Chinese official: US should deeply rethink its strategy towards PRC

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang pointed to the need for US authorities to deeply rethink their policies towards China.

He made the remarks during a meeting with US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns on May 8, TASS reports.

"I hope that the US will deeply rethink [its strategy toward Beijing] and go for closer cooperation with the People's Republic of China [PRC] to help China-US relations come out of the difficult situation and return to normal," the Chinese minister said.

The Chinese foreign minister recalled that last November, during a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden in Bali, the two sides reached an "important consensus."

"However, later on, the US made a number of erroneous statements and took wrong actions, destroying the emerging positive trend in Chinese-US relations, which was not easy to achieve," he stressed.

As Qin Gang clarified, Washington thereby prevented its own political dialogue with Beijing from advancing, and China-US relations "have become colder again." The minister added that in the current situation, one should refrain from actions that could lead to increased friction between the two countries.

"China will firmly adhere to President Xi Jinping's principles and build Chinese-US relations on the basis of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation. I hope that you, Mr Ambassador, will maintain more contacts, interact more, think more, play the role of a 'key node and bridge' in Beijing-Washington relations, and make constructive efforts in China," he finalised.