China strikes conciliatory tone ahead of expected Trump-Xi meeting

BEIJING — The United States and China can still find ways to work together, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao told reporters Friday ahead of an expected Oct. 30 meeting between the presidents of both countries.

“General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that dialogue and cooperation are the only right choice for China and the United States,” Wang said in Mandarin translated by CNBC. he said. “As a responsible major nation, China has always opposed decoupling and ‘breaking chains.’ [while] By adhering to global supply chain safety and security.”

Wang said both sides can find ways to resolve their problems with each other “on the basis of mutual respect.” He added that the two countries “can find the right way to get along for the healthy, stable and sustainable development of China-US relations.”

Although China has yet to officially confirm a meeting, the White House said US President Donald Trump and Xi are expected to meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea next Thursday.

Beijing said Vice Minister He Lifeng will travel to Malaysia from Friday to Monday. trade talks With U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Commerce Minister Wang was speaking at a press conference on Friday following the “Fourth Plenum”, a high-level meeting to discuss five-year development goals that ended on Thursday.

At the same press conference, Han Wenxiu, a senior official from the ruling Communist Party’s Central Committee, said China should “try to achieve major breakthroughs” in new technology drivers while encouraging consumption and accelerating the construction of a new energy system.

“Relations between major countries affect the international situation, and changes in the international situation deeply affect China’s domestic development,” said Han, deputy director-general of the financial and economic affairs office of the central committee.