China accused the United States of destabilizing the world in the name of promoting democracy, but called on Washington to help lift “unjustifiable restrictions” on relations with Beijing to deal with issues such as the climate crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The formulator of the exhortation was Chinese Chancellor Wang Yi, who spoke on Sunday (7) at a press conference at the annual plenary meeting of the National People’s Congress – the so-called two sessions, supplemented by a similar meeting of the Chinese. Popular political consultative conference.
“We hope that the United States and China will meet halfway and lift the various unjustifiable restrictions imposed on Sino-American cooperation so far, as soon as possible, and not artificially create new obstacles,” he said. he declared.
The goodwill directed against the new US president, Joe Biden, has been tempered by a series of accusations against Washington’s conduct by the Xi Jinping government.
According to Wang, the United States uses the themes of democracy and human rights as a basis for meddling in other countries. “The United States must understand this as soon as possible, otherwise the world will continue to experience instability,” he said.
Last week, Biden said the dispute with China would be “the biggest geopolitical test of the century.” Previously, it had named Beijing as its most serious strategic competitor in the world.
As a result, all Chinese hope that the Democrat would deviate from the path laid out by his predecessor Donald Trump has faded. The Republican, during his years in power (2017-2021), implemented the so-called Cold War 2.0.
By virtue of this doctrine, all possible areas of dispute have become a point of acute friction. Without much success, the United States entered into a tariff dispute with China. They were better offensive to shut down 5G technology markets for Chinese giant Huawei.
Lines have been drawn on matters with serious military implications: sovereignty over the South China Sea and Taiwan’s freedom. The management of the coronavirus pandemic and the questioning of Hong Kong’s autonomy, among others, have also entered the menu.
Regarding Hong Kong, which will see its electoral system changed to bury what remains of the local opposition, Wang said the changes decided by Congress would guarantee “a bright future” for the region.
The countries are the world’s largest economies and the most spenders on defense, but the US advantage remains huge: four times the military spending and a GDP of US $ 21 trillion, before US $ 15 trillion in China .
However, as seasonally in history, Beijing is the rising power, and this is how it is viewed by the dominant nation today. The risks of shocks which can become uncontrollable, even accidental, arise.
On the other hand, the interdependence of their economies, shaken by the restrictive reality of the pandemic, serves as a kind of momentary insurance against escalations likely to lead to conflicts.
Asked whether the United States had called China genocide in its treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority, Wang was adamant. “We will not accept baseless accusations and slander.”
The Chancellor reiterated the rhetoric of the country’s armed forces, declaring that there is no room for agreements on Taiwan, which Beijing sees as a rebellious island to be wiped out by the mainland dictatorship. The United States supports Taipei, notably by selling weapons to deter a Chinese invasion.
Wang asked Biden to change Trump’s “dangerous acts of playing with fire” in reference to sending American officials to Taiwan, encouraging the idea that the United States could break the status quo of its recognition of the China in 1979 and support the independence of the island.
It seems unlikely today, given that the whole global economic arrangement revolves around the Sino-US relationship, but it is not impossible.
Regarding the Uyghurs, Wang said that “the so-called genocide in Xinjiang [a província chinesa que concentra a minoria] it is ridiculously absurd ”.
“It’s a rumor with ulterior motives, a complete lie. When you think of the genocide, most people remember the American Indians, African slaves, Jews, Australian aborigines, who are still fighting today. ‘hui “, stung the Chancellor.
Australia is an American ally in the region against China. Biden is expected to hold a meeting with the country’s prime minister and leaders of Japan and India, the countries that form the informal Quad military alliance in the Pacific.