Chinese President Xi Jinping called Wednesday for stronger Sino-U.S. cooperation in addressing climate change and promoting green development in his talks with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said, amid expectations of a bilateral summit next month.
Xi said China and the United States have "great potential for cooperation" in these areas and expressed hope that the governor's China visit will play a positive role in promoting the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations, the ministry said.
China's policy toward the United States is consistent, which is "mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation," Xi added, according to the ministry.
His remarks came as the world's two largest economies explore holding a summit in mid-November on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum to be held in San Francisco, despite persistent tensions in bilateral relations over economic and diplomatic issues almost across the board.
Newsom extended a "warm welcome" for the APEC summit to be hosted by the Californian city during his talks with Xi, according to his office, but did not clarify at a press conference whether the Chinese leader has signaled his intention to attend the gathering.
The governor told reporters he had an opportunity to "focus more deeply and substantively on the issue of climate change and low-carbon green growth" during his talks with Xi and emphasized the importance of subnational engagement.
Newsom also met with China's top diplomat Wang Yi, who will make a three-day visit to the United States from Thursday.
Earlier in the day, Xi said in a message to a U.S. nonprofit organization and advisory body that Beijing is willing to work with Washington to manage differences and jointly tackle global challenges, the ministry said.
Xi said China-U.S. relations are "crucial to world peace" and "the destiny of mankind" in a congratulatory message sent to an annual gala dinner of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.
About 400 people including Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng and Henry Kissinger, former U.S. secretary of state and national security adviser, attended the event, according to the Chinese Embassy in Washington.
During his U.S. trip, Wang is expected to lay the groundwork for the envisaged summit between Xi and U.S. President Joe Biden through meetings with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other senior U.S. officials.
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