FM Wang Urges U.S. to Respect China’s Core Interests

Date: 05 April 2021 - 22:43

News ID: ۸۸۸۳۳

BEIJING (Dispatches) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned that Beijing will not accept unilateral demands from Washington, urging the United States to truly respect China’s core interests.
Speaking to Chinese state media about his recent meetings with foreign ministers from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and South Korea, Wang said that his Asian counterparts believe that China’s development conforms to the long-term interests of all countries in the region and should not be blocked.
Dismissing the repetitive arguments of competition and confrontation put forward by the U.S., Wang warned Washington not to presume that it has a final say on global affairs.
He said China would not accept a list of unilateral demands from Washington for negotiations with Beijing, before adding that "the door for dialogue with China is open. But the dialogue should be done on equal basis and with mutual respect.”
"China welcomes cooperation if there is the need, but cooperation needs to take into account each other’s concerns and mutual benefit. It cannot go in the fashion of one side unilaterally raising conditions and making lists,” Wang noted.
China will engage in fair competition if necessary, but the two sides must "refrain from setting obstacles, abusing power, and depriving others of their legitimate right to development,” he said.
Complaining about "gross interference in China’s internal affairs, and unlawful unilateral sanctions imposed on the basis of lies and false information” Wang said that, "If the U.S. continues to confront, China will take it calmly without fear.”
China, he said, would not make compromises or withdraw from the world stage "because there are many developing and small and medium-sized countries behind us.”
Wang added that Beijing has every right to fight back because it must protect its national sovereignty and integrity.
The U.S. relations with China grew increasingly tense under the administration of former president Donald Trump. Washington continually clashed with Beijing over trade, the South China Sea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the coronavirus pandemic.
Later, President Joe Biden also backed Trump’s tough approach, pledging that the US would continue to confront what he called China’s "attack on human rights, intellectual property and global governance.” Beijing has rejected those charges.