Wang Yi: The Economic and Trade Negotiations Between China and the United States (US) Are not a One-way Street and Should Be Based on Equality

　　王毅：中美经贸谈判不是单行道，应当建立在平等基础之上

　　On May 13, 2019 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia jointly met the press in Sochi. A journalist asked how did Wang Yi envision the prospects of the economic and trade consultations between China and the United States (US).

　　当地时间5月13日，国务委员兼外长王毅在索契同俄罗斯外长拉夫罗夫共同会见记者。有记者问王毅如何展望中美经贸磋商前景。

　　Wang Yi said that with the joint efforts of both sides, the China-US economic and trade negotiations have made important and substantial progress, and at the same time faced difficulties that need to be taken seriously and solved. Under such circumstances, it is meaningless for one side to accuse of another, and it is even more unacceptable to shirk responsibility onto the other side. The attempt to exert extreme pressure will only lead to a justified counterattack. The Chinese side's measures are not only to safeguard its own due rights and interests, but also to maintain the basic rules of the multilateral trading mechanism.

　　王毅表示，经过双方共同努力，中美经贸谈判已取得重要和实质进展，同时也面临需要认真对待和解决的难题。在此情况下，单方面指责另一方毫无意义，把责任推诿给另一方更不可取，而试图极限施压，只会引发正当的反击。中方的举措不仅是在维护自身应有权益，也是在维护多边贸易机制的基本规则。

　　Wang Yi said that China and the US are the world's second biggest and the largest economies respectively. The direction of China-US economic and trade relations not only concerns the development of the two countries themselves, but also bears on the prospects of the world economy. We believe that as long as the negotiations are in line with the general direction of China's reform and opening up, the fundamental needs for China's commitment to pursuing high-quality development, and the common and long-term interests of the Chinese and American peoples, the negotiating teams of both sides have the ability and wisdom to well respond to their respective reasonable needs and finally reach a mutually beneficial and win-win agreement.

　　王毅说，中美分别是世界第二和第一大经济体，中美经贸关系的走向不仅关系两国自身的发展，也关乎世界经济的前景。我们相信，只要这一谈判符合中国改革开放的大方向，符合中国致力于高质量发展的根本需求，符合中美两国人民的共同和长远利益，双方的谈判团队就有能力、也有智慧解决好各自合理需求，最终达成一份互利双赢的协议。

　　Wang Yi emphasized that negotiations are not a one-way street, and should be based on equality. No one should expect one side to only accept the request of the other side. When negotiating with any country, China must continue to safeguard its national sovereignty, the interests of its people and the dignity of the Chinese nation. We adhered to these principles and bottom lines in the past, and we stick to them now and will continue to do so in the future.

　　王毅强调，谈判不是单行道，应当建立在平等的基础之上。不能指望一方只能接受另一方的要求。中国在与任何国家谈判时都必须坚持维护国家的主权、维护人民的利益、维护民族的尊严。这些原则和底线过去我们坚持，现在乃至今后我们仍然要坚持。

　　重点词汇

　　Economic经济的; 经济上的; 经济学的; 有利可图的; 可赚钱的; 合算的

　　Between在…中间，介于…之间; 在…之间，在…中间; 介于…之间

　　not(构成动词be、do和have及情态动词can或must等的否定形式，常缩略为n't)不，没有; 不; (用于hope、expect、believe等动词后，作为否定的回答)不

　　Should应该，应当; 该，可以; 应该会，可能

　　Be Based on以…为基础

　　Equality平等; 均等; 相等