March 7, 2023, 9:00 AM
March 7, 2023, 9:00 AM
Relations between China and the United States “have gone awry seriously,” the Chinese foreign minister declared, warning of a possible conflict.
“Containment and suppression (of China) will not make America great,” Qin Gang said, adding that this Washington strategy “won’t stop China’s rejuvenation.”
Qin, who was Beijing’s ambassador to Washington, made the remarks on Tuesday at his first press conference as foreign minister.
spy balloon saga Tensions have risen between the superpowers despite recent efforts to improve relations.
“[Estados Unidos] it considers China as its main rival and as the most important geopolitical challenge. This is like the top button on his shirt was buttoned wrong,” Qin said.
growing differences
The minister was responding to the question of whether a healthy relationship between China and the United States is still possible as the differences between the two countries increase.
He said the United States calls for “guardrails,” but what it really wants is for China not to hit back with words or actions when provoked.
He was referring to US President Joe Biden’s comments last month that his country would “compete fully with China but is not looking for conflict.”
Qin stated: “If the US does not put a brake on it and continues to roar down the wrong path, no amount of guardrails can stop the derailment and overturning, and it will be bound to descend into conflict and confrontation. Who will bear its disastrous consequences?”.
He also indicated that the diplomatic crisis caused by the balloon incident could have been avoided, but the United States acted with “the presumption of guilt”.
Washington previously described the alleged spy balloon affair as a “clear violation of US sovereignty.”
Beijing admitted the object belonged to them, but said it was a civil aircraft that veered off course.
Relations between the two countries deteriorated during the administration of former US President Donald Trump, who launched a trade war against China in 2018.
The two superpowers continue to clash on various issues, including Taiwan, China’s militarization of the South China Sea, and the origins of the covid virus.
Qin’s comments follow Chinese President Xi Jinping’s unusually direct rebuke of the United States on Monday.
Xi said that “the US-led Western countries had implemented all-out containment, encirclement and suppression measures” against China and that this brought “severe challenges” to the country.
An “invisible hand”
During his press conference, Qin urged the US “not to interfere in China’s internal affairs” and questioned Washington’s differing responses to the Ukraine and Taiwan issues.
“Why does the United States talk about respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Ukraine issue, but not respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Taiwan issue?” Qin asked.
“Why is the United States demanding that China refrain from supplying weapons to Russia while continuing to sell arms to Taiwan?”
Qin reiterated that China has not provided weapons to either side of the war in Ukraine.
Said an “invisible hand” was driving the crisis ukrainian, but did not name any country or individual.
And he called for the peace talks to be resumed.
The Ukraine crisis has reached a “critical juncture,” the official said.
“Either a ceasefire stops the war, restores peace and pushes for a political settlement, or the fire will be fanned, the crisis will spread and it will be dragged into the abyss of losing control,” he added.
Qin, 56, was appointed China’s foreign minister in December 2022 and is one of the youngest officials who hold the position in the country’s history.
He replaced Wang Yi, who was promoted to the ruling Communist Party’s politburo in October of that year.
Qin, a trusted adviser to President Xi Jinping, is well known as a tough-talking diplomat.
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