China warns US heading for conflict if it doesn’t change course
ITV News correspondent Debi Edward reports as China releases a combative new propaganda video amid strained relations with the United States
China has warned that Beijing and Washington are headed for “conflict and confrontation” if the US doesn't change course.
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang struck the combative tone at a moment when relations between the rivals are at a historic low.
In his first news conference since taking office late last year, Qin’s harsh language appeared to defy predictions that China might abandon its aggressive “wolf warrior” diplomacy in favour of more moderate rhetoric as the two countries face off over trade and technology, Taiwan, human rights and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Washington's China policy has “entirely deviated from the rational and sound track," Qin said.
“If the United States does not hit the brake, but continues to speed down the wrong path, no amount of guardrails can prevent derailing and there surely will be conflict and confrontation,” said Qin.
“Such competition is a reckless gamble, with the stakes being the fundamental interests of the two peoples and even the future of humanity.”
His comments echoed remarks made by leader Xi Jinping in a speech to legislators.
“Western countries led by the United States have implemented all-round containment, encirclement and suppression of China, which has brought unprecedented grave challenges to our nation’s development,” Xi was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency.
In the face of that, China must “remain calm, maintain concentration, strive for progress while maintaining stability, take active actions, unite as one, and dare to fight,” he said.
Asked about Qin's and Xi's comments, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that US policy on China has remained consistent.
“There is no change to the United States' posture when it comes to this bilateral relationship,” Kirby said.
"The president believes those tensions obviously have to be recognized, but can be worked through. And we again seek competition not conflict.”
US officials have grown increasingly worried about China's expansive political and economic goals and the possibility of war over Taiwan - and many in Washington have called for the US to make a bigger effort to counter Chinese influence abroad.
In recent weeks, concerns about Chinese spying on the US and Beijing's influence campaigns there have drawn particular concern, and officials from the two countries have frequently traded accusations.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelled a planned visit to Beijing after Washington shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon that flew over American territory.
The massive balloon and its payload, including electronics and optics, have been recovered from the ocean floor and are being analysed by the FBI.
Then last week, China responded with indignation when US officials raised the issue again of whether the Covid pandemic began with a lab leak.
China accused the US of “politicising the issue" in an attempt to discredit Beijing.
The two countries have traded angry words over Taiwan as China has stepped up its diplomatic isolation and military harassment of the self-governing island democracy that it claims as its own territory.
Qin criticised Washington for shooting down the balloon, repeating claims that its appearance in US skies was an accident and with regards to Taiwan he called the issued the first red line that must not be crossed.
In Taipei, Taiwan's Defence Minister said the armed forces weren't seeking outright conflict with China's military, but nor would they back away in the event of Chinese aircraft or ships entering Taiwanese coastal seas or airspace.
“It is the nation’s armed forces’ duty to mount an appropriate response,” Chiu Kuo-cheng told legislators.
Beijing has also accused the West of “fanning the flames” by providing Ukraine with weaponry to fend off the Russian invasion.
China says it has a neutral stance in the war, but has also said it has a “no-limits friendship” with Russia and has refused to criticise Moscow’s invasion- or even refer to it as an invasion.
A Chinese call for a cease-fire in Ukraine that has drawn praise from Russia but dismissals from the West has done nothing to lessen tensions.
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