US, China vow cooperation

AFP, WASHINGTON: The United States and China vowed to avoid confrontation as  they headed yesterday into a final day of talks, confronting head-on differences on issues such as cyber security and freedom of the seas.
US Vice President Joe Biden sharply warned Beijing on Tuesday that the world's waterways -- which carry 80 percent of the planet's commerce -- must remain open. "Responsible countries adhere to international law and work together to keep international sea lanes open for unimpaired commerce," Biden said pointedly.
The two major trading partners remain at odds over China's claims to much of the South China Sea and Washington has repeatedly urged Beijing to stop building artificial islands and resolve its numerous territorial claims.
"Nations that discard diplomacy and use coercion and intimidation to settle disputes, or turn a blind eye to aggression of others, only invite instability," Biden warned.
In unusually frank comments, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang agreed Beijing and Washington do not agree on everything, admitting "on some issues, perhaps, consensus still eludes us." But he insisted "neither of us could afford the cost of noncooperation or even all-out confrontation." "Decision-makers of both countries must always remember that confrontation is a negative sum game in which both sides will pay heavy prices and the world will suffer too," Wang said.
Welcoming the delegation of some 400 officials led by China's State Councilor Yang Jiechi for the seventh round of annual talks, Biden insisted Beijing must be at the table to help set up a new "rules-based system" in a rapidly changing world."There will be intense competition, we will have intense disagreements. That's the nature of international relations," Biden said.
US Secretary of State John Kerry insisted: "No nations agree on every issue. But we do not accept that a narrowing of the differences is beyond our reach.Our relationship is dynamic and it has grown and matured steadily in the past decades." Jiechi vowed China would work with the United States "in a spirit of openness, to properly address the relevant issues."
High on the agenda is cyber hacking, with Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew insisting both nations must "abide by certain standards of behavior within cyberspace."

US, China vow cooperation

AFP, WASHINGTON: The United States and China vowed to avoid confrontation as they headed yesterday into a final day of talks, confronting head-on differences on issues such as cyber security and freedom of the seas. US Vice President Joe Biden sharply warned Beijing on Tuesday that the worlds waterways -- which carry 80 percent of the planets commerce -- must remain open. Responsible countries adhere to international law and work together to keep international sea lanes open for unimpaired commerce, Biden said pointedly. The two major trading partners remain at odds over Chinas claims to much of the South China Sea and Washington has repeatedly urged Beijing to stop building artificial islands and resolve its numerous territorial claims. Nations that discard diplomacy and use coercion and intimidation to settle disputes, or turn a blind eye to aggression of others, only invite instability, Biden warned. In unusually frank comments, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang agreed Beijing and Washington do not agree on everything, admitting on some issues, perhaps, consensus still eludes us. But he insisted neither of us could afford the cost of noncooperation or even all-out confrontation. Decision-makers of both countries must always remember that confrontation is a negative sum game in which both sides will pay heavy prices and the world will suffer too, Wang said. Welcoming the delegation of some 400 officials led by Chinas State Councilor Yang Jiechi for the seventh round of annual talks, Biden insisted Beijing must be at the table to help set up a new rules-based system in a rapidly changing world.There will be intense competition, we will have intense disagreements. Thats the nature of international relations, Biden said. US Secretary of State John Kerry insisted: No nations agree on every issue. But we do not accept that a narrowing of the differences is beyond our reach.Our relationship is dynamic and it has grown and matured steadily in the past decades. Jiechi vowed China would work with the United States in a spirit of openness, to properly address the relevant issues. High on the agenda is cyber hacking, with Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew insisting both nations must abide by certain standards of behavior within cyberspace.