopes that both sides will take joint actions to improve bilateral relations.

Sherman reiterated that the United States adheres to the one-China policy and does not support "Taiwan independence."

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.