BEIJING: China’s foreign ministry said that the US should modify its “distorted” view of China. He said that otherwise there will be only “conflict and hostility”.
Foreign Minister Qin Gang told a news conference that the US was suppressing and containing China rather than competing fairly.
Qin claimed the US’s image of China is flawed.
“China is its biggest geopolitical threat. Like putting the shirt’s first button improperly.”
After US shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon last month, relations between the two countries worsened. Taiwan, trade, and the Ukraine war have been contentious for years.
Qin said the US’s claim that it is setting boundaries for ties and not seeking confrontation meant that China could not respond to defamation or attack.
“It is unthinkable,” Qin said at his first press conference since becoming foreign minister in December.
“If the US does not press the brakes, speeds down the wrong route, no amount of guardrails can prevent derailment. Which will become conflict and confrontation, and who will bear the devastating consequences?”
Qin defended “wolf warrior diplomacy,” China’s strong and often abrasive diplomatic approach since 2020, in a nearly two-hour news conference where he answered pre-submitted questions.
Qin said Chinese diplomats must “dance with the wolves and protect and defend our home and country” when jackals and wolves block the route and hungry wolves assault.
He also claimed that a “invisible hand” was escalating the Ukraine war “to satisfy certain geopolitical interests,” without naming who.
He underlined China’s war-ending dialogue call.
Last year, weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine, China signed a “no limits” cooperation with Moscow and blamed NATO expansion for the war.
Despite Western criticism for not condemning the invasion, China has staunchly defended its position on Ukraine.
China has strongly disputed American claims that it is considering arming Russia.
Developing Moscow relations
Qin said China needed to improve relations with Russia as the world became more unstable and President Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin’s close relationship anchored relations.
He didn’t say if Xi will visit Russia after China’s legislative session, which lasts another week.
Since Russia invaded its southern neighbour a year ago, Xi has met with Putin but not his Ukrainian counterpart. Last month, Kyiv’s top ambassador in Beijing claimed this undermines China’s neutrality in the crisis.
Qin said governments should utilise whichever currency is efficient, safe, and reputable.
China wants to internationalise the renminbi, or yuan, which gained appeal in Russia last year after Western sanctions cut Russia’s banks and many firms off from the dollar and euro payment networks.
