WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- There are some clear attempts in the United States to cross a "red line" in China-U.S. relations with very serious consequences, but China's policy toward the United States has "clear continuity and consistency," Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai has said.

China's foreign policy is "very much based on our perception of our national interests, how to advance and promote our national interests in today's world and how to manage our relations with other countries for the national interests or what is needed by our people," Cui said on Aug. 28 in an interview with former U.S. Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson.

"There is a clear continuity and consistency in China's policy toward the United States ... It has been clear from the very beginning that we want to have a constructive and cooperative rather than confrontational relationship with the United States," he said during the "Straight Talk with Hank Paulson" podcast aired on Monday.

"We want to base ourselves on mutual respect, mutual understanding, and hopefully mutual accommodation with the aim of mutual benefit. That has been the essence of our policy all along, ever since President Nixon and Dr. Kissinger visited China. I don't think there is a fundamental change with regard to this basic approach," he said.

"As I said, we do have a very complex relationship. Sometimes we have disputes over these issues. Fortunately, so far we have managed them quite well," Cui said.

"But now the current situation is making us very concerned and even alarmed. There are some clear attempts in this country to cross what people call the red line with very serious consequences. So I hope people can really draw experience and good lessons from the past few decades," he said.

The Chinese ambassador's talk with Paulson covered topics including current China-U.S. relations, bilateral economic and trade cooperation, global governance, and China's economy.