If
the United States does not "hold the brakes and continue on the wrong path, there will certainly be conflicts and clashes.
Who will bear the catastrophic consequences?".
The warning comes from China's new foreign minister Qin Gang, for whom "containment and repression will not make America great and will not stop China's renewal".
Qin, in a briefing, returned to the balloon that recently passed over American territory (as an "unexpected accident") and shot it down.
The US "acted with a presumption of guilt, overreacted, abused force and dramatized the incident," he added.
ANSA agency
Xi attacks the US, 'repression against China, the risks increase'
'The unpredictable factors affecting the country's development are growing and the challenges we have to face will only increase and become more serious'
Even Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov
quoted by the RIA NovostiGli agency attacked the US claiming "they do everything to continue the war in Ukraine".
And he then added that he is paying "great attention" to China's peace initiative for Ukraine, specifying however that
now "there are no conditions for the situation to start on a peaceful path" and therefore Moscow is trying to reach its objectives "continuing the military operation"
.
Speaking of the war in Ukraine, Qin assured that Beijing "has not supplied arms to either side of the Ukrainian conflict.
China is not the architect of the crisis, nor a directly interested party. Why then threaten sanctions against China? It is not absolutely acceptable," added Qin, in his first media briefing on the sidelines of the annual parliamentary work.
Ed hinted at "an invisible hand" that appears to be holding up a protracted crisis.
"It is a tragedy that could have been avoided: China chooses peace over war, dialogue over sanctions" and de-escalation over escalation," Qin noted on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The relationship between
China
and
Russia , he added,
is based on the principles "of non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of third parties", if the two countries "work together, the world will have a driving force towards multipolarity and greater democracy in international relations", while "the 'comprehensive strategic balance and stability will be better ensured".
A relationship which, precisely because "it does not threaten any country, is not subject to any interference or discord sown by third parties".
The Taiwan question
, he later explained,
"is the fulcrum of China's central interests, the political foundation in Sino-US relations and the first red line that must not be crossed. We will continue to work for peaceful reunification, but we reserve the right to take all necessary measures. No one should ever underestimate the firm determination, strong will and great ability of the Chinese government and people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
ANSA agency
Taiwan fears a Chinese blitz near its territory - World
Maximum alert after the increase in Beijing's military budget.
The speaker of the US Chamber cancels a visit to the island.
(HANDLE)
China posted a
trade surplus
of $116.88 billion in January-February 2023, up from $109.7 billion in the same period of 2022, beating analyst estimates by $81.8 billion.
Exports, down for the fourth consecutive month due to weak external demand, dropped by 6.8% (to 506.3 billion), however less than the expected -9.4% and -9.9% in December 2022. According to data from Chinese Customs, imports show a slowdown of 10.2%, to 389.42 billion, almost doubling the -5.5% expected and against -7.5% in December.
