BEIJING – President Xi Jinping said on Friday that China is happy to see a confident, open, prosperous and thriving United States and hopes the US can also look at China's development in a positive light.

"This is a fundamental issue that must be addressed, just like the first button of a shirt that must be put right, in order for the China-US relationship to truly stabilize, improve and move forward," Xi said when he met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the Chinese capital, Beijing.

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Noting that this year marks the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the US, Xi said over the past 45 years, the relationship has gone through winds and rains, and it has a number of important inspirations to offer.

I've said many times that the planet is big enough to accommodate the common development and respective prosperity of China and the United States.

Xi Jinping, President, China

China and the US should be partners rather than rivals; help each other succeed rather than hurt each other; seek common ground and reserve differences, rather than engage in vicious competition; and honor words with actions, rather than say one thing but do the opposite, he said.

"I proposed mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation to be the three overarching principles. They are both lessons learned from the past and a guide for the future.”

At present, transformation not seen in a century is unfolding in a profound way, and the international situation is fluid and turbulent. It is the shared desire of both the two peoples and the international community to see Beijing and Washington strengthen dialogue, manage differences and advance cooperation, he said.

"I've said many times that the planet is big enough to accommodate the common development and respective prosperity of China and the United States," said the Chinese leader.

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He recalled his meeting with US President Joe Biden in San Francisco last year, when they launched the San Francisco vision that is future-oriented. In the last couple of months, the two teams have acted on the common understandings of the two heads of state, maintained communication in various areas, and made some good progress.

"But there are still issues to be addressed which require further efforts. Your visit this time was agreed upon between President Biden and I in our phone call several weeks ago. I hope you will find it productive," he said.  

‘Not a zero-sum game’

China is willing to cooperate with the US, but cooperation should be a two-way street, Xi told Blinken.

China is not afraid of competition, but competition should be about common progress, not a zero-sum game. 

Xi Jinping

"China is not afraid of competition, but competition should be about common progress, not a zero-sum game," he said.

China is committed to non-alignment, and the US should not form small circles, he said, adding that both sides can have their own friends and partners and should refrain from targeting, opposing or damaging each other.

Major country responsibilities

Xi urged both China and the US to shoulder responsibilities for world peace and create opportunities for the development of all countries.

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As major countries, the two countries should set a good example of how major countries are supposed to act, provide global public goods, and contribute to world solidarity, he added.