On Aug. 23, 2013, State Councilor Yang Jiechi met with the visiting US Senators John McCain and Sheldon Whitehouse at Zhongnanhai.

Yang Jiechi expressed that since the successful meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Barack Obama at the Annenberg Estate, China and the United States have made positive progress in the exchanges and cooperation in various fields and bilateral relationship has maintained a sound growth momentum in general. The development of China-US relationship is in the fundamental interest of both peoples and conforms to the expectancy of the people all over the world. Both sides should continue to joint efforts to implement the series of important consensus reached between the heads of state, to unswervingly push forward the new model of major-country relationship of mutual respect and win-win cooperation between China and the U.S..

Yang Jiechi reaffirmed the principle position of the Chinese government on Diaoyu Islands issue. He stressed that China has indisputable sovereignty over the Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands. The US side should have a correct understanding on the right and wrong of Diaoyu Islands issue and be cautious with its words and deeds.

McCain said that the US and China are equal partners. He supports that the two sides strengthen exchanges and cooperation and promotie bilateral relations as well as bilateral cooperation in international and regional affairs. It is in the interest of the people of the two countries and of the world. McCain said that the United States does not take a position on the issue concerning the sovereignty of the Diaoyu Islands.