Stability is result of 40-year close ties

China and the United States should promote a relationship featuring coordination, cooperation and stability, Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe said yesterday.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the United States, and the bilateral relationship has grown steadily in the past 40 years, despite all the ups and downs, said Wei in a speech at the 18th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

“The most valuable lesson we have learned from the four-decade-long relationship is that cooperation benefits the two sides while confrontation hurts both,” he said.

The Chinese minister said the militaries of the two countries have agreed on many important issues through maintaining regular communication on a strategic level.

Wei said that he had a candid and practical discussion with US Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan on Friday, and they reaffirmed the importance of maintaining communication, and developing a constructive military-to-military relationship.

In terms of managing risks and preventing conflicts, Wei said China and the United States recognize that military conflicts or even a war between them would bring disasters to both countries and the world.

“It takes two to cooperate, but only one to start a fight,” he said.

Wei leads the Chinese delegation at the Dialogue, to discuss the security situation and challenges in the Asia-Pacific.