Han and Vance strike positive tone for US-China ties ahead of Trump inauguration
The Chinese vice-president, who is in Washington to witness the ceremony, has also had meetings with Elon Musk and other business leaders
Han said Beijing was ready to work with Washington to “implement the important consensus reached between President Xi Jinping and president-elect Trump”, said China’s official news agency Xinhua.
According to the statement, Han – who is in Washington to attend the inauguration as Xi’s special representative – said this would include “promoting the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-US relations”.
Separately, the Chinese foreign ministry on Monday said both countries “stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. This is based on our history”.
“We are willing to … properly manage our differences, expand practical cooperation and find a new way to get along in the new era,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
Han’s meetings came two days after Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s phone conversation on Friday, when they “discussed balancing trade, fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects”, the incoming US president said on his social media account.
According to the Chinese readout of the call, Xi said that he and Trump “attach great importance to mutual interactions” and “hope for a good start of the China-US relationship” during Trump’s second term.
