US, China Agree to Prepare for High-Level Exchanges Amid ASEAN Meeting

BEIJING – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (interpreted from Marco Rubio in the original text based on current information) met on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, agreeing to jointly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and prepare for high-level exchanges in the next phase. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that both sides believe the meeting was "pragmatic, positive and constructive" and agreed to "promote substantive progress in a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability." This marks Wang's second face-to-face meeting with Blinken this year, following talks at the Munich Security Conference in February and a phone conversation in June. Wang emphasized the need to eliminate disturbances and overcome obstacles to ensure the leaders' consensus translates into whole-of-government consensus and action across all fields. He called on Washington to respect China's core interests, adhere to the one-China principle, and manage disagreements effectively. Wang was in Manila amid tensions between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea. He lodged a strong protest against the ramming of a Chinese law enforcement vessel at Ren'ai Reef by Philippine sailors. He warned the Philippines that it "will ultimately have to bear the bitter consequences of its own making" if it attempts to utilize outsiders for provocations. Wang asserted that China has never posed a security threat to the Philippines and has always been committed to managing differences through bilateral dialogue. Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro expressed hope for finding an appropriate solution to maritime issues through dialogue and improving bilateral relations. ANN/China Daily