BEIJING, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday met with a U.S. congressional delegation led by Representative Adam Smith in Beijing. The two sides held a candid, in-depth exchange of views on strengthening communication and promoting the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations.

Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that this visit marks the first delegation of U.S. House of Representatives to China since 2019.

He said the delegation brings the voices of both U.S. political parties and the American people's expectations for China-U.S. relations and it should be considered an ice-breaking journey.

Wang expressed the hope that the visit will help the U.S. understand China accurately, view China objectively, approach differences rationally, engage in friendly interactions, and explore cooperation actively.

This would contribute to the real realization of stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations, and ultimately allow the two major countries to find the right way to coexist on this planet, benefiting both countries and the world, Wang said.

He emphasized that the head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable leading role in China-U.S. relations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump have maintained contact and held phone talks three times, setting the tone and direction for the improvement and development of China-U.S. relations, Wang said, noting that the current stabilizing trend in bilateral relations is hard-won and should be cherished.

He said that the U.S. congressional delegation's visit to China has been full of twists and turns, but good things take time, and it has opened another window for engagement between the two countries.

Wang stressed that understanding is the foundation on which trust can be built, the starting point from which cooperation can be explored, and the driving force that can shape the future.

He noted that China's door is always open, and more members of the U.S. Congress are welcomed to visit China and undertake exchanges.

He highlighted that China and the United States are partners, rather than rivals -- and certainly not enemies. He called on the two countries to strengthen communication and dialogue, avoid misunderstandings and misjudgments, prevent confrontations and opposition, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, and jointly shoulder the responsibilities of major powers.

Wang also stressed that the Taiwan question is China's internal affairs. The fact that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China since ancient times is the real status quo in the Taiwan Strait, he said.

Wang said that the United States has made political commitments regarding the one-China principle. To maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, it is essential to firmly oppose "Taiwan independence." Enditem