Chinese President: Beijing Ready to Be Partner and Friend of Washington

A successful partnership between China and the United States "is an opportunity for each country to enable the other to develop, not an obstacle," Chinese President Xi Jinping was quoted as saying by state media on Wednesday.

China is "willing to be a partner and friend of the United States. This will benefit not only the two countries but also the world," Xi said in remarks in a message to the 2024 annual dinner of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, according to a news report aired by China Central Television.

Xi considered China-US relations "among the most important bilateral relations in the world, and have an impact on the future and destiny of humanity," according to the message.

"China has always handled China-US relations in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, and has always believed that the success of China and the United States is an opportunity for both," Xi said.

Washington and Beijing are at odds over national security concerns, ongoing trade disputes, Beijing's actions in the South China Sea and intense military drills around Taiwan.

Trade relations have been strained over the past year and have centred around issues including restrictions on electric vehicles and advanced semiconductors.

Source: Reuters