(Global Times) In recent days, some US officials and media outlets have been spreading the narrative that "tensions between the US and China are rising again" because China was "slow-rolling the deal" with the US. The Wall Street Journal also claimed that "a trade truce between the US and China is at risk of falling apart." Such attempts to create public pressure on China through media manipulation are, in themselves, a violation of the Geneva consensus.

On Monday, China's Ministry of Commerce firmly rejected these groundless claims, and urged the US side to work with China, immediately correct its wrong actions, and jointly safeguard the consensus reached in Geneva.

The Joint Statement of the China-US Economic and Trade Talks in Geneva clearly stated that both sides would be moving forward in the spirit of mutual opening, continued communication, cooperation, and mutual respect. However, following the achievement of substantive outcomes in Geneva, the US side has repeatedly taken unilateral steps and introduced a series of discriminatory restrictions targeting China. These include issuing export control guidance for AI chips, curbing the sale of Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software to China, and announcing the revocation of Chinese students' visas, among others.

How do any of these actions reflect the spirit of "mutual opening, continued communication, cooperation, and mutual respect"? Isn't the so-called "slow progress" caused by the US itself? 

No matter how some in the US try to shift the blame onto China, the facts are indisputable: Since the release of the joint statement, China has taken a responsible attitude - seriously treating, strictly implementing, and actively uphold the consensus of the Geneva economic and trade meeting. This has included, in line with the joint statement, canceling or suspending certain tariff and non-tariff measures imposed in response to the US' "reciprocal tariffs." This also includes the fact that despite the US' constant provocative moves, China has always put the overall situation first and has not escalated economic and trade frictions between the two countries. This is not because we are afraid of the US, but because of our good faith in keeping the consultations moving forward and contributing to the stability of the global trading system.

The Geneva Joint Statement represents a key consensus reached by both sides on the basis of mutual respect and equal consultation. Whether China-US "tensions" continue to escalate ultimately depends on whether the US is willing to move in the same direction as China and promptly correct its wrongful actions. China's words and deeds in implementing the consensus are sincere, but its attitude in safeguarding its own legitimate rights and interests is also firm. The US must recognize that pressure and threats are not the right way to engage with China. It already ran into a wall with its tariff blackmail in the past - and if it continues to harm China's interests with the same misguided approach, it will inevitably run into the wall once again. China has sufficient capability and confidence to respond to various uncertainties.

It is also necessary to set the record straight on claims regarding export controls. Some in the US have been relentlessly pushing the narrative that China is "choking off" the global supply chain with its control over critical minerals. However, this just once again exposed the US' shameless double standards and its hypocritical and ugly hegemonic logic. As we all know, it is the US that has overstretched the concept of national security, abused export controls, and blatantly imposed illegal unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction" on specific countries and companies in recent years.

In response to the smear campaign by some people in the US against China's rare earth export controls, the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made it clear that China's export control measures are consistent with universal practices and such measures are non-discriminatory and not targeted at any particular country. If the US insists on making itself the target, it only shows that politicizing and weaponizing economic and technological issues has not only gotten to the heads of some US individuals but also has become an obsession.

The reason China and the US were able to reach important outcomes in Geneva is because both sides recognized a shared understanding: A stable, sustainable, and mutually beneficial bilateral economic and trade relationship is vital - not only for the two countries themselves, but for the global economy as a whole. These consensuses were clearly articulated in the Joint Statement on China-US Economic and Trade Meeting in Geneva and publicly announced to the international community. Senior US officials have also acknowledged that "the consensus from both delegations is that neither side wanted a decoupling." That understanding is the foundation for further dialogue between the two countries. 

If Washington's actions truly reflected the spirit of mutual openness, continuous communication, cooperation, and mutual respect, and if the China-US trade relationship was moving toward healthy, stable, and sustainable development, then wouldn't the advancement of bilateral trade negotiations follow naturally - just like water flowing where the channel has already been dug?

Following the Geneva economic and trade talks, orders from US buyers surged, and ships are in high demand in the China-US shipping market, clearly reflecting the huge two-way demand between the two countries. The widespread positive response to this round of talks shows that the international community generally hopes the world's two largest economies will maintain stable relations and continue contributing to global economic growth. Hopefully the US can abandon its zero-sum thinking and bullying tactics, and approach China-US relations with openness, inclusiveness, and cooperation. The consensus reached in the Geneva talks was hard-won; what the US should do now is fulfilling its commitments instead of saying one thing, and doing another.