U.S. and China should be ‘partners, not rivals’, Chinese President Xi Jinping tells Antony Blinken

Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasizes partnership over rivalry with the US, addressing key issues in Beijing meeting.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 26 told top U.S. diplomat Antony Blinken that the world’s two biggest economies should be “partners, not rivals”, but that there were a “number of issues” to be resolved in their relations.

Mr. Blinken, in China for the second time in less than a year, met leading Chinese politicians in the capital Beijing, where U.S. officials said he would directly raise crucial areas of difference including Russia, Taiwan and trade.

Meeting Mr. Blinken in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Mr. Xi said the two countries had “made some positive progress” since he met with U.S. President Joe Biden last year, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

“The two countries should be partners, not rivals,” Mr. Xi said.

“There are still a number of issues that need to be resolved, and there is still room for further efforts,” the Chinese leader added.

“We hope the US can also take a positive view of China’s development,” he added.

“When this fundamental problem is solved... relations can truly stabilise, get better, and move forward.”