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China, US free to have their own friends, partners — President Xi

Beijing sticks to the principle of non-alignment with any blocs, the Chinese leader said and called on Washington "to refrain from teaming up in small groups"

Chinese President Xi Jinping Sergey Savostyanov/POOL/TASS

Chinese President Xi Jinping

© Sergey Savostyanov/POOL/TASS

BEIJING, April 26. /TASS/. Beijing and Washington are free to choose their friends and partners, Chinese President Xi Jinping said at a meeting with visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

"Both sides may have their own friends and partners and should not confront each other or do harm to each other," he was quoted as saying by China’s Central Television.

China sticks to the principle of non-alignment with any blocs, he said and called on the United States "to refrain from teaming up in small groups."

"China is glad to see the self-confident and open United States and hopes that it will positively assess China’s development too," he stressed.

The AFP news agency reported earlier, citing a US Department of State official, that at a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concern over China’s alleged support for Russia’s defense sector.

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China United States Xi Jinping

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