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January 17, 2018

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Xi stresses need to maintain ties in call with Trump

CHINESE President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump yesterday discussed bilateral trade and the Korean Peninsula issue by phone.

The phone call came amid strengthening of efforts to keep China-United States trade relations right on track and at a time when tensions on the Korean Peninsula have shown signs of easing.

China-US relations had maintained overall stability and achieved significant progress in 2017, said Xi in the phone call.

Keeping bilateral ties on a track of healthy and stable development is in the interests of both countries and both peoples, and conforms to the common aspiration of the international community, he added.

The two sides need to maintain high-level and various levels of interactions, bring the four high-level dialogue mechanisms between them into full play, and hold the second round of dialogues at a proper time.

As economic and trade cooperation brings tangible benefits to both peoples, Xi added, the two countries should adopt constructive measures to properly settle economic and trade issues of mutual concern by opening up the market to each other and “making the cake of cooperation bigger.”

The Chinese president also called for advancing cooperation between the two militaries, and in law-enforcement, drug control, cultural and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation at local levels, as well as close communication and coordination on major international and regional issues.

China and the US need to meet each other halfway, respect each other, focus on cooperation, deal with sensitive issues in a constructive way, respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, and maintain the momentum of sound and steady development of bilateral relations, President Xi said.

Trump said that the US attaches great importance to its relations with China and that it is willing to work with the Chinese to enhance bilateral exchanges at all levels, expand pragmatic cooperation, and properly handle problems in bilateral trade so as to achieve even greater results in relations.

In response to Trump’s request for comments on the development of the situation on the Korean Peninsula, Xi said China is “ready to join the US for proper settlement of the nuclear issue.”

The Chinese leader said that there are some positive changes, and related parties should work jointly to keep up the hard-won momentum for the easing of the situation on the Korean Peninsula and create conditions for the resumption of talks.

Denuclearization of the peninsula and safeguarding peace and stability in the region accord with the common interests of all sides, said Xi, adding that it is vital for the international community to stay united over the issue.

China is ready to continue its joint efforts with the US and other members of the international community to achieve progress that would finally lead to a proper resolution of the issue, said Xi.

Trump said the US values China’s significant role in resolving the Korean Peninsula issue and is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China over the issue.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have shown signs of easing with the two Koreas meeting for the first time in two years and Pyongyang agreeing to send athletes to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea.




 

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