China’s foreign minister calls on Joe Biden to ‘restart dialogue’ with Beijing
- Wang Yi makes among the most extensive comments yet by a top Chinese official about the incoming Biden administration
- Of Biden’s stated priorities, ‘at least three – Covid response, economic recovery and climate change – provide space for cooperation’, Wang says
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged US President-elect Joe Biden on Friday to have the “right perception” of China and cooperate with Beijing “to restart dialogue, return bilateral relations to the right track and rebuild mutual trust”.
His remarks, which came in a video speech to the US think tank Asia Society Policy Institute, were among the most extensive comments yet by a top Chinese official about the incoming Biden administration in comparison to the departing administration of US President Donald Trump.
Wang expressed Beijing’s anger over the China policies taken in recent years by Washington and appealed to the Biden administration, which assumes control on January 20, to manage the two nations’ differences constructively.
“We have noted the four priorities laid out by President-elect Joe Biden. We believe that at least three – Covid response, economic recovery and climate change – provide space for cooperation between our two countries,” Wang said.
“We hope that we will expand cooperation, manage differences through dialogue.”
