Xie Feng, China’s ambassador to the United States of America, delivers a speech via video to the Hong Kong Forum on US-China Relations in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, on Nov 9, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

NEW YORK – China’s ambassador to the United States has said that before any meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden in San Francisco, it is important to return to the Bali consensus and “foster a sound atmosphere before dialogue”. 

The top priority is for both sides to make a joint effort toward a meeting between the two presidents at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Week (Nov 11-17) in San Francisco, Ambassador Xie Feng said in a speech via video on Thursday to the Hong Kong Forum on US-China Relations 2023.

On Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced that the two countries have agreed to work together for the presidential meeting.

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“To move toward San Francisco, it is important to return to the Bali consensus,” Xie said. “This means earnestly acting on the important common understanding reached between our presidents in Bali and translating President Biden’s statements into concrete actions. 

It is necessary to foster a sound atmosphere before dialogue, build up positive outcomes during the process, and take solid follow-up actions afterwards.

Xie Feng, China’s ambassador to the US

“To move toward San Francisco, it is important to enhance whole-process management,” the ambassador said. “The path to San Francisco cannot rely on autopilot.”

“It is necessary to foster a sound atmosphere before dialogue, build up positive outcomes during the process, and take solid follow-up actions afterwards,” he added. 

“It is also important to work in the same direction. This includes clearing obstacles and managing differences with concrete actions, avoiding playing with fire or crossing the line, and properly handling sensitive issues,” Xie said. 

As bilateral relations suffered from serious difficulties in the past few years and hit their lowest point since the establishment of diplomatic ties, there also has been a growing call for stopping the downward spiral, he said. 

But there have been some positive signs of a more stable China-US relationship recently, said Xie. The two sides have conducted a series of high-level interactions, launched a series of dialogue mechanisms, and reignited exchanges and cooperation at various levels, he said. 

“All these have together sent out a positive signal of stabilizing China-US relations. Both sides believe that it is beneficial and necessary for the two countries to maintain dialogue; both share the hope to stabilize and improve bilateral relations as soon as possible; and both have agreed to work together toward a meeting between the two presidents in San Francisco.”

The envoy noted that the relationship still faces grave challenges, and there is a long way to go to stabilizing and improving it.

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“Most importantly, we need to find the right way for our two countries to get along in the new era. The three principles outlined by President Xi Jinping, namely, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, have pointed us in the right direction,” he said. 

The world is emerging from the pandemic, so China-US relations also need to come out of the woods, he said, encouraging people from various sectors in both countries to travel more and increase dialogue and exchanges, so as to “gradually thaw the ice of misunderstanding and misperception”, and build bridges for mutual understanding. 

The Hong Kong Forum on US-China Relations 2023, which took place on Wednesday and Thursday, is an annual flagship event hosted by the China-United States Exchange Foundation. 

The theme of the forum this year was “Change and Progress”, which is “highly relevant in the context of the current international situation and China-US relations”, said Xie. “It reflects the vision and courage to foster new opportunities amid crises and open up new horizons on a shifting landscape.”

Contact the writer at minluzhang@chinadailyusa.com