Chinese envoy urges proper management of differences in China-U.S. ties

A senior Chinese diplomat on Thursday called for candid dialogues to handle differences between his country and the United States so as to avoid disruptions in the overall relationship.

Both sides have to be "frank and direct in discussing differences and constructive and pragmatic in managing them," said Cui Tiankai, the Chinese ambassador to the United States.

"We have to be careful that we never lose sight of the big picture, and we do not give anyone the illusion that they could take advantage of and manipulate our differences," he said in a speech delivered at the United States Institute of Peace.

The common interests between China and the United States far outweigh their differences, he noted.

The ambassador said the new model of major-country relations proposed by the leaders of the two countries has provided guidance for the future development of China-U.S. relations.

Mutual respect is a key principle in building a major-country relationship, said Cui. Mutual respect for each others'' core interests and major concerns is "the very prerequisite for any meaningful cooperation," he said.

The goal for the new model of major-country relations is to achieve win-win cooperation, said Cui. It is not just a win-win for China and the United States, but also for the whole international community, he added.