China US national flags File Photo:CFP

Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu met with visiting former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger in Beijing on Tuesday, during which Li said China's path of peaceful development is a blessing, not a threat, to the world, and the US should make right strategic judgment of China, according to a statement published by the Defense Ministry on Tuesday. 

China has been committed to building stable, predictable and constructive China-US relations, and hopes the US can work with it to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state and promote the healthy development of relations between the two militaries, Li said.

Li emphasized that as in today's world, chaos and complexity are intertwined, and the century's changes are accelerating and evolving, humanity is confronted with unprecedented challenges in today's world. People around the world hope that both China and the US can shoulder their responsibilities as major power and work together to safeguard global prosperity and stability.

China's path of peaceful development is a blessing, not a threat, to the world, and the US should make the right strategic judgment. When emerging and developed countries coexist peacefully and integrate for development, our world will have a brighter future, he continued.

Li pointed out that some people in the US have failed to work in the same direction as China, causing China-US relations to hover at the lowest point since the establishment of diplomatic relations. The reality of mutual dependence between the two countries has been ignored, the history of win-win cooperation has been distorted, and the atmosphere of friendly communication has been disrupted.

Noting that he is here on the visit as a friend of China, Kissinger stated that the US and China should eliminate misunderstandings, coexist peacefully, and avoid confrontation as challenges and opportunities coexist in today's world. He emphasized that "history and practice have repeatedly proven that neither the US nor China can afford the cost of treating each other as adversaries."

If the two countries were to engage in war, it would not bring any meaningful results to their peoples. Understanding and managing the US-China relationship, especially reversing the current difficult situation, require both sides to demonstrate wisdom and work together to foster mutual development, Kissinger noted.

The veteran US diplomat emphasized that the two militaries should enhance communication and strive to create positive outcomes for the development of bilateral relations, ultimately safeguarding world peace and stability.

Kissinger's role in China-US relations is indeed unique and currently irreplaceable. His visit to China this time is expected to have a positive impact on improving the current situation of limited military exchanges between China and the US. At the very least, it has facilitated the normalization of communication channels between the two sides, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The improvement in bilateral relations is likely driven by the intentions of both sides, in particular the US, and Henry Kissinger, despite being in his centenary year, has once again assumed a crucial role as a communication bridge in China-US relations, the expert explained.