New Foreign Minister Penny Wong makes pitch to Pacific nations: 'We are listening and we have heard you"

He laid out the contours of a strategy to invest in US competitiveness and align with allies and partners to compete with China, calling that competition "Ours to lose." He said the Biden administration stood ready to increase direct communication with Beijing across a full range of issues, and would "Respond positively" if Chinese officials take action to address concerns. "But we cannot rely on Beijing to change its trajectory. So we will shape the strategic environment around Beijing to advance our vision for an open and inclusive international system," he said. In response, China's Washington embassy said the United States and China shared "Extensive common interests and profound cooperation potential" and "Competition... should not be used to define the overall picture of the China-US relations." "China and the US both stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation," embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. He noted a virtual summit between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping last November and said the relationship was "At a critical crossroads." "We hope the US side will work with China to earnestly implement the common understanding reached by the two leaders to enhance communication, manage differences and focus on cooperation," he said.