Chinese Foreign Minister Condemns US in First Press Conference
In his first press conference since taking office, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Tuesday (7/3) blasted the US over deteriorating bilateral relations and Washington’s support for Taiwan. He also sarcastically said America was undermining peace efforts in Ukraine to prolong the conflict for its own interests.
Washington’s policy regarding China has “completely deviated from its principles and course,” Qin told reporters on the sidelines of the annual meeting of China’s parliament, in the only official press conference scheduled for this year. But Qin is also inclined to answer questions on overseas trips.
“Washington really wants to contain and pressure China on everything and get both countries engaged in a win-lose game,” he said.
“What it calls building a guardrail and not wanting conflict simply means that China must not respond with words or actions when it is slandered or attacked,” Qin said. “This is impossible.”
“If the US does not restrain itself, but continues to go down the wrong path, no guardrails can prevent it from derailing and there will definitely be conflicts and confrontations,” he said. “Such competition is a reckless gamble, with the fundamental interests of both nations and the future of humanity at stake.”
Qin’s tough language seems to defy predictions that China is abandoning its aggressive diplomacy in favor of a more moderate presentation as bilateral relations hit historic lows over trade and technology, Taiwan, human rights and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
After briefly serving as ambassador to Washington, Qin was appointed foreign minister in late December, where he was a junior to the senior foreign policy official in the Communist Party, Wang Yin. [uh/ab]
