China’s FM: Relations with US at Lowest Point Since Their Establishment

By Staff, Agencies

China's top diplomat says his country's relations with the United States have hit a historical low, warning that the situation is not in the interests of either country.

Foreign Minister Qin Gang was quoted by China’s Central Television as making the remarks on Sunday while meeting with his visiting American counterpart, Antony Blinken.

"As of today, relations between China and the United States are at the lowest level since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries. It is not in the interests of the peoples of China and the United States," Qin said.

Stressing that his country’s authorities "have been ... pursuing a consistent and stable policy" toward the US, the Chinese top diplomat added that Beijing wants development of cooperation between the two sides on a mutually beneficial basis.

"We hope that the American side will have an objective and rational position toward China," Qin said.

Ties have deteriorated between China and the US over an array of issues, including trade, technology, and regional security. Washington has been also insisting on breaching the internationally-recognized "One China" principle, as American officials have been regularly treating the Chinese Taipei as a territory independent of China's mainland.

"Qin Gang pointed out that the Taiwan issue is the core of China's core interests, the most important issue in Sino-US relations, and the most prominent risk," Chinese media reported.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also issued a statement, saying, “China hopes that the US would adopt an objective and rational perception of China, work with China in the same direction, uphold the political foundation of China-US relations, and handle unexpected and sporadic events in a calm, professional and rational manner.”

Last month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, said China saw no point in keeping up dialog with the US, while Washington kept pursuing a disingenuous policy towards Beijing that consisted of coercive economic measures and political interference.

She made the remarks in response to US President Joe Biden suggesting in late May that a shift in US-China relations could occur soon.

Biden, who had taken part in the Group of Seven [G7] summit in the Japanese city of Hiroshima, added that he expected a thaw in Sino-US relations in the near future.

The US has been also angering China by courting the idea of establishing a NATO-like military alliance in the Asia-Pacific region.

In recent months, the US has reached deals on troop deployment in southern Japan and northern Philippines, both strategically close to the Chinese Taipei.