MFA official’s briefing on U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s visit to China

BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) — Director General Yang Tao of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefed the media on U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s visit to China on Thursday evening.
Yang said that at the invitation of Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan visited China from August 27 to 29 for a new round of China-U.S. strategic communication. This is the first visit to China by a national security advisor to the U.S. President after eight years, the first visit to China by Sullivan in his term, and an important step taken by the two sides to implement the common understandings of the two presidents.
Yang said that President Xi Jinping met with Sullivan on the afternoon of August 29. President Xi emphasized the following. First, when China and the United States, two major countries, engage with each other, the No.1 issue is to develop a right strategic perception, and they need to first and foremost find a good answer to the overarching question: Are China and the United States rivals or partners? China’s foreign policy is open and transparent and its strategic intentions are aboveboard, both of which are highly consistent and stable. China is focused on managing its own affairs well and will continue deepening reform comprehensively to further improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics that suits China’s national conditions. China follows a path of peaceful development. While realizing its own development, China is also ready to work with other countries for common development, and to jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind. Second, in this changing and turbulent world, countries need solidarity and coordination, not division or confrontation. People want openness and progress, not exclusion or regress. As two major countries, China and the United States should be responsible for history, for the people and for the world, and should be a source of stability for world peace and a propeller for common development. Third, China’s commitment to the goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship remains unchanged, its principle in handling the relationship based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation remains unchanged, its position of firmly safeguarding the country’s sovereignty, security and development interests remains unchanged, and its efforts to carry forward the traditional friendship between the Chinese and American people remain unchanged. President Xi expressed the hope that the United States will work in the same direction with China, view China and its development in a positive and rational light, see each other’s development as an opportunity rather than a challenge, and work with China to find a right way for China and the United States, two countries with different civilizations, systems and paths, to coexist in peace and achieve common development on this planet. These remarks provide strategic and overarching guidance critical to the direction of China-U.S. relations, and are China’s most authoritative statement on China-U.S. relations.
Yang said that Wang held strategic communication with Sullivan on August 27 and 28. The two sides had six sessions, totaling more than 11 hours, and discussed the China-U.S. relations, sensitive issues and major international and regional hotspots. Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, also met with Sullivan, Yang said.
Yang said that this is the fourth round of strategic communication between Director Wang and Sullivan. The first three rounds were held in Vienna, Malta and Bangkok, and they also had a meeting in Washington, D.C., which all produced positive outcomes. Held in Yanqi Lake this time, their communication has come closer and closer to Beijing, and become more and more in-depth. Both sides believe that this round of communication is candid, substantive and constructive.
Yang stressed that head-of-state diplomacy always provides strategic guidance for China-U.S. relations. This is a view shared by both sides. In the past four years, the two presidents have steered the course and provided the anchor for the bilateral relationship. From the Bali understandings to the San Francisco vision, head-of-state diplomacy has provided a ballast as the relationship navigates through wind and rain, and will continue to be a source of propellant that moves the relationship forward. The strategic communication channel between the Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission and the U.S. National Security Advisor was established according to the common understanding between the two presidents. Its primary task is to support head-of-state diplomacy and follow up on the important common understandings reached by the two presidents. In this round of strategic communication, the two sides discussed having a new round of interaction between the two presidents in the near term. This will be conducive to further leveraging the strategic guidance of head-of-state diplomacy, and bringing stability and certainty to China-U.S. relations and to a changing and turbulent world.
The two sides took stock of how China and the United States engaged with each other in the past few years. Wang summed up the experience and lessons as “five keys”: First, the key to keeping the China-U.S. relations to the right direction lies in the guidance and stewardship of the two presidents; Second, the key to avoiding conflict and confrontation between China and the United States lies in abiding by the three joint communiques; Third, the key to smooth interactions between China and the United States lies in treating each other as equals; Fourth, the key to a steady and sustained China-U.S. relationship lies in cementing the popular foundation; Fifth, the key to peaceful coexistence between China and the United States lies in developing a right perception. These “five keys” will help the two sides chart a better future and find a right way for the two major countries to get along with each other.
Yang said that last November, the two presidents reached a future-oriented San Francisco vision at their summit meeting, which pointed the direction and drew the blueprint for China-U.S. relations. During this round of strategic communication, the two sides took stock of the progress made in implementing the important common understandings of the San Francisco meeting, and agreed to continue the implementation. The two sides also agreed on a number of specific matters, including to maintain high-level exchanges and communication at various levels; to continue cooperation in such areas as anti-narcotics, law enforcement, repatriation of illegal immigrants, and tackling climate change; to hold in due course a theater commander-level video call between the two militaries and the second round of intergovernmental dialogue on AI, among other institutionalized arrangements; and to maintain communication on international and regional hotspots including the Middle East, Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula. These new outcomes will help the two sides remove interference, overcome obstacles, and move toward the San Francisco vision, and jointly promote a healthy, stable and sustainable China-U.S. relationship.
Taiwan, democracy and human rights, path and system, and right to development are the four red lines China has drawn in China-U.S. relations. The Chinese side raised serious concerns, articulated its position and laid out serious demands on these issues. The Chinese side stressed that the Taiwan question is the first and foremost red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations; China’s political system and development path must not be challenged; and the Chinese people’s right to development must not be deprived of. Touching these red lines would take away the floor for China-U.S. relations, and render the guardrails useless. “Taiwan independence” is the biggest risk to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Since the U.S. side stated many times that the United States is committed to the one-China policy, it does not support “Taiwan independence,” and it does not support “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan”, it should honor its commitments with real actions, abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, stop arming Taiwan, and support China’s peaceful reunification.
Both sides believe that under the strategic guidance of the two presidents, the channel of strategic communication between the Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission and the National Security Advisor to the U.S. President is very important, and agreed to continue leveraging the role of this channel.
Yang also took questions from the media.
On questions related to economic, trade and technological issues, Yang said that the so-called “small yard with high fences” of the United States has kept expanding and become limitless. The so-called “national security” has become a basket in which anything can be put. The narrative of so-called “overcapacity” is but another excuse for protectionism. Behind these are still the U.S. misperception of China, and its hegemonic mentality of seeking absolute security and absolute advantage. The United States should know that it is impossible for China to permanently stay at the medium and low end of the industrial chain. China has the capability, the need and the right to climb up toward the medium and high end. The United States should also know that China-U.S. economic and trade relations are mutually beneficial in nature, and suppressing China’s economic and technological advancement hurts itself as well as others, and will not succeed.
On the South China Sea issue, Yang pointed out that China is steadfast in its resolve to defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and committed to upholding the seriousness and effectiveness of the DOC. Developing alliances and partnerships is something up to the United States itself, but it should not use it to hurt China’s interests. The Philippines should keep its word, and the United States should also do things that are conducive to regional peace and stability.
On Ukraine, Yang stressed that China’s position is aboveboard and transparent. It boils down to promoting peace talks and political settlement. We do not seek gains from the conflict, still less do we fuel the flames. We will continue doing the right things. China follows an independent foreign policy of peace, and does not seek alliance nor bloc confrontation. This is our basic principle in handling relations with all countries. The United States should stop spreading the false narrative of “China supporting Russia’s defense industrial base,” and stop smearing, scapegoating or shifting the blame onto China. Still less should it wield illegal, unilateral sanctions. ■