China urges U.S. to reopen dialogue after Trump

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged US President Joe Biden to undo restrictive moves against China by the Trump administration, including lifting trade tariffs, in order to repair bilateral ties that were damaged in that process.

Jayson Albano reports.

China says it wants to hit the reset button on its relationship with the U.S. Ties between the two sank to their lowest in decades under former U.S. president, Donald Trump.

Now with Joe Biden in the top job, on Monday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing stood ready to reopen constructive dialogue with Washington.

"It is natural that both sides have differences and conflicts.

What is key is utilising dialogue to get to know more about each other, and not be defined by differences between both countries." But he also laid out the 'necessary conditions' for that to happen.

"We hope the U.S. will adjust policies as soon as possible, to remove unreasonable tariffs on Chinese products, to remove unilateral sanctions on Chinese companies and research and scientific institutions, to remove irrational suppression on China's tech sector's rise." Wang floated the possibility of the two countries working together, on issues like the ongoing pandemic and climate change.

But while Biden has said he would like to work with Beijing on those issues, the new White House has also signalled it will keep up pressure on Beijing.

Washington and Beijing have repeatedly clashed on issues of trade, human rights and geopolitical disputes in the South China Sea.

Biden has voiced concern about 'coercive and unfair' trade practices on China's part.

He has also endorsed a Trump-era determination of genocide against Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang.

Wang once again urged the U.S. to respect its core interests, and not to interfere with what it calls its 'internal affairs'.