China, U.S. agree to boost cooperation in anti-drug, AI

China and the U.S. have agreed to launch a joint working group on anti-drug cooperation, the first meeting of the China-U.S. intergovernmental dialogue mechanism on artificial intelligence this spring, and take further steps to expand people-to-people exchanges as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a new round of meetings with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday and Saturday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, discussed the implementation of the consensus of the San Francisco meeting of the two heads of state and the proper handling of important and sensitive issues in China-U.S. relations with Sullivan.

Noting that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the U.S., Wang said the two sides should take this opportunity to treat each other as equals rather than take a condescending attitude, seek common ground rather than accentuate differences and earnestly respect rather than undermine each other’s core interests. Wang added that the two sides should work together to find the right way of getting along through mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.

He emphasized that the Taiwan question is China’s internal affair, and the Taiwan regional election cannot change the basic fact that Taiwan is a part of China.

“Taiwan independence” is the biggest risk to peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits as well as the biggest challenge to China-U.S. relations, he stressed.

The U.S. side must abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, put its commitment of not supporting “Taiwan independence” into action, and support the peaceful reunification of China, he said.

Wang noted that all countries have national security concerns, but they must be legitimate and reasonable, and cannot be politicized, let alone used to contain and suppress the development of other countries.

During their talks, the two sides agreed to further discuss the boundary between national security and economic activities.

Both sides agreed to work together to implement the San Francisco Vision: the two heads of state will maintain regular contact and provide strategic leadership for bilateral relations; promote U.S.-China exchanges at all levels in all fields, making good use of the current strategic communication channels as well as a series of dialogues and consultation mechanisms in the areas of diplomacy, the two militaries, economy, finance, commerce and climate change.

The two sides also discussed international and regional issues including the Middle East, Ukraine, the Korean Peninsula and the South China Sea.