BEIJING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, held a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday at the latter's request, saying that proper handling of China-U.S. relations is crucial amid the global battle against COVID-19.
Yang, also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, said since Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, spoke over phone on March 27, the two sides have maintained close communication on anti-epidemic efforts in line with the important consensus reached by the two heads of state.
Going forward, he said, China stands ready to continue sharing information and experience on epidemic prevention and control with the United States, carry out anti-epidemic cooperation, and implement the consensus reached by leaders of the Group of 20 major economies at their extraordinary summit to keep the global supply chains stable and promote global economic and financial stability.
Against the backdrop of the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to properly handle China-U.S. relations and maintain a healthy and steady development of bilateral ties, Yang said.
Expressing his hope that the U.S. side will meet the Chinese side halfway, Yang urged both sides to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, focus on cooperation, remove interference, and push forward bilateral ties on the right track, adding that it serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples and meets the shared aspirations of the international community.
For his part, Pompeo said that the COVID-19 outbreak is a common challenge for the international community, adding that the U.S. side is ready to work with China to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen bilateral cooperation in battling the outbreak, and continue communication and coordination on the development of U.S.-China relations.