FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks With Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi Before Their Meeting
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Taj Hotel
Boston, Massachusetts
October 18, 2014
SECRETARY KERRY: Good morning, everybody. I just want to say a couple things. First, my great pleasure to welcome the State Councilor of China Yang Jiechi to Boston. We have a great deal that we will be talking about and already began last night with a very informal and pleasant dinner. But there are many issues that China and the United States are cooperating on, even as we have some differences that we try to manage effectively. But right now, particularly on Ebola, on Afghanistan, on the Democratic Republic of North – of Korea, the North Korea nuclear situation, on Iran particularly, and on ISIL and counterterrorism, and on climate change. There are many areas where we are working hard.
So we look forward to some good discussions today. And on another note, I might just report we had a very positive step forward in Iraq today with the selection of a minister of the interior and a minister of defense. These were critical positions to be filled in order to assist with the organizing effort with respect to ISIL. So we’re very pleased. We congratulate Prime Minister Abadi and we look forward to working with them as we continue to grow the coalition and move forward.
So thank you for being here, State Councilor.
STATE COUNCILOR YANG: Well, friends from (inaudible), it’s a great pleasure to see you here today. (Inaudible) invitation of Secretary John Kerry, I have the great pleasure to visit this beautiful city of Boston. And the purpose of my visit to Boston and then to Washington is really to pave the ground for President Obama’s visit to China in November and also for participation of the President in the APEC informal leadership meeting to be hosted by China.
I think the Sunnylands meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Obama was very successful. Two countries have decided to work to build this new model of major country relationship between China and the United States. Since then, much progress has been made in our relationship. Lately, the Secretary himself went to China to participate in the S&ED discussion with the Chinese side. We believe that we should continue to work together to deepen our mutual trust and to put our efforts to the major areas of cooperation while on the basis of mutual respect we can properly handle any kind of difference between us.
I think the Asia Pacific region is a very important region. We need to work together to build up even more cooperation between China and the United States in the area because this is the area which has experienced robust economic development, and I’m sure that the APEC meeting will go further to bring about more connectivity, innovative development, and to shape a greater future for the region.
There are also quite a few issues in the world, as the Secretary State has mentioned. I believe that in terms of climate change, Ebola, and we have to address the (inaudible) issues and so on, so forth, China and the United States have a lot to discuss today and beyond.
I would like to thank the Secretary for his warm hospitality. I’m sure that our discussion will be both constructive and productive. I’m sure that China-U.S. relationship will be on the way up.
Thank you very much.
