At the regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on November 7, a reporter asked that the United States held a midterm election, the Republican Party continued to control the Senate, and the Democrats gained control of the House of Representatives. What is China’s comment on this? What impact do you think the election results will have on Sino-US relations?
Hua Chunying: We have noticed the midterm elections just held in the United States. This is the United States' internal affairs, I will not comment.
China and the United States have a consensus on the importance and necessity of maintaining the healthy and stable development of China-US relations, and people of insight from all walks of life in the United States also have a consensus on this. Maintaining the healthy and stable development of China-US relations is not only in line with the fundamental interests of the two countries and their peoples, but also conducive to peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and even the world. China is willing to work with the United States to properly manage differences on the basis of mutual respect, expand pragmatic cooperation on the basis of mutual benefit, and promote the continuous development of China-US relations in the right direction.
Another reporter asked: Does China think this is an opportunity to re-examine or resolve China-US economic and trade issues?
Hua Chunying: I have said just now that the midterm election is the internal affairs of the United States. No matter what the election result is, China's understanding of the importance of China-US relations will not change. Given the importance of Sino-US relations, the governments and peoples of the two countries, including leaders of both sides, hope to maintain the healthy and stable development of Sino-US relations. This is in line with the common interests of the two countries and the world and is also the common aspiration of knowledgeable people from both countries. We hope that the US and China will move towards each other, respect each other, properly manage differences, and continuously expand and deepen pragmatic cooperation between the two sides in the spirit of equality and mutual benefit.
Recently, when President Xi Jinping spoke with President Trump on the phone at the invitation, the two heads of state agreed that both sides should strive to maintain the healthy and stable development of Sino-US relations, continuously expand Sino-US economic and trade cooperation, and instructed the economic teams of both sides to maintain communication and consultation, and turn this desire into reality. We hope that the economic teams of both sides will strengthen contact and communication, conduct consultations on issues of concern to both sides, and promote a plan that both sides can accept.
