China warns U.S. to stop containment or risk ‘conflict’

The USA ought to change its “distorted” perspective towards China or risk “battle and confrontation,” stated the nation’s overseas minister, who defended China’s stance on the battle in Ukraine and shut ties with Russia on Tuesday.

The U.S. has been participating in suppression and containment of China slightly than honest, rule-based competitors, International Minister Qin Gang advised a information convention on the sidelines of an annual parliament assembly in Beijing.

Qin warned that Beijing and Washington are headed for “battle and confrontation” if the U.S. does not change course, putting a combative tone at a second when relations between the rivals are at a historic low.

In his first information convention since taking workplace late final yr, Qin warned that Washington’s China coverage has “fully deviated from the rational and sound observe.” He spoke to journalists on the annual assembly of China’s legislature, the place leaders lay out priorities for the approaching yr.

Relations between the 2 superpowers have been tense for years over various points, together with Taiwan, commerce and extra not too long ago the battle in Ukraine. However they worsened final month after the US shot down a balloon off the U.S. east coast that it says was a Chinese language spying craft.

‘Distorted’ view of China

“The USA’s notion and views of China are significantly distorted,” stated Qin, a trusted aide to President Xi Jinping and till not too long ago China’s ambassador in Washington.

Chinese language President Xi Jinping shakes fingers with then-U.S. vice-president Joe Biden contained in the Nice Corridor of the Folks in Beijing on Dec. 4, 2013. (Reuters/Lintao Zhang)

“It regards China as its major rival and probably the most consequential geopolitical problem. That is like the primary button within the shirt being put improper.”

The U.S. says it’s establishing guardrails for relations and isn’t in search of battle, however Qin stated what that meant in observe was that China was not supposed to reply with phrases or motion when slandered or attacked.

“That’s simply unimaginable,” Qin advised his first information convention since turning into overseas minister in late December.

Qin’s feedback struck the identical robust tone as his predecessor, Wang Yi, now China’s most senior diplomat after being made director of the International Affairs Fee Workplace on the flip of the yr.

China warns: hit brakes or crash

“If the US doesn’t hit the brakes, and continues to velocity down the improper path, no quantity of guardrails can stop derailment, which is able to turn into battle and confrontation, and who will bear the catastrophic penalties?”

U.S. officers usually converse of building guardrails within the bilateral relationship to stop tensions from escalating into crises.

WATCH | U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken warns China not to provide Russia with arms:

U.S. warns China not to give weapons to Russia

The U.S. is warning China not to ship weapons to Russia to bolster its battle in Ukraine amid considerations U.S.-China tensions may spark one other Chilly Warfare.

Qin likened Sino-U.S. competitors to a race between two Olympic athletes.

“If one facet, as an alternative of specializing in giving one’s greatest, at all times tries to journey the opposite up, even to the extent that they have to enter the Paralympics, then this isn’t honest competitors,” stated Qin.

“Such competitors is a reckless gamble, with the stakes being the basic pursuits of the 2 peoples and even the way forward for humanity.”

Throughout an almost two-hour information convention through which he answered questions submitted upfront, Qin made a strong defence of “wolf warrior diplomacy,” an assertive and sometimes abrasive stance adopted by China’s diplomats since 2020.

“When jackals and wolves are blocking the best way, and hungry wolves are attacking us, Chinese language diplomats should then dance with the wolves and defend and defend our dwelling and nation,” he stated.

‘Invisible hand’ escalating Ukraine battle

Qin additionally stated that an “invisible hand” was pushing for the escalation of the battle in Ukraine “to serve sure geopolitical agendas,” with out specifying who he was referring to. He reiterated China’s name for dialogue to finish the battle.

In response, Russia stated on Tuesday that the US was driving the battle in Ukraine, saying China’s overseas minister was joking when he stated an “invisible hand” was to blame.

In effusive feedback on China’s stature in world affairs, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged Qin’s remark that the Ukraine disaster appeared to be pushed by an invisible hand, pushing to lengthen and escalate the battle and utilizing it “to serve sure geopolitical agendas.”

“That is in fact a joke. what the joke is: this isn’t an invisible hand, that is the hand of the US of America, that is the hand of Washington,” Peskov advised reporters.

Canadian International Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly talks with Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko on Feb. 15, 2023. (Jean-Francois Benoit/CBC)

China struck a “no-limits” partnership with Russia final yr, weeks earlier than its invasion of Ukraine, and China has blamed NATO growth for triggering the battle, echoing Russia’s criticism.

China has declined to condemn the invasion and has fiercely defended its stance on Ukraine, regardless of Western criticism of its failure to single Russia out because the aggressor.

Shut ties with Russia

China has additionally vehemently denied U.S. accusations that it has been contemplating supplying Russia with weapons.

Qin stated China had to advance its relations with Russia because the world turns into extra turbulent and shut interactions between President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, anchored the neighbours’ relations.

He didn’t give a particular reply when requested if Xi would go to Russia after China’s parliamentary session, which fits on for another week.

Since Russia invaded its southwestern neighbour a yr in the past, Xi has held talks a number of instances with Putin, however not along with his Ukrainian counterpart.

This undermines China’s declare of neutrality within the battle, Kyiv’s high diplomat in Beijing stated final month.

Requested whether or not it was attainable that China and Russia would abandon the U.S. greenback and euro for bilateral commerce, Qin stated nations ought to use no matter foreign money was environment friendly, protected and credible.

China has been wanting to internationalize its foreign money, the yuan, which gained reputation in Russia final yr after Western sanctions shut Russia’s banks and plenty of of its corporations out of the greenback and euro cost methods.