U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday hailed "meaningful steps" taken this year by the United States and China in expanding their positive and productive cooperation.
In a message to congratulate the Chinese people on the 64th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Kerry said, on behalf of President Barack Obama and the U.S. people, he was pleased "to extend our best wishes and congratulations to the people of China as you celebrate your National Day on October 1."
Kerry said the relationship between the two countries "has grown by historic measures since President (Richard) Nixon's visit to China forty-one years ago."
"We have worked together to forge a mature relationship, one that recognizes that economic prosperity is not a zero sum game, that a prosperous China is good for the United States, and a prosperous United States is good for China," the top U.S. diplomat said.
The two sides have taken "meaningful steps" this year to expand the positive and comprehensive cooperation, Kerry said, citing " candid and productive discussions" at the two summits held by Chinese President Xi Jinping with Obama in California and on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Russia, and at the fifth Strategic and Economic Dialogue held in Washington.
He said the U.S.-China cooperation includes the cooperation on climate change and sustainable energy, as well as "the strong bonds between our students and scholars, our scientists, and our business communities."
The U.S.-China relations have steadily improved this year, especially since the June summit held between Xi and Obama at the Sunnylands Estate in California, during which they reached a historic consensus on building a new model of major-country relations based on no conflict or confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
Xi and Obama reaffirmed their commitments to building a new type of relations at their second meeting early this month on the sidelines of the G20 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia.
In July, the two countries held the fifth Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Washington, which yielded tangible results in strengthening bilateral cooperation in various fields as part of their joint efforts to implement the Xi-Obama consensus.
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