Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday that history advances through twists and turns, and that China-U.S. relations enjoy bright prospects.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in response to questions on China-U.S. relations after delivering a speech at the "China in the World" session of the Munich Security Conference.
Wang said that how China and the United States, as the world's two major powers, get along with each other bears on the fundamental direction of the international situation.
China has always viewed and handled its relations with the United States from the vantage point of history, and with a high sense of responsibility to the people and to the world, he said.
President Xi Jinping has summarized the experience and lessons of decades of China-U.S. interactions and solemnly proposed that China and the United States should respect each other, coexist peacefully, and pursue win-win cooperation, and through dialogue and consultation, jointly find the right way for two major powers to get along on this planet, Wang said.
China will continue to follow this general direction, Wang said, as it serves the interests of the peoples of both countries and the common interests of the international community. He, however, also stressed that whether it can be realized depends on the attitude of the United States.
Wang noted it is heartening that U.S. President Donald Trump holds great respect for President Xi and for the Chinese people. Trump has clearly stated that China and the United States can work together to address major global challenges, and that the two leaders can advance the development of China-U.S. relations.
However, Wang said, there are still some in the United States who do not share this perspective and who continue to make every effort to contain and suppress China, and to attack and slander the country by any means.
"China-U.S. relations faced two possible scenarios. One is that the United States develops an objective and rational understanding of China, pursues a proactive and pragmatic China policy, works with China in the same direction, and continues to expand common interests, with the two countries moving toward cooperation, which is undoubtedly a great benefit to both countries and the world at large. The other is to decouple and sever supply chains from China, counter and contain China, form various 'small circles' and 'exclusive blocs' targeting China, and even attempt to plot Taiwan secession, split China and cross China's red lines. Such moves would lead the two countries into confrontation. China, of course, hopes for the first prospect, and I believe everyone shares this expectation. However, we are also prepared to deal with various risks. We believe history always advances through twists and turns. We remain confident in the prospects for China-U.S. relations," said Wang.
Wang said that the vision and principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation will ultimately prevail, as they are the only right choice.
China-U.S. relations enjoy bright prospects: Chinese FM
China-U.S. relations enjoy bright prospects: Chinese FM
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday urged vigilance against recent dangerous trends in Japan, stating that the Japanese leadership's erroneous remarks regarding the Taiwan question directly challenge China's sovereignty and the post-war international order.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at the "China in the World" session at the 62nd Munich Security Conference, where he delivered a speech and answered questions.
Responding to a question about tensions in the Asia-Pacific, Wang said he does not agree that the regional situation is increasingly tense.
Looking around the world, only Asia maintains overall peace, Wang noted, adding that even recent local conflicts, such as those on the Cambodia-Thailand border, were quickly quelled through the efforts of all parties, with China playing a role. China has become a pillar of peace in Asia and will continue to play a constructive role in regional stability as a significant force for global peace, he said.
Wang also noted that the Asia-Pacific is not without its challenges, urging vigilance against recent dangerous trends in Japan.
"Not long ago, the current Japanese prime minister publicly claimed that any contingency in the Taiwan Strait would constitute a so-called 'survival-threatening situation' for Japan to exercise collective self-defense. This is the first time in the 80 years [since the war that a Japanese prime minister] has publicly made such a statement, which directly challenges China's national sovereignty, the post-war international order in which Taiwan was returned to China, and the political commitments Japan made to China. China will certainly not accept this, and neither will the 1.4 billion Chinese people," said Wang.
Speaking in Germany, Wang compared the post-war treatments of history by Japan and Europe. He noted that Germany has carried out a comprehensive liquidation of fascism and enacted laws banning the promotion of Nazism. In contrast, Japan still enshrines Class-A war criminals in a shrine, where Japanese politicians frequently pay homage and revere them as "heroic souls." Such a phenomenon is unthinkable in Europe, Wang said, calling it the root cause of all problems.
The erroneous remarks by the Japanese leadership on the Taiwan question reveal that Japan's ambition to invade and colonize China's Taiwan region has not died out, and the ghost of militarism is still lingering, Wang said.
"The lessons of history are not far away and must be closely examined. Back then, Japan launched its aggression against China and attacked Pearl Harbor [in the U.S.] under the same pretext of a so-called 'survival-threatening situation.' If Japan refuses to repent, it will inevitably repeat the same mistakes. This is the law of history. The kind-hearted people should be vigilant. The Japanese people should not allow themselves to be coerced and blinded by far-right forces that even want to revive militarism. All peace-loving countries should send a warning to Japan: if it tries to go back on its path, it will bring about its own destruction, and if it gambles once more, it will only be defeated faster and suffer a harsher loss," said Wang.
Chinese FM warns against Japan's challenge to post-war international order
