On the morning of Dec. 5, 2013, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council met with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden at Ziguangge, Zhongnanhai.
Li Keqiang said that China-U.S. bilateral relations have witnessed substantive progress over the past 35 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations. President Xi Jinping had broad yet in-depth talks with you not long ago. The nature of building a new model of major-country relations between China and U.S. is to properly handle the relations between the world's largest developed nation and the world's biggest developing nation. The Chinese and U.S. economies will be highly complementary for a very long period of time. There is far more cooperation than competition between the two countries. The two sides should respect each other, treat each other equally, keep expanding common interests and appropriately address their disputes to continuously advance the bilateral relationship.
Premier Li pointed out that there is no precedent in the history of mankind for a country like China with a population of 1.3 billion to achieve modernization. China would strengthen cooperation and achieve common development with other countries in the process of self-development. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has made important arrangements for further reform and opening up. China will continue to deepen reform and open wider, which will create new opportunities for economic cooperation between China and the United States
Li Keqiang said that China and U.S. should make a breakthrough regarding the bilateral investment treaty (BIT) and cooperate in wider areas and on higher levels to open a new chapter for bilateral economic cooperation. Premier Li also urged the U.S. side to take substantial measures to lift its restrictions on high-tech exports to China and consolidate cooperation with China on clean energy, including shale gas. The two countries should make joint efforts to forge an open, inclusive and robust framework of economic cooperation in Asia and the Pacific. The two countries should also work together to coordinate with each other on macro-economic policies to constantly advance bilateral cooperation and development.
Vice President Biden said that U.S.-China relations have a global bearing. The common interests have kept growing over the past 35 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and bilateral cooperation still enjoys bright prospects. The U.S. side is willing to boost economic and trade cooperation with China, expand cooperation on natural gas, shale gas and clean energy, and push ahead with BIT negotiations with China. The United States welcomes Chinese enterprises' investment and the U.S. government will provide more facilitation in terms of market access and other aspects.
Biden said that China's development is not only good to the world but also good to the stability of the region. The growth of the United States is closely linked to the future of China. The U.S. side is full of expectations for the new Chinese leadership and stands ready to work together with the Chinese side to tackle global challenges and further advance the development of the new model of major-country relations between the two countries.