China US

China and the US should find the right way to get along in the new era,mk Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday.

In the first phone call between the two top diplomats under the new administration of the US President Donald Trump at the US side's request, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that Chinese President Xi Jinping had an important phone call with US President Trump on January 17, during which they reached a series of common understandings. The development of China-US relations has come to a new important juncture.

President Xi comprehensively elaborated on China's policy toward the US. President Trump made positive response, saying that he looks forward to maintaining good relations with President Xi and emphasizing that the US and China working together can solve many problems in the world, according to a release by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday night.

Wang said that the two heads of state have pointed the direction and set the tone for China-US relations. Both sides need to implement their important common understandings and maintain communication, manage differences and expand cooperation in line with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, with a view to promoting the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-US relations, and finding the right way for China and the US to get along with each other in the new era.

Wang said that the leadership of the CPC is the choice of the Chinese people. China's development has a clear historical logic and is driven by strong internal dynamism. Our goal is to deliver a better life for the people and make more contributions to the world. We have no intention of surpassing or replacing anyone, but we must defend our legitimate right to development.

According to a readout released by the US State Department on Friday, during the talk with Wang, Rubio emphasized that "the Trump Administration will pursue a US-PRC relationship that advances US interests and puts the American people first." The US Secretary of State also discussed other issues of bilateral, regional and global importance with his Chinese counterpart.


'Contribution to the world' vs 'America First'

Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Saturday that the phone call between the top diplomats of the two countries, coming after a call between the top leaders, shows the strategic guidance of head-of-state diplomacy in China-US relations, and this is a precondition to ensure that bilateral ties are stable and constructive.

The readout released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry shows a comprehensive, pragmatic, flexible and constructive tone. However, the one released by the US side is focused more on "America First," which means the US is probably asking more from China based on its own demands, while China is trying to develop bilateral ties that are not only based on the interests of people from both sides, but are also about how to make joint contributions to the world, Li said.

Due to these sorts of differences, the two sides are likely to experience a "running-in period," Li noted.  

Lü Xiang, an expert on US studies and a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Saturday that in the readout released by the US side, Rubio emphasized "America First," as the US State Department is actually speaking to Americans, as this is the core value of Trump's ideology. 

Every nation will serve and prioritize their own people, which is very natural, but as a responsible country, especially a major power with enormous strength, apart from stressing its own interests, it should also be sincerely committed to "doing no harm to others," Lü said.  


Taiwan, the red line

According to the release by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang elaborated on China's principled position on the Taiwan question and urged the US side to handle it prudently. 

Wang emphasized that Taiwan has been part of China's territory since ancient times, and we will never allow Taiwan to be split from China. The US has made solemn commitments on abiding by the one-China policy in the three joint communiques, and it should not renege on them.

For his part, Rubio said the United States and China are two great countries. The US-China relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the 21st century and will determine the future of the world. 

The US hopes to have candid communication with China, resolve differences, manage the bilateral relationship in a mature and prudent manner, and work together to address global challenges and maintain peace and stability in the world, he said.  

Rubio said the US does not support "Taiwan independence" and hopes that the Taiwan question can be resolved peacefully in a manner acceptable to both sides of the Taiwan Straits, according to the readout of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. 

Lü said Rubio's statement this time is a bit different from his predecessor in the Biden administration, as apart from reaffirming "The United States does not support 'Taiwan independence,'" Rubio also said the US "hopes that the Taiwan question can be resolved peacefully in a manner acceptable to both sides of the Taiwan Straits."

Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests and the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-US relations. Knowing that is crucial for any US administration to maintain stable development of relations with China. However, in the past the US was inclined to "say one thing and do another," sending wrong signals to the separatist forces in Taiwan, Li said. 

Li said "the Trump administration will not take any risks to shield Taiwan separatists, and it will not be used by the Taiwan authorities to resist reunification efforts from the Chinese mainland. The authorities on the island are more likely to be used as a bargaining chip for the US to make a deal with China."


'To act accordingly' 

According to the readout released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang also said that major countries should act in a manner befitting their status, shoulder their due international responsibilities, maintain world peace and help countries realize common development. 

I hope you will act accordingly and play a constructive role for the future of the people of China and the United States, as well as for the peace and stability of the world, Wang said. 

Act accordingly, "Hao Zi Wei Zhi" in Chinese, was translated differently by global media, but its sense of warning was received. 

"I hope you will act accordingly" is a very direct and serious message to the US' top diplomat, as China hopes the US can act like a major country and shoulder its international responsibilities, maintain world peace and help countries realize common development, Lü noted.

Li said that the phrase also demonstrated China's firm stance on red line and resolve to defend its core interests.  

Many US media outlets have noted that in his inauguration speech, Trump "barely mentioned China," and that when enacting new policies, he "holds off on immediate China tariffs, calls for study." 

In response to a question regarding Trump's remarks saying he'd "prefer not to have to impose tariffs on China" during an interview with Fox News, while also claiming that "we have one very big power over China, and that's tariffs," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reaffirmed that China has stated its position on this issue many times. 

"China-US economic and trade cooperation is mutually beneficial and win-win. If there are differences and frictions between China and the US, they should be resolved through dialogue and consultation," said Mao.

Whether the new US administration is "softening tone toward China" remains to be seen, as the US' positioning of China as a strategic rival and its overall containment of China will not easily change, Lü said.