China, US must choose between ‘cooperation or conflict’, top diplomat tells Blinken

China and the United States must choose between “cooperation or conflict”, Beijing’s top diplomat told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday, state media reported.

“It is necessary to make a choice between dialogue and confrontation, cooperation or conflict,” Wang Yi told Blinken during a meeting in Beijing, according to a readout from Chinese state media.

Blinken spoke to Wang — whose position in the Communist Party ranks above the foreign minister — for three hours, according to the State Department.

Tensions have soared between the world’s two largest economies in recent years on issues ranging from trade to technology to Taiwan.

China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported Wang told Blinken that Beijing had “no room to compromise” on Taiwan.

“On this issue, China has no room to compromise or concede,” CCTV said.

“The United States must truly adhere to the One China principle confirmed in the three joint US-China communiques, respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and clearly oppose ‘Taiwan independence’.”(BSS/AFP)