Chinese FM's speech on Xi's upcoming visit to US (1)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered a keynote speech at the 14th Lanting Forum in Beijing on Wednesday, focusing on the upcoming state visit of President Xi Jinping to the United States and his attendance at the summits celebrating the 70th anniversary of founding of the United Nations.

Following is the full text of the speech.

For China-US Friendly Cooperation, For Global Peace and Development

By Foreign Minister Wang Yi At the Lanting Forum

Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Dear Friends,

Good Afternoon, and welcome to the Lanting Forum.

In a week's time, President Xi Jinping will visit the United States upon invitation and attend a series of summits commemorating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. This will be President Xi's first state visit to the United States and his first visit to the UN headquarters. The visit will attract great attention from people in China, the United States and the wider international community. Taking place at this special year of the 70th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations, it thus takes on greater historical significance. President Xi's visit is aimed to enhance friendly cooperation between China and the United States and contribute to global peace and development. It will surely be a major milestone for China-US relations and world peace and development.

Distinguished Guests,

Dear Friends,

China and the United States face each other across the Pacific Ocean. The history of exchanges between the two countries may not be long, but it has many important moments and memorable events.

About 150 years ago, tens of thousands of Chinese crossed the vast ocean and arrived in the United States. They became builders of the railway across North America, and many of them even gave their lives. What they did helped build America in the early years, and their contribution will be long lasting.

Over 70 years ago, facing the scourge of fascism, China and the United States joined each other in the just cause for peace and, standing alongside other peace loving countries in the world, won the victory in the war that determined the future of mankind.

More than 40 years ago, leaders of China and the United States, with extraordinary courage and vision, made the handshake across the vast Pacific Ocean. It put an end to years of no contact between the two countries and opened the door to normalization of relations and establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Two years ago, President Xi Jinping and President Obama had their historic meeting in Sunnylands, California. They agreed to build a new model of major country relations. A new chapter was opened in the history of China-US relations.

History sheds light on the future, and the future depends on what direction we shall take. President Xi's state visit will be a historic opportunity for China and the United States to review the past, examine the present and chart the course for the future.

As we endeavor to grow China-US relations, we may draw inspiration from the countless stories of Chinese and Americans working together hand-in-hand, from the journey that China-US relations have traveled and more generally, from the overall trend of history. Our goal is to ensure sound and steady growth of China-US relations and deliver more tangible results in the building of a new model of major country relations.

Since President Obama extended the invitation to President Xi for a state visit, the two sides have been making careful preparations for this historic visit. I wish to use today's opportunity to brief you on the priorities and highlights of the visit. I have the following four thoughts to share with you.

First, President Xi's visit will help enhance trust and reduce misgivings between China and the United States. China is the biggest developing country and the United States the biggest developed one. Relations between the two countries go far beyond the bilateral context and take on a global strategic implication. China and the US working together benefits both countries and the world at large. Frictions in relations undermine both countries' interests and affect the wider world.

China and the US are both aware of the important responsibilities on their shoulders. The two countries have in recent years maintained high-level exchanges, and opened more channels of communication. Over 90 intergovernmental dialogue and cooperation mechanisms have been set up. President Xi's visit this year will be the third visit exchanged between the two presidents in the past three years. It shows just how much both sides value this relationship and how much willing both sides are to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation. At the same time, we must recognize that the different history, culture, social system and development stage make it just natural for China and the United States to have differences and disagreements. As the relations continue to grow, there may be more questions and challenges for the two countries to handle. What is important is for both sides to maintain strategic communication, increase strategic trust, dispel strategic misgiving and avoid strategic miscalculation. That is why I believe that to build trust and reduce misgiving will be one focus of President Xi's visit to the United States.

While in the United States, President Xi will hold talks with President Obama and meet with people both in and outside the government. These will be occasions for President Xi to explain China's concept of peaceful development and win-win cooperation, and to relate to the American people the importance of having China-US cooperation, not confrontation. They will also be opportunities to address US concerns about possible conflict with China regarding the current international system and order in the Asia-Pacific. We hope that the two sides will use such opportunities to reaffirm their respective development direction and strategic intentions, their growing common interests and their common responsibility for peace, stability and development.

I wish to reaffirm here that China is a staunch supporter of the current international order.

Seventy years ago, fighting against fascism alongside people of other countries and suffering a casualty of 35 million people, China achieved victory in the war for peace and became a founding member of the United Nations and a permanent member of its Security Council. Later, with 22 years of persistence and thanks to the support of other developing countries, China's lawful seat at the United Nations was restored. And by surmounting obstacles through 15 years of negotiations, China joined the WTO. China is now party to almost all intergovernmental organizations and has acceded to over 400 international multilateral treaties. A growing number of Chinese nationals are working on important posts in international agencies. China is now a major player and supporter of the current international order and system. There is no reason why China should challenge the international order that is based on the victory against fascism. And there is no incentive for China to overturn the international system, in which it is a full member.

Of course, the international order and system also need to keep abreast of the times. It should go through reforms and be adaptive to development and progress in international relations. It should better reflect the legitimate call of developing countries and better enable countries to address emerging global challenges. China will work with other countries and play its due part in making the international order and system more just and equitable.

China is also a staunch supporter of peace and development in the Asia-Pacific region.

Asia is key to China's development and prosperity. The United States is a global power as well as an important member of the Asia-Pacific. China and the United States both have major responsibility for peace and prosperity in the region, where they share growing common interests. Positive interaction and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the US in the Asia-Pacific are absolutely possible and necessary. It serves the need of both countries and meets the expectation of other countries in the region.

China is committed to good neighborliness and a neighborhood diplomacy of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness. China's development is not about moving the cheese of others. It is about making the pie bigger for win-win cooperation so that more countries could stand to benefit. China's goal is not to create spheres of influence but to build communities of common interests and shared future. By putting forward initiatives such as building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, China does not intend to seek dominance over regional affairs but to offer more development opportunities to other countries. And China's proposal on the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is not meant to start something new, but to improve the existing financial system and remove bottlenecks for financing in the region. The necessary construction activities by China on its own islands and reefs in the South China Sea are not directed against anyone. Rather, they are designed to improve logistic conditions on the islands and reefs and enable China to fulfill its international obligation as the largest littoral state of the South China Sea. (Mo