US national security adviser Rice in Beijing to pave way for Obama’s ‘milestone’ visit
Susan Rice meets former foreign minister Yang Jiechi; scheduled to meet President Xi Jinping on Tuesday
The significance for cooperation between China and the United States is growing, China’s top diplomat said, as officials from the two nations pave the way for their presidents to meet.
State Councillor and former foreign minister Yang Jiechi told visiting US National Security Adviser Susan Rice that the two nations have to “constructively manage our differences on sensitive issues to ensure that the US-China relationship will continue to move forward”, Agence France-Presse reported.
“The current international environment has further highlighted the strategic significance for China and the United States to jointly build a new model of major country relations,” Xinhua quoted him as saying.
Rice, who came to China at Yang’s invitation, is believed to be trying to mend fences before President Barack Obama comes to China in November for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. President Xi Jinping and Obama will meet after the summit.
Rice may also take the opportunity to restate Washington’s support for universal suffrage for chief executive of Hong Kong.
Relations between China and the United States are tender over a wide range of issues that triggered their mutual distrust. Two weeks ago, Washington accused a Chinese fighter jet of flying as close as nine metres to a US surveillance aircraft near Hainan province. Beijing dismissed the US’ allegations.