The United States should stop trying to contain and suppress China and avoid creating obstacles to the relationship, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his U.S. counterpart on Monday.
Wang also said in a Monday phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that export controls that Washington imposed on China severely damaged its legitimate rights and must be rectified, according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry.
On the call, Blinken also discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine and the threats it poses to global security and economic stability, the U.S. Department of State said in a separate statement.
The United States has repeatedly stressed the need to maintain and keep open lines of communication between the two countries, but also recently highlighted the implications if Beijing were to support Russia’s Ukraine invasion.
Russia’s strategic partner China has been firmly on the fence on the Ukraine war, criticising Western sanctions against Russia but stopping short of endorsing or assisting in the military campaign.
Blinken also discussed with his Chinese counterpart the need to responsibly manage U.S.-China relations, according to the statement.
Last week, President Joe Biden said the United States did not seek conflict with China and President Xi Jinping said China was willing to work with the United States to find ways to get along to the benefit of both.
The remarks come ahead of the G20 Summit in Bali next month in which both leaders could potentially meet on the sidelines.