* Jab comes as China, U.S. look to resume trade talks
* Year-long trade war after U.S. accused China of unfair
practices
* Official close to President Xi Jinping rarely speaks in
public
* Warns against protectionism in the name of national
security
(Adds Vice Foreign Minister's comments; paragraphs 10-13)
By Ben Blanchard
BEIJING, July 8 (Reuters) - China and the rest of the world
must co-exist, Vice President Wang Qishan said on Monday, in an
indirect jab at the United States, with which Beijing is trying
to resolve a bitter trade war.
Top representatives of the world's two biggest economies are
trying to resume talks this week to try and resolve their
year-long trade dispute, which has seen the two countries place
increasingly harsh tariffs on each other's imports. The Trump administration has accused China of engaging in
unfair trade practices that discriminate against U.S. firms,
forced technology transfers and intellectual property rights
theft. Beijing has denied all the charges.
"China's development can't shut out the rest of the world.
The world's development can't shut out China," Wang told the
World Peace Forum at Beijing's elite Tsinghua University.
He also warned against "protectionism in the name of
national security", but without mentioning the United States,
and urged major powers to make greater contributions to world
peace.
China has also been angered by U.S. sanctions against tech
giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd HWT.UL over national security
concerns, and U.S. visa curbs on its students and academics.
In his speech, Wang, who is extremely close to Chinese
President Xi Jinping and rarely speaks in public, reiterated
China's commitment to opening up.
"Large countries must assume their responsibilities and set
an example, make more contributions to global peace and
stability, and broaden the path of joint development," he added.
"Development is the key to resolving all issues," Wang, who
became vice president last year, after having led Xi's fight to
root out corruption, told an audience that included Western
diplomats based in Beijing and former European Council President
Herman Van Rompuy.
"NOT A RATIONAL ACTION"
The United States should not blame China for the problems it
is facing, Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng told the forum
later.
"Viewing China as the enemy is not a rational action," the
foreign ministry quoted him as saying, adding that China would
not put up "high walls" or "decouple itself from any country".
China has been nervous that the United States is seeking to
sever, or at least severely curb, economic links, in what has
been called a "decoupling".
Tariff, trade, finance and science and technology wars are
"turning back the clock on history," Le said. "The consequences
will be extremely dangerous."
The two sides have communicated by telephone since last
month's summit of leaders of Group of 20 major nations in Japan,
at which U.S. President Donald Trump and Xi agreed to relaunch
stalled talks.
Talks broke down in May, after U.S. officials accused China
of pulling back from commitments previously made in the text of
an agreement negotiators said was nearly finished.
The countries have also been at loggerheads over issues
ranging from human rights to the disputed South China Sea and
U.S. support of self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its
own.
No matter how the international situation or China
developed, Vice President Wang said, the country would follow
the path of peace, and not seek spheres of influence or
expansion.
"If there is no peaceful, stable international environment,
there will be no development to talk of."