What else would China say?
To do otherwise might appear (to them) to be losing "face" which is something that their culture would not allow... China appears to be making a
demand when it fact if might actually be reaching out...
BEIJING – China said Sunday that it is up to the United States to improve relations that soured over U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and a meeting between President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama. Beijing was incensed by Washington's January announcement of a $6.4 billion weapons package for Taiwan, the self-governing island it considers Chinese territory. Beijing suspended military exchanges and has threatened to retaliate against U.S. aerospace firms involved in the deal.