China's US envoy: Efforts needed to repair relations at lowest point in nearly 50 years
File photo of Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai.
Beijing does not want to see a Cold War break out between China and the US and both countries need to work to repair relations that are under "unprecedented" strain, said Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai on Tuesday.
The ambassador made the remarks in response to reporters' questions at the Aspen Security Conference.
Cui said relations between the US and China were at the lowest point in nearly 50 years, since President Richard Nixon opened a dialogue with Beijing in 1971.
"We are at a very critical moment in our relations," the ambassador said. "I don't think a new Cold War would serve anybody's interest."
"Why should we allow history to repeat, when we are faced with so many new challenges?" he said, while rejecting US allegations of Chinese spying from its Houston consulate general that was shut down last month by Washington.
Asked about TikTok, the Chinese-owned short-video app that President Donald Trump threatened to ban as of September 15 barring a sale to another company outside of China, Cui said there was no evidence that the company was sharing information with the Chinese government.
"I don't think there's any evidence that any company is giving such information to the Chinese government. People make these accusations but never show us any evidence," he said.
"The Trump administration's threats to ban TikTok in the US contradicted Washington's publicly stated commitment to open markets," Cui criticized.
"To accuse China of not giving American companies a level playing field, while at the same, they themselves are denying a Chinese company such a level playing field – this is extremely unfair," he added.
Despite current tensions, Cui said, there was room for cooperation on a range of issues, including on trade, the coronavirus pandemic, climate change and nuclear proliferation.
"Both sides, both of us have to work harder to overcome the current difficulties, to try to dispel suspicion, doubts or even fear," he said. "We have to build a constructive and mutually beneficial relationship for the future."
