BEIJING, July 28. /TASS/. US authorities are making a serious mistake by trying to portray China as a rival and see it as ‘the most serious challenge’, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday during a phone call with US President Joe Biden.

"Seeing China as the main rival, positioning it as the most serious challenge is the wrong view on Sino-US relations and China's development," Xinhua News Agency quoted Xi Jinping as saying. "This may mislead the people of the two countries and the global community," the Chinese leader said.

Given the difficult situation in the world, Beijing and Washington should maintain contacts at all levels and effectively use the existing channels for productive interaction, he stressed. "The world is facing shocks and major changes. With this in view, the world community and the people of all countries expect that China and the United States will play a leading role in maintaining peace and security," the Chinese president added.

"China and the United States should facilitate the settlement of key regional issues and help to reduce tensions," Xi Jinping said. The world has not yet recovered from the pandemic, and coordinated efforts are still needed to fight the coronavirus, he pointed out.

The Chinese leader noted that at this stage, it is crucial to bring the world economy out of recession. "We need to protect the international system, ensure the UN's leading role and preserve the world order based on international law," Xi Jinping summed up.