China says it wants to get relations with US ‘back on the right track’
- Beijing makes the remarks just hours before Joe Biden’s inauguration as president
- But analysts say Washington will continue to see China as a major threat
“Despite our differences, China and the United States share a wide range of mutual interests and there is room for cooperation,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said during a regular press briefing on Wednesday.
“We also share unique responsibilities in safeguarding world peace and development,” she said.
02:27
US declares China has committed genocide in its treatment of Uygurs in Xinjiang
But Beijing signalled it was optimistic about working with the incoming Biden team and ready to move on from the last four years of antagonism – despite the growing bipartisan consensus in the US for a tougher approach on China.
“We hope the new US administration will meet the Chinese side halfway, strengthen dialogue, manage our differences while expanding our cooperation, and bring Sino-US relations back on the right track as soon as we can to benefit the people of our two nations and the world,” Hua said.