"I’m greatly honored to be appointed by President Xi Jinping as the 12th Chinese Ambassador to the US," Xie wrote on Twitter on Tuesday after arriving in Washington. "As a representative of the Chinese people, I’ll safeguard China’s interests, my sacred duty. As their envoy, I’ll enhance China-US exchanges & cooperation, my important mission."
The Chinese envoy emphasized that US-Sino relations currently face serious difficulties and challenges.
Xie, citing Xi, further said that the most fundamental guidelines for the United States and China to improve relations is through mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.
Xie expressed hope that he will be able to explore ways to deepen exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.
China's new diplomatic representative to the United States will have to deal with relations that have hit a 50-year low due to tensions over Taiwan, trade disputes and an incident involving an alleged Chinese spy balloon downed by the United States in February after it crossed the US mainland.
The situation around Taiwan recently escalated again after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in early April, with Beijing launching massive three-day military exercises near the island in what it called a "warning" to Taiwanese separatists and foreign powers.