China's new Foreign Minister Qin Gang has issued the US a stern warning to change its "distorted" China policies or to face "conflict and confrontation."
In his first press conference after assuming charge as the foreign minister of the Asian superpower, Qin said containing and suppressing China will not make America great or stop the rejuvenation of China.
He confronted Washington's way of treating China, calling it a "reckless gamble" by Washington. On whether a healthy China-US relationship was still possible as differences between the countries grew, Qin said the US, despite calling for establishing "guardrails," wanted China to not hit back with words or actions when provoked.
"If the US does not put on the brakes and continues to roar down the wrong road, no amount of guardrails can stop the derailment and overturning, and it is bound to fall into conflict and confrontation. Who will bear its disastrous consequences?" Qin added.
The minister's comment comes amid the spy balloon saga, which worsened the diplomatic relations between the two countries. "The US perception and views of China are seriously distorted. It regards China as its primary rival and the biggest geopolitical challenge. The US claims it seeks to compete with China but does not seek conflict. But in reality, the so-called ‘competition’ by the US is all-round containment and suppression, a zero-sum game of life and death," he said.
"Containment and suppression will not make America great, and the US will not stop the rejuvenation of China," Qin added.
The foreign minister also touched upon the issue of Taiwan, calling it the "political foundation of Sino-US relations and the first red line that must not be crossed."
He also questioned Washington’s different responses to the issues of Ukraine and Taiwan. "Why does the US talk up respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Ukraine issue, but does not respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity on the issue of Taiwan? Why does the US ask China not to provide weapons to Russia while keeps selling arms to Taiwan?" Qin said.
The 56-year-old minister also said an "invisible hand" was driving the Ukraine crisis, but did not name any country or individual. While stating that China had not provided weapons to Russia, Qin called for peace talks to resume. "Either a ceasefire will stop the war, restore peace and embark on a political settlement, or fuel the fire, expand the crisis and drag it into the abyss of losing control," stating that the war has reached a critical juncture.
