Beijing, Washington eye greater progress in relations

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi meets with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday in Washington. Yin Bogu / Xinhua

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met on Tuesday, reaffirmed the importance of a constructive bilateral relationship between the two countries and agreed to take further steps to advance it.

Yang said that in line with the consensus reached in a phone conversation between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump earlier this month, China is willing to work with the US to promote steady and healthy development of China-US relations, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Yang met with Trump on Monday, the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit the White House since Trump took office on Jan 20.

"In line with the consensus reached by the two heads of state and following the principles of no conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, China is willing to ramp up exchanges with the US at high and various levels, expand cooperation and coordination in wide-ranging bilateral areas and on major regional and global issues and respect each other's core interests and major concerns," Yang said, according to the statement.

Tillerson said the US is willing to work with China, to look at bilateral relations from a broader perspective, and strengthen high-level engagement. He said the two sides would expand cooperation in various areas and deal with sensitive issues properly through consultation in order to better develop US-China relations, according to the statement.

In their meeting, Tillerson and Yang affirmed the importance of a constructive bilateral relationship and of regular high-level engagements between the US and China, according to acting State Department spokesman Mark Toner.

"The secretary and the state councilor discussed the importance of improving and maintaining a mutually beneficial economic relationship between the two largest economies in the world," Toner said. "They also discussed areas of mutual concern, including North Korea's nuclear programs."

Toner said Yang invited Tillerson to visit Beijing, and that Tillerson expressed interest in doing so in the near future.

huanxinzhao@chinadailyusa.com