China Daily Global Edition (USA)
China, US leaders aim to resolve disputes
Vice-President Wang Qishan highlights areas like poverty eradication at forum
Beijing and Washington should maintain communication between their working teams as they try to find ways to tackle their issues and achieve win-win outcomes, President Xi Jinping told US President Donald Trump in a phone conversation on Tuesday.
Xi mentioned the consultation on economic and trade issues last week in Beijing involving senior officials from both countries, and he called the talk frank, highly efficient and constructive.
Cooperation on economy and trade has always been a stabilizer of and impetus for the China-US relationship, Xi said.
Trump said the US is ready to work with China, reinforce pragmatic cooperation in various fields, tackle their economic and trade issues, achieve greater progress of the relationship and benefit their people.
Xi said ties with the United States are at an important stage, and he values developing relations with the US and cherishes his good working relationship with Trump.
It is hoped the two sides effectively translate into actions the consensus reached by the two leaders during talks in Beijing, and maintain exchanges at all levels, Xi said.
The two sides should also mutually respect each other, work on mutual benefits, focus on cooperation, manage and control differences and achieve a healthy, stable development of their ties, Xi said.
Trump said the US finds its ties with China to be important and he looks forward to maintaining close contact with Xi.
Speaking on the Korean Peninsula situation, Xi said Beijing supports the leaders’ meeting between Washington and Pyongyang.
It is hoped the US and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea could meet halfway, build mutual trust, take actions step by step, and address concerns of each other through meetings and consultations, Xi said.
The DPRK’s reasonable concerns should be considered, and the two sides should jointly promote the political settlement process of the peninsula issue, Xi added.
Trump said the US values China’s position on the peninsula issue, appreciates China’s important role in it and is ready to boost contacts and coordination with China and jointly push for resolving the issue through negotiation and consultation.
Also on Tuesday, China said that resolving differences through equal consultation with the US conforms to the common interests of both countries and the world, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The ministry’s comment came after White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said on Monday that the two countries will continue their trade talks next week in Washington to seek a solution that will be “great for everybody”.
Sanders said that China’s top economic adviser and the vicepremier will travel to Washing-
China will support Africa’s development by passing along experiences from its own development, Vice-President Wang Qishan said on Tuesday in Beijing.
Under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, local governments in China and Africa carry out exchanges and cooperation focusing on poverty alleviation and sustainable development, Wang said at the opening ceremony of the Third Forum on ChinaAfrica Local Government Cooperation.
“It will promote the implementation of the China-Africa comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation,” Wang said.
The two-day forum that started on Monday was attended by about 400 people from government and private organizations. It was co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa.
Wang said China will unswervingly implement the mutually beneficial openingup strategy to realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
China is still a developing country, he said, adding that unbalanced and inadequate development remains a major contradiction.
China still faces the arduous task and challenge of winning the tough battle against targeted poverty and ensuring the impoverished people will not be left behind in the nationwide pursuit of a moderately prosperous society, he said.
Bilateral trade volume between China and African nations reached $170 billion last year, and China’s growth in imports from Africa is up 32 percent. Between them, they have established 135 “sister ties” at provincial and city level.
Niger Prime Minister Brigi Rafini said at the opening ceremony that Niger should further encourage, emphasize and promote local-level cooperation with China.
Former Tanzanian prime minister Salim Ahmed Salim said that apart from passing on experience, China is also helping Tanzania in developing its economy and building infrastructure.
Salim, also chairman of the Tanzania-China Friendship Promotion Association, said Tanzania hopes to strengthen communication at the local level with China to improve the governance system as well as to serve the people.
Wang also met with Rafini and Salim separately on Tuesday.
While meeting with Rafini, Wang said enhancing bilateral cooperation and promoting common development are shared hopes of China and Niger.
Bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields recently has witnessed vigorous development and China is willing to push forward China-Niger relations to a higher level, Wang said
Rafini said that Niger is happy to see China’s growing importance in the international community and hopes to learn from China’s development experience.
While meeting with Salim, Wang said China would like to promote bilateral ties to move forward through concrete cooperation projects.
Salim said he hopes the countries will deepen exchanges and cooperation at all levels and continue to consolidate and develop their traditional friendship.