China’s foreign minister has warned Washington of conflict and confrontation if it fails to change course in relations with Beijing, striking a combative tone amid conflicts over Taiwan, COVID-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
China’s foreign minister has warned Washington of conflict and confrontation if it fails to change course in relations with Beijing, striking a combative tone amid conflicts over Taiwan, COVID-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Qin Gang’s language appeared to defy hopes China’s might abandon confrontational wolf warrior rhetoric. It followed an accusation by Chinese leader Xi Jinping that Western governments led by the United States were trying to encircle and suppress China.
Washington’s China policy has entirely deviated from the rational and sound track, Qin said at a news conference Tuesday during annual meeting of China’s ceremonial legislature.
China’s relations with Washington and Japan, India and other Asian neighbours have soured as Xi’s government has pursued assertive policies abroad.
If the United States does not hit the brake, but continues to speed down the wrong path, no amount of guardrails can prevent derailing and there surely will be conflict and confrontation, Qin said in his first news conference since taking up his post last year. Such competition is a reckless gamble, with the stakes being the fundamental interests of the two peoples and even the future of humanity.
On Monday, Xi accused Washington of hurting China’s development.
Western countries led by the United States have implemented all-round containment, encirclement and suppression of China, which has brought unprecedented grave challenges to our nation’s development, Xi was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency.
In the face of that, China must remain calm, maintain concentration, strive for progress while maintaining stability, take active actions, unite as one and dare to fight, he said.
A State Department spokesman, Ned Price, said Washington wants to coexist responsibly in a global trade and political system and denied the U.S. government wants to suppress China.
This is not about containing China.
