China, US narrow differences over South China Sea disputes at S&ED

World Today

China, US narrow differences over South China Sea disputes at S&ED 2

Tuesday’s session of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue has wrapped up in Beijing, and officials from both countries said the talks have narrowed the differences between the world’s two biggest economies and reduced the risks of miscalculation.

One important progress is on the South China Sea, as CCTV’s Han Peng reports.

Tensions over South China Sea remain one of the biggest disagreements during the S&ED. Both countries reaffirmed their positions, but Washington D.C. has slightly softened its tone.

“The U.S. will make it clear that we are looking for a peaceful resolution to the disputes of the South China Sea. We urged all nations to find a diplomatic solution in rule of law,” Secretary of State John Kerry said.

Despite the differences, both sides spoke highly of their newly expanded common ground, referring to their recent cooperation in nuclear issues with Iran and the Korean Peninsula and reaching the historic Paris agreement on fighting climate change.

Running parallel to the S&ED, was the High-level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange. John Kerry greeted the sports teams of Chinese universities, accompanied by Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong.

Kerry said people-to-people exchanges should go without governmental intervention, and raised concerns over China’s new law on non-governmental organizations, which strengthened government supervision. Liu rejected the remarks, saying the law is only aimed at improving the playing field for civil society, and that the NGOs which follow the law can continue to operate freely in China.

Both China and U.S. stated that keeping close communication is vital in avoiding serious miscalculation and building trust in the world’s most consequential bilateral relations.


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