BEIJING:

China’s top diplomat urged the United States Sunday to iron out its differences with Beijing, as the world’s two largest economies lock horns over trade tariffs and geopolitical issues.

Ties between China and the United States have been strained since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year, followed by a trade war that saw the two countries impose tariffs on each other’s products.

While the US-China trade war has uprooted the global economy, Beijing has sought to profit off Trump’s mercurial policies by positioning itself as a reliable alternative partner.

“We observe a certain country erecting tariff barriers and pursuing decoupling and supply chain disruption,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told a press conference on Sunday.

“These actions are akin to trying to extinguish a fire with fuel. Ultimately, they will backfire.”

He was speaking during China’s annual political gathering, which began this week, known as the “Two Sessions”.

The parallel meetings of China’s parliament and political consultative body are closely watched for clues as to the priorities of China’s leaders in the face of a precarious geopolitical landscape.

Wang addressed a range of issues, including the US-China relationship, tensions in the South China Sea, as well as wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.

“This year is indeed a big year for Sino-US relations,” Wang told reporters.

While China and the United States “cannot change each other”, he said, adding “we can change the way we interact with each other”.

Wang urged both sides to “manage existing differences and eliminate unnecessary interference”. But a wide range of disagreements remain.

Beijing has blasted US and Israeli military strikes on Iran, which sparked the war in the Middle East.

China has diplomatic and trade ties with Tehran, and has condemned the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Wang said on Sunday the war “should never have happened”.

“A strong fist does not mean strong reason. The world cannot return to the law of the jungle,” he told reporters.

At the same time, he maintained that China’s relations with Moscow, which have been criticised by Western countries for sustaining the war in Ukraine, remained “steadfast and unshakeable”.

Beijing has sought to position itself as a neutral player in the Ukraine war, but Western leaders say China is supporting Moscow through imports and by helping the Kremlin to avoid sanctions.

Leaders from France, Canada, Finland and the United Kingdom, among others, have flocked to Beijing, recoiling from Trump’s bid to seize Greenland and tariff threats against fellow NATO members.