BEIJING, May 8 (Reuters) – China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang said on Monday it is imperative to stabilise Sino-U.S. relations after a series of “erroneous words and deeds” threw ties back into a deep freeze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qin, in a meeting in Beijing with U.S. ambassador Nicholas Burns, stressed in particular that the United States must correct its handling of the Taiwan issue and stop the hollowing out of the “one China” principle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The relationship between the world’s two biggest economies sank to a low last year when then speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi paid an official visit to democratically governed Taiwan, angering China, which claims the island as its territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response, Beijing severed formal communications channels with the United States including one between their militaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The top priority is to stabilise Sino-U.S. relations, avoid a downward spiral and prevent any accidents between China and the United States,” Qin told Burns, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The tension between the two superpowers had eased last November when U.S. and Chinese leaders Joe Biden and Xi Jinping met at a\u00a0G20 summit<\/a>\u00a0in Indonesia and pledged more frequent dialogue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But tensions flared again in February when a Chinese high-altitude balloon appeared in U.S. airspace and in response U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelled a visit to Beijing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “A series of erroneous words and deeds by the United States since then have undermined the hard-won positive momentum of Sino-U.S. relations,” Qin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The agenda of dialogue and cooperation agreed by the two sides has been disrupted, and the relationship between the two countries has once again encountered cold ice.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Burns, in a post on Twitter about his talks with Qin, also spoke of the need to bring stability to the relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n‘CHALLENGES’<\/h2>\n\n\n\n