Chinese FM dismisses "squeezing the U.S. outside Asia"

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi dismissed the notion that China' s proposals including the Asia Security concept and the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) are geared to squeeze the United States outside Asia.

"We always believe that Asia should be an open and inclusive Asia," Wang said. "The U.S. is an important country in the Asia-Pacific region, and we welcome the positive and constructive role of the U.S. in Asia- Pacific affairs."

Wang made the remarks when answering a journalist' s question in regard of the view that the recent Chinese proposals including the AIIB are geared to challenge the position and role of the U.S. in the Asia-Pacific region and squeeze the United States outside Asia, following his talks with visiting U.S. Secretary John Kerry.

China' s proposal of setting up the AIIB, which focuses on filling the gap in infrastructure investment in Asia, received widespread support. A total of 57 countries have submitted applications to be the founding members of AIIB.

"Among them 23 are from regions outside of Asia." Wang said. This demonstrates China' s efforts in putting its belief that Asia should be an open and inclusive Asia into practical actions.

In response to China' s proposal of AIIB, Kerry said the U.S. welcomes the AIIB and encourages the AIIB to allocate a significant percentage of its resources to clean and renewable energy and sustainable environmental projects, which he discussed during the talks with Wang.

Recent time has seen increasing interactions and cooperation between China and the U.S., with frequent high-level visits by officials from the two countries.

Kerry said there are three key meetings that China and the U.S. are working together for preparations, namely the 7th round of China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue in June, the summit between Chinese president Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama in September, and the Paris Conference on climate change in December.

Despite some differences between U.S. and China, both Wang and Kerry believe that they can seek common ground and narrow their differences through talks.

"It is OK to have differences, as long as we can avoid misunderstanding and more importantly miscalculations." Wang said.