Beijing said the top priority was to stabilize Sino-US relations. (file)
Beijing:
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang held talks with the US ambassador on Monday, Beijing said, during which he said the “top priority” was to stabilize relations between the rival powers.
Qin’s discussion with Nicholas Burns in Beijing is one of the highest-level meetings between the two countries since Washington shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon over the United States in early February.
The incident caused US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to abruptly call off a rare visit to China.
According to Chinese state media, Qin told Burns: “The top priority is to stabilize Sino-US relations, avoid a downward spiral, and prevent accidents between China and the United States.
“This should be the basic consensus between the two countries and it is also the bottom line that should be upheld when dealing with state-to-state relations, especially relations between two major countries.”
Qin told Burns that relations between the two countries were of “great importance” but that “a series of wrong words and actions by the US side” have undermined their progress since Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Bali last November. Had met American counterpart Joe Biden.
Qin left for Europe on Monday, where he will meet German Foreign Minister Annalena Bierbock and French counterpart Catherine Colonna before traveling to Norway.
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