Beijing urges Washington to stop advancing anti-China legislation

CGTN | 25-Apr-2021

China’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday expressed strong dissatisfaction with and opposition to the U.S. Strategic Competition Act of 2021 that it said had grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs.

Wang Wenbin, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said the act seriously distorted facts, exaggerated the China threat theory and advocated for a comprehensive strategic competition between the world’s two major economies. “Is the purpose of U.S. development to defeat China in competition? This distorted and narrow-minded mentality is not in any way compatible with the mindedness of a world power,” Wang said at a daily press briefing, calling on Washington to reconsider and stop advancing the act.

The fresh remarks came after the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday backed the legislation to push back against China on multiple fronts including human rights, economic competition and international influence. The measure has been sent for consideration by the Senate.

Wang on Thursday reiterated that China is committed to a non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation with the U.S., adding that U.S. politicians should treat China and the China-U.S. ties objectively and rationally. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, on Thursday also expressed “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition” over Washington’s move. You Wenze, spokesperson for the committee, said the bill is “filled with the Cold-War mentality and ideological prejudices” and had distorted China’s development strategies and internal and external policies. The legislation is an attempt to smear China and interfere in its domestic affairs, You added. The bill is intended to create ideological confrontation and promote zero-sum games, which is against the trend of the times and harms peace, stability and development across the world, the spokesperson said. China is committed to genuine multilateralism and firmly safeguards the international system with the United Nations at its core, You said.  Stressing that the one-China principle is a “red line” that must not be crossed, the spokesperson reaffirmed Beijing’s opposition to any form of official exchanges between the U.S. and the Taiwan region. The spokesperson also reiterated that issues concerning Xinjiang and Hong Kong are China’s internal affairs, warning against interference by any foreign country.  Even if there is competition between China and the U.S. in some areas, it should be “benign, orderly” competition in which fairness and justice is honored and rules are followed, You said.