Press Releases: Remarks With Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi Before Their Meeting
Remarks
Secretary of State
STATE COUNCILOR YANG: (Via interpreter) Honorable Mr. Secretary, Secretary Tillerson, it is indeed a great pleasure to welcome you back to Beijing. And it is a great pleasure to see you in Beijing again. Over the recent period, we have remained very close contacts. When I had a stopover in Washington during my trip to Latin America in mid-September, I had good discussions with you about President Trump’s state visit to China at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. I’ve noticed that you are making this particular trip to Beijing to further communicate and compare notes with the Chinese side about President Trump’s visit. This fully shows the strong commitment of the American side and, Mr. Secretary, you yourself to China-U.S. relationship. I greatly appreciate your effort.
Our two sides both believe that sustained and (inaudible) development in China-U.S. relationship holds great importance for our two countries and the world as a whole. President Trump’s visit is of great importance to China-U.S. relationship as it moves forward to the future. Our two sides need to step up communication and coordination and make good preparation to ensure a smooth and successful visit with (inaudible) outcomes. The Chinese side is ready to work with the American colleagues to fully implement the important consensus reached between our two presidents and focused on the preparations for President Trump’s visit to China. Let us concentrate on cooperation and properly manage our differences in a spirit of mutual respect and mutual benefit so that we could keep moving China-U.S. relationship forward in the right direction. President Xi attaches great importance to this visit of yours to China, Mr. Secretary, and he has spared up time where he – when he will be meeting with you later on at this meeting. Thank you.
SECRETARY TILLERSON: Well, thank you very much, State Councilor Yang, for the warm welcome and for receiving my delegation. We look forward to continuing our discussion around the preparation for President Trump’s visit at the invitation of President Xi. Our four major dialogues, I think, provide a very good framework for a comprehensive discussion of many important issues, and these dialogues are results-based, as was agreed by our two leaders at the first summit in Mar-a-Lago. So there will be an opportunity, I think, to judge our progress in those dialogues and to advance further our understanding around a number of mutually important issues. Our two presidents have developed a very regular and close working relationship, and I know President Trump is very much looking forward to the upcoming summit, as is everyone on his team. So thank you for this opportunity to continue the preparations and for exchange on other important issues. Thank you.
STATE COUNCILOR YANG: Thank you.