Xi tells American senators US-China relations impact 'destiny of mankind'

BEIJING – Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that China-US ties would impact the “destiny of mankind”, as he met a group of American senators in Beijing.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer,

leading a six-person delegation,

is the latest high-level American official to visit China as Washington seeks to ease tensions with Beijing.

“How China and the United States get along with each other in the face of a world of change and turmoil will determine the future and destiny of mankind,” Mr Xi said as he met Mr Schumer in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.

“I have said many times, including to several presidents, that we have 1,000 reasons to improve China-US relations, but not one reason to ruin them,” Mr Xi said, adding that China-US ties are “the most important bilateral relationship in the world”.

Mr Schumer, in turn, told him that “our countries, together, will shape this century”.

“That is why we must manage our relationship responsibly and respectfully,” he added.

Earlier China’s top diplomat, Mr Wang Yi, said he hoped Washington and Beijing could manage their differences “more rationally”.

Meeting Mr Schumer at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, Foreign Minister Wang told the senators that he hopes their visit will help the two sides “manage existing differences more rationally, helping the relationship between the two countries return to the track of healthy development”.

Mr Wang also said he hopes that they will “more accurately understand China” after the trip, which he said comes as the world is in a “turbulent period of change”.

“The crisis in Ukraine has not yet subsided, and warfare has re-emerged in the Middle East,” he said.

“All these various challenges need to be addressed by the international community, and China and the United States should play their due roles.”

Mr Schumer, in turn, thanked the Chinese delegation for its hospitality, noting that there are several issues of “great concern” he was seeking to raise during his visit.

He said “a level playing field for American business and workers” is his delegation’s “No. 1 goal”.

“Holding accountable China-based companies supplying deadly chemicals fuelling the fentanyl crisis in America” is another objective, he told Mr Wang, as is “ensuring China does not support Russia’s immoral war against Ukraine”.

“Advancing human rights” is an additional priority, Mr Schumer said.

Troubled times

But he also said he was

“very disappointed” by a Sunday statement from Beijing’s Foreign Ministry

on the escalating violence between Israel and the Palestinians.

Beijing called on Sunday for all sides to show “calm” and “cease fire immediately”.

It did not explicitly condemn a Palestinian attack that

has left hundreds in Israel dead,

instead urging the establishment of a two-state solution to end the violence.

“The ongoing events in Israel over the past few days are horrific,” Mr Schumer told Mr Wang.

“I urge you and the Chinese people to stand with the Israeli people and condemn these cowardly and vicious attacks.

“The Foreign Ministry’s statement... showed no sympathy or support for Israel during these tough, troubled times,” he added.

In response to a question on Mr Schumer’s comments at a regular press briefing, ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said China is “highly concerned about the escalation of conflict”.

“We are very saddened by civilian casualties caused by the conflict,” she said. “We also oppose and condemn actions that harm civilians.”

Mr Schumer reiterated his call for Beijing to support Israel in his meeting with Mr Xi, urging the Chinese leader to “stand with the Israeli people”.

Senior meetings

On Monday, Mr Schumer also met Mr Zhao Leji, the head of the standing committee of China’s rubber-stamp Parliament, the National People’s Congress.

“As the two great powers, it is natural we find ourselves in competition in areas like trade, technology, diplomacy, and more,” he told Mr Zhao.

“We welcome this competition,” Mr Schumer stressed. “We do not seek conflict.”

Mr Schumer is the latest high-level US official to visit China as Washington seeks to ease tensions with Beijing, which have flared in recent years over everything from trade to human rights.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, as well as climate envoy John Kerry, have all visited China in 2023.

President Joe Biden on Friday said

he may meet Mr Xi in San Francisco in November,

but added that nothing has been scheduled yet.

Mr Wang is expected to visit Washington ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November. AFP