Envoy urges Washington to honor summit pledges

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng has called on Washington to work with Beijing to preserve hard-won improvements in relations and implement the important consensus reached by the two presidents at their May summit.

"The most important thing now is to take concrete actions to faithfully implement the common understandings reached by the two presidents, translate the new vision of a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability into real actions, and keep expanding the list of cooperation while shortening the list of problems," Xie said on Tuesday at a reception marking the 99th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army.

The two countries have "every obligation to pursue dialogue and cooperation, and no single reason for conflict or confrontation", he said.

The two leaders agreed at their Beijing summit to build a relationship with cooperation as the mainstay, competition within proper limits, differences kept manageable, peace remaining expectable, and a shared commitment to finding the right way to get along in the new era, Xie said.

As the world's two largest economies, permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and nuclear powers, China and the US share a special responsibility for safeguarding world peace and stability and promoting development and prosperity, he said.

"The stabilizing and improving momentum in China-US relations has not come easily and should be doubly cherished," he said.

The ambassador's words echoed Foreign Minister Wang Yi's remarks during talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on July 22 in Manila, the Philippines, their second meeting this year.

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 translate the leaders' consensus into government-wide action across all fields.

Last week, Vice-Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu visited Washington and held in-depth exchanges with the US side on implementing the important consensus reached by the two presidents and advancing the development of a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability.

Despite the intensified engagement, Washington has continued to invoke national security to target Chinese companies and institutions.

On Tuesday, citing national security, cybersecurity and supply chain concerns, the Federal Communications Commission added foreign-made "advanced robotic devices" to its Covered List, barring new covered devices from receiving the equipment authorization required for import and sale in the US.

The move is expected to affect Chinese robotics companies, which hold leading positions in several segments of the global robotics market.

On July 23, the Pentagon added several Chinese research institutions, including Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, to its "list of foreign institutions engaging in problematic activities".

Four red lines

Xie said China would resolutely safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests. He identified four "red lines" that should not be crossed: Taiwan, democracy and human rights, China's path and system, and development rights.

"Taiwan independence" and peace across the Taiwan Strait are "as irreconcilable as fire and water", he said, urging the US to adhere to the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiques and exercise "extra caution" in handling the Taiwan question.

History and current realities show the world is large enough for China and the US to develop respectively and thrive together, Xie said, urging both countries to shoulder their shared responsibility in addressing global challenges.