Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said on Monday that stabilizing China-US relations was a necessity after what he described as a series of “wrong words and deeds” led to a deterioration in relations.
In particular, during a meeting in Beijing with US Ambassador Nicholas Burns, Chen stressed that the US should correct its handling of the Taiwan issue and refrain from emptying the “one China” principle of its content.
Relations between the world’s two largest economies hit a nadir last year when US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi paid an official visit to democratically-ruled Taiwan, angering the China, which considers the island to be part of its territory.
In response to this visit, Beijing cut off official lines of communication with the United States, including communication between the two armies.
Tensions between the two superpowers eased in November when US leaders Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at the G20 summit in Indonesia and pledged to continue dialogue.
“The series of misguided words and actions by the United States since then have undermined the hard-won positive momentum of China-U.S. relations,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The dialogue and cooperation agenda agreed by the two parties has been disrupted and relations between the two countries are once again at an impasse,” the statement added.
Tensions between the two countries escalated in February when a Chinese balloon appeared high in US airspace, and in response US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken canceled a planned visit to Beijing.
Blinken appeared to indicate last week that a visit might take place, telling the Washington Post that it was important to restore regular lines of communication at all levels.
US climate envoy John Kerry said last week that China had invited him to visit “at short notice” for talks on averting a global climate crisis, raising hopes of a on track one of the most important relations in the world between countries.
“China-US relations are very important not only for the two countries but also for the world,” Chen said.
“The top priority is to stabilize China-US relations, avoid a downward spiral and prevent any incidents between China and the United States,” he added.
Taiwan remains the thorniest issue in China-US relations.
Last month, China conducted military exercises around Taiwan after its president, Tsai Ing-wen, met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.
Since 1979, relations between Washington and Taipei have been governed by the Taiwan Relations Act, a law that provides the legal basis for providing Taiwan with the means to defend itself but does not allow the United States to help Taiwan in the event of an attack. .
In Budget 2023, the US Congress authorized up to $1 billion in military aid to Taiwan using an authorization mechanism that accelerated security assistance and helped deliver weapons to Ukraine .
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