Photo: VCG

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday in Beijing. At a critical juncture where China-US relations are stabilizing from deterioration, Xi put forward strategic, overall, and directional guidance on China-US relations, demonstrating to the US side China's clear stance to "maintain the stability of China-US relations and, on that basis, improve and take forward the relationship." Amid the backdrop of the upcoming US presidential election and increasing external uncertainties, China's policy toward the US remains highly consistent, demonstrating a responsible attitude and injecting valuable positive energy into global peace and stability.

President Xi emphasized that as two major countries, China and the US should be responsible for history, for the people and for the world, and should be a source of stability for world peace and a propeller for common development. This indicates that China's attitude toward improving and taking forward the relationship goes beyond a particular moment and event. It views and handles great power relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. This is being responsible for history. 

China "follows a path of peaceful development. While realizing its own development, China is also ready to work with other countries for common development." "China is ready to be a partner and friend of the US." This is being responsible for the people. Moreover, the Chinese side focuses on the well-being of all mankind, putting forward the important concept of a global community of shared future, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative. Alongside its advocacy for an equitable and orderly multipolar world and inclusive economic globalization, these represent China's answer to global challenges. This is being responsible for the world.

The "three responsibilities" encapsulate the essence of China-US relations and profoundly reflect China's sense of responsibility as a major power. In other words, the "three responsibilities" are the best answer to how the US and China should jointly shoulder their responsibilities as major powers. In recent years, the US' foreign policy has often been inconsistent, with sudden "emergency stops" or even "U-turns," drawing vigilance and strong criticism from the international community. In contrast, China has consistently maintained transparency in its foreign policy, with clear and open strategic intentions, and has upheld a high degree of continuity and stability. Why is China able to do this? Fundamentally, it is because China always views China-US relations and major power responsibilities through the lens of the "three responsibilities."

As two major powers, the US and China should demonstrate broad-mindedness, vision, and commitment, enhancing the well-being of their peoples and promoting the progress of human society. President Xi during the meeting stressed that China's commitment to the goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relationship remains unchanged, its principle in handling the relationship based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation remains unchanged, its position of firmly safeguarding the country's sovereignty, security and development interests remains unchanged, and its efforts to carry forward the traditional friendship between the Chinese and American people remain unchanged. This reflects strategic resolve and a historical perspective and a powerful interpretation of the "three responsibilities."

The Taiwan question, democracy and human rights, the system of governance, and the right to development are the four red lines drawn by China in China-US relations. If these bottom lines are touched, the China-US relationship will be unsustainable, and the "guardrails" will also become meaningless. Sullivan reiterated that the US does not seek a new Cold War, it does not seek to change China's system, the revitalization of US alliances is not against China, the US does not support "Taiwan independence," and it does not seek conflict with China. He said the US hopes to maintain strategic communication with China and find a way for the US and China to coexist in peace and for US-China relations to develop in a sustainable way. We are willing to view this as the basic attitude of the US to be willing to meet China halfway and work together with China to find the right way for both countries, despite their different civilizations, systems, and development paths, to peacefully coexist and develop together on Earth. We also hope that the US will truly implement this attitude and demonstrate to the world where its reputation as a superpower lies.

Just before Sullivan's visit to China, there was widespread attention to the strong opposition from the American industrial sector against the 301 tariffs, showing a strong desire for both Chinese and American business communities to interact and cooperate. In today's world of intertwined changes and turbulences, as well as unstable economic recovery, all countries are in the same boat, and no one can thrive alone. Only by working together can we overcome difficulties. Selfishness does not work, and harming others without benefiting oneself is even more unacceptable. Engaging in camp confrontation does not bring peace and security, and "decoupling" only leads to trapping oneself. There can be no winners in conflicts and confrontation between China and the US, and the world cannot afford it. Cooperation in addressing global challenges and providing more peace dividends and development dividends to the world is the only correct choice.

The passage of time is like a surging river - much is washed away, but the most valuable stays. As the world's top two economies and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and the US must ultimately answer the historical question of great power responsibility with practical actions. China has already written its answer, and we also hope that the US will face up to its great power responsibility and use the "three responsibilities" to benchmark its actual actions, maintaining the hard-won situation and achievements of China-US relations. This is the need to benefit the people of both countries and the common expectation of the international community.