China, US agree to prepare for high-level exchanges

China and the United States need to translate the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries into whole-of-government consensus and action across various domains, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday.

The two met in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, on ‌the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

Beijing and Washington "agreed to jointly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, tap into the roles played by political and diplomatic channels, and prepare for high-level exchanges in the next phase", the Foreign Ministry said in a release.

Both sides believe that "this meeting was pragmatic, positive and constructive", and they agreed to "promote substantive progress in a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability", the ministry said.

This is Wang's second face-to-face meeting with Rubio this year following their talks on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in February. They also held a phone conversation in June.

During the talks on Wednesday, Wang said that this year is a "major year" for China-US relations and mentioned US President Donald Trump's state visit to China in May.

The two heads of state held a historic meeting in Beijing, defined the framework for the constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability, and outlined the direction for both sides' joint efforts, Wang said.

It is now the duty of both sides to "follow the course set by the two heads of state, eliminate disturbances, and overcome obstacles" to ensure that the leaders' consensus is translated into whole-of-government consensus and action across all fields, he said.

Both sides should "promote world peace and stability through China-US strategic stability" and "provide important impetus for international cooperation through constructive China-US interaction", he added.

Wang also made clear China's solemn position regarding a series of recent negative remarks and actions by the US.

He called on Washington to respect China's core interests, faithfully adhere to the one-China principle, effectively manage disagreements and differences, and address China's legitimate concerns, so that this "year of opportunity" for China-US relations can become a reality.

Wang was in Manila to attend the China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Wednesday amid tension between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea issue.

When meeting with Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro on Wednesday, Wang lodged a strong protest against the ramming of a Chinese law enforcement vessel at Ren'ai Reef of the Nansha Islands by Philippine sailors.

Currently, China-Philippines relations stand at a crossroads, and the Philippines' needs to make the right and rational choice for the future developments, he said.

He warned that the Philippines "will ultimately have to bear the bitter consequences of its own making" if it attempts to utilize outsiders for provocations.

China has never posed a security threat to the Philippines, has never in history invaded or colonized the Philippines, and has always been committed to managing differences and stabilizing the situation through bilateral dialogue and consultation, Wang said.

The Philippines should immediately stop provocative maritime actions, strictly abide by the commitments it has made to China to date, and make concrete efforts to stabilize bilateral relations, he said.

Lazaro said the Philippines hopes to find an appropriate solution to maritime issues through dialogue and strive to improve bilateral relations.