Chinese FM meets with US counterpart at MSC

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Security Conference on Friday.

Wang said that President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump have provided strategic guidance for the development of China–US relations. Both sides should work together to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and make 2026 a year in which China and the United States move toward mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation.

Dialogue is better than confrontation, cooperation is better than conflict, and mutual benefit is better than a zero-sum approach, he said. As long as both sides uphold equality, respect, and reciprocity, they can find ways to address each other's concerns and properly manage differences. The two countries should expand the list of cooperation, shorten the list of problems, and put bilateral relations on a stable, healthy, and sustainable track, sending more positive signals to the world.

Both sides agreed that the meeting was positive and constructive. They pledged to implement the consensus reached by the two presidents, make full use of political and diplomatic channels for coordination, support high-level exchanges, enhance dialogue and cooperation across various fields, and promote the steady development of China–US relations.

Cui Hongjian, director of Beijing Foreign Studies University's Center for European Union and Regional Development Studies, said the meeting between senior Chinese and US diplomats provides an opportunity to exchange views on the current international situation, particularly global and regional security issues.

"Since President Xi's meeting with US President Donald Trump in Busan last year, the overall framework of China–US relations has become clearer. The two leaders agreed that bilateral ties should operate along a stable and defined track, and officials on both sides have strengthened communication accordingly," Cui said.

Jian Junbo, director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Fudan University, stressed that China and the US, as the world's largest economies, UN Security Council permanent members, and key security powers, are indispensable for international stability. Cooperation on security issues, including long-term disputes and regional conflicts, has a major impact on global peace, while economic cooperation further reinforces stability.

zhangzhouxiang@chinadaily.com.cn