Chinese FM stresses principles for China-U.S. ties' sound growth

BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation represent the right way forward for restoring sound and stable growth to the China-U.S. relations, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday.

Wang made the remarks in an interview with Xinhua and China Media Group on the international situation and China's diplomacy in 2021.

Wang said that the relationship between China and the United States has indeed seen some changes this year compared with what happened in the past few years.

"Since China is determined to defend its rights and reject hegemonism, the U.S. side has come to realize that China will by no means make any concession under the threat of maximum pressure, and that such practices will ultimately hurt U.S. interests," he said.

As for China's U.S. policy, China's attitude is clear and consistent, Wang said, pointing that three principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation sum up the experience and lessons of the half-century-long interactions between the two countries, representing the right way forward for restoring sound and stable growth to the bilateral relations.

"Whether that can become a reality depends on whether the U.S. side can truly and thoroughly understand three things," the foreign minister said.

First, China's development and revitalization is a legitimate right of a sovereign country and, more importantly, an inevitable trend that cannot be changed or stopped by anyone. It would therefore be better to keep abreast with this general trend rather than to go against it.

"As long as the U.S. gives up its obsession with suppressing and containing China, relations between the two countries could return to the right track and develop steadily," he said.

Second, no matter how developed China becomes, it will never take the old path of some Western countries to seek global hegemony, and it has no desire to change, replace or threaten others.

He pointed out that as long as the United States sees China as a partner instead of an adversary or enemy, the two countries could benefit each other and prosper together.

Third, China's social system and development path represent the determined option and the collective will of the 1.4 billion Chinese people.

"We respect America's system and path, but we will never allow any attempts to smear or sabotage the system and path that we have chosen," he said. "As long as the U.S. gives up its obsession with ideological confrontation, the two systems and paths adopted by China and the U.S. could work in parallel and coexist peacefully on this planet."