Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang lambasted the United States’ confrontational attitude on various issues related to China. If the US does not restrain itself conflict between the two countries will be difficult to avoid
By
AGNES THEDOORA
·4 minutes read
AP/MARK SCHIEFELBEIN
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang arrives for a press conference held on the sidelines of the annual meeting of China's National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
BEIJING, KOMPAS — Tensions between China and the United States continue to escalate. The Chinese government’s view is that if the US does not immediately step on the brakes and change its strategy in establishing relations with China, conflict between the two superpowers will be difficult to avoid and could bring disastrous consequences.
In his first official press conference as China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Qin Gang, who previously served as China's Ambassador to the US, repeated with a sarcastic edge the confrontational steps taken by the US toward China. In his view, US and China relations have deviated from a rational path.
"If the US doesn't immediately step on the brakes, there won't be any road signs that can prevent the current situation from going off course. Surely there will be conflict and confrontation. Then who will bear the consequences of this great catastrophe?" Qin said, on Tuesday (7/3/2023) in Beijing.
He likened the relationship between the US and China to that of two athletes competing in the Olympics. However, instead of focusing on giving the best performance, one of the athletes spends more time hurting and knocking the opponent down.
“It was a haphazard competition that put the interests of the two countries at stake, even the future fate of mankind. If what the US means by 'good faith' is that China must not respond when attacked, that is impossible," he said.
It was a haphazard competition that put the interests of the two countries at stake, even the future fate of mankind.
China-US tensions have been getting sharper lately. In successive harsh statements against the US, Qin blamed the US for dramatizing and aggravating the situation, such as the incident of shooting a Chinese balloon in the US sky, which was accused of being a spy balloon; US involvement in China-Taiwan tensions in the Taiwan Straits; and US accusations that China aided Russia in the Ukraine war.
"The US claims they only want competition with China, not conflict. However, in reality, the competition they are touting is a total suppression measure, a zero-sum game between life and death," Qin said.
AGNES THEODORA
China's new Foreign Minister Qin Gang (second from left) gives his first press conference in Beijing, China, Tuesday (7/3/2023).
Good relationship
Qin assessed the conflict in the Ukraine was driven by an invisible hand, which deliberately escalated and protracted the war in order to fulfill certain parties' geopolitical interests. China also asserted Beijing was a party that was not involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, although it maintains good relations with Russia, and even plans to strengthen relations with that country.
"China did not create the crisis; China is not part of the crisis, and has never provided any [arms] supplies to the conflicting parties. Then, why is it that China is now being blamed and sanctioned? This is unacceptable,” Qin said.
Even though China claims not to be involved in the Russia-Ukraine war, China continues to emphasize its good relations with Russia. Qin said the relations between Beijing and Moscow are a good example of how relations between the two countries should be.
Stronger relations between China and Russia are also needed to respond to the global challenges going forward. "The more unstable the world is, the more crucial it will be for China and Russia to improve their relations," said Qin.
Taiwan
Previously, during the opening of the parliamentary session of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, on Sunday (5/3), Premier Li Keqiang stated China would continue to step up peaceful reunification efforts with Taiwan and reject Taiwanese independence. He did not elaborate on what strategy would be taken to seek a more peaceful reunification.
In response to the results of the 14th Chinese National People's Congress, which again proclaimed China's peaceful unification with Taiwan, Taiwan's authorities immediately issued a statement that Beijing should not spread such a narrative. Taiwan once again emphasized it was not interested in becoming an integrated part of China and that all parties respect the status quo agreed since 1992.
"This narrative of unification of Taiwan to China is Xi Jinping's 'weapon' to support him entering his third term as president of China and general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party," said a political science expert at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in Taiwan, Hung Chin-fu, as quoted by the Tuesday edition of the Taipei Times newspaper (7/3/2023).
