China calls on US for joint efforts to improve US-China relations.

7/3 Tass 47

BEIJING, March 7 (Itar-Tass) - Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi
called on Washington on Sunday for joint efforts to improve
American-Chinese relations.
Speaking at a news conference during the parliamentary session, he
lashed out at such moves by the US administration as the approval of arms
deliveries to Taiwan and a meeting between US President Barack Obama and
the Dalai Lama.
"Healthy relations between China and the United States, apart from
conforming to the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples,
contribute to the cause of peace, stability and development in the region
as well as all over the world," the minister said. At the same time, he
demanded that the US "should seriously regard" the Chinese stand and
"treat respectfully the basic interests and concerns" of Beijing.
The sale of American weapons to Taiwan and meetings between US leaders
and the Dalai Lama "inflicted serious damage to the relations between
China and the US as well as created difficulties for the development of
relations between them", Yang noted. "This situation is not in the
interests of the two nations, and the responsibility for the present
difficulties does not rest with China," the Chinese minister stated.
China's position on such important questions as Taiwan and Tibet was
spelled out to US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg and Senior
Director for Asian Affairs at U.S. National Security Council Jeffrey Bader
during their stay in Beijing.
"The US should correctly address known sensitive questions and work,
along with China, on returning bilateral relations to the channel of
stable development," Yang emphasized. The ranking Chinese diplomat spurned
down accusations of China of stiffening its position. "We are committed to
our principles, and this has nothing to do at all with stiffening
position," the Chinese minister summed up.
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