Biden: US, China must commit to working together

Vice President Biden said Tuesday it is critical for the U.S. and China to work together despite deep disagreements over a number of issues.

“We are not going to solve all these problems in this meeting or in multiple meetings. But we have to be committed to working toward solutions,” Biden said at the start of the annual U.S.-China Security and Economic Dialogue. 

“This relationship is just too important,” he added. “The world depends on our mutual success.”

{mosads}Top Cabinet officials are meeting for the three-day summit at an increasingly tense time for the relationship between the two global economic powers. 

Federal officials have privately accused China of hacking the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), giving Beijing access to the personal information of up to 18 million people.

The U.S. and its allies are also concerned that China’s island-building in the South China Sea could spark regional instability. And the U.S. is pursuing a trade deal with 11 other nations along the Pacific Rim it has billed as a way to counter the China’s rise. 

Secretary of State John Kerry pledged “a very frank discussion” about cybersecurity, Internet freedom, human rights and religious liberty with Chinese officials. 

China has chided the U.S. for blaming Beijing for coordinating the OPM hack. 

Both Chinese and U.S. officials expressed a desire to avoid escalating tensions. Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang said holding talks “always will be more preferable than confrontation.”

“On some issues, perhaps, consensus still eludes us,” he said through a translator. “However, talking to each other could help pave the way to finding a solution or at least help keep our differences under control.”

Biden praised China for its role in negotiating a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program, working toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and enacting domestic economic reforms. 

“We do not fear China’s rise,” Biden said. “We want to see China rise in a responsibly way.”