"US Warns of Collision if Brakes Not Applied," Sharp Criticism from Chinese Foreign Minister (Summary)

Asked about the Taiwan issue, he seemed prepared and explained the constitution
Regarding the mention of "Jeonlang diplomacy," he said "It's just rhetoric"

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang strongly warned the United States, which maintains a China policy focused solely on pressure, saying, "If you do not stop, there will be catastrophic consequences." Although it was his first press conference since taking office, he consistently showed a composed attitude and sharply criticized the U.S. diplomatic line.

At a press conference held on the 7th at the Beijing Media Center, Qin said, "If the U.S. side does not hit the brakes and recklessly rushes down the wrong path, no matter how many guardrails there are, derailment and overturning cannot be prevented, and it will inevitably fall into collision and confrontation," adding, "Who will take responsibility for those catastrophic consequences?"

On the 7th, Qin Gang, China's Foreign Minister, responded to a question about the possibility of a US-China military clash in the Taiwan Strait during a press conference held at the China Beijing Media Center. He showed a prepared copy of the Chinese Constitution. (Photo by China CCTV)

Qin was appointed ambassador to the United States in July 2021, when U.S.-China relations deteriorated, and took office as foreign minister at the end of last year. He has continued to make tough remarks against the U.S. and has become a symbol of China’s ‘wolf warrior diplomacy.’

Consistently Challenging the U.S. Throughout 110 Minutes

During the 110-minute press conference, Qin maintained a composed demeanor throughout but unleashed sharp expressions in response to questions about U.S.-China relations. Regarding questions from the U.S. media about the surveillance balloon issue, he described it as "an unavoidable, accidental, and unexpected incident," emphasizing, "The U.S. recognized it was not a real threat but abused force and created a diplomatic crisis that could have been avoided."

He then criticized, "The U.S. China policy, which put the first button on wrong, has completely deviated from a rational and sound proper track," adding, "What the U.S. calls competition is in fact all-out containment and suppression, a zero-sum game of 'you die, I live.'" He explained, "The U.S. says it wants to set guardrails in Sino-U.S. relations to avoid collisions, but it is actually blocking China’s countermeasures," continuing his earlier remarks about "catastrophic consequences."

He particularly likened the U.S. to a cheating athlete, saying, "If in Olympic track events, an athlete constantly trips others and even forces opponents to compete in the Paralympics, that is not fair competition but malicious confrontation." He also sharply criticized the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, stating, "While advocating freedom and openness, it actually forms cliques, builds various closed and exclusive fences, and while claiming to safeguard regional security, it actually provokes confrontation and schemes to create an Asia-Pacific NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)."

Regarding the recently deteriorated U.S.-China relations, he blamed the U.S. and claimed that China pursues peaceful development. He said, "China adheres to the principles of peace, coexistence, mutual respect, and cooperation and seeks the healthy development of U.S.-China relations," emphasizing, "The U.S. must reject Cold War thinking and work with China to find the right path." However, he added, "U.S. suppression will not stop China’s rise," and "U.S.-China relations should be based on common interests, not domestic politics."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Asked About Taiwan Issue, He Said "I Knew You Would Ask"... No Mention of Korea

When a domestic reporter asked about the possibility of military conflict between the U.S. and China in the Taiwan Strait, he said, "I knew this question would come," and took out a red constitution book. Then, opening the book conspicuously, he read, "Taiwan is a sacred part of the territory of the People's Republic of China. Completing the great cause of national reunification is the sacred duty of all the people, including compatriots in Taiwan." This was a kind of performance to reaffirm the "One China" principle. He added, "Resolving the Taiwan issue is the responsibility of the Chinese people, and no foreign power has the right to interfere," and "We firmly oppose recent interference by senior U.S. officials and remain vigilant."

Regarding the possibility of future Chinese arms support to Russia, he answered in the past tense, saying, "We have not provided weapons to either party in the conflict." On President Xi Jinping’s planned visit to Russia, he avoided a direct answer, saying, "Exchanges between heads of state are the compass and yardstick of China-Russia relations." About China-Russia relations, he explained, "We do not form alliances, do not confront, and do not target third parties; we do not threaten any country in the world and are not subject to interference or provocation from any third party."

Regarding relations with Europe, he emphasized, "Exchanges between China and Europe are entirely based on mutual strategic interests and independently chosen," adding, "China-Europe relations do not target third parties, nor do they depend on or are constrained by any third party." He further stated, "No matter how the situation develops, China will always regard the European Union (EU) as a comprehensive strategic partner and support European integration."

When asked whether there has been a change in the ‘wolf warrior diplomacy’ line, given that China’s recent diplomatic style has softened somewhat, he said, "So-called wolf warrior diplomacy is a kind of rhetoric," criticizing, "Those who coined this term either do not understand China and its diplomacy or ignore facts and have hidden agendas."

Meanwhile, at this press conference, Qin answered questions from seven Chinese media outlets including China Central Television (CCTV), Xinhua News Agency, People’s Daily, Phoenix TV, and Global Times, as well as from U.S. NBC, Russian TASS, French AFP, and Japanese NHK. However, he did not take questions from Korean media, and as a result, there were no remarks related to Korea-China or North Korea relations.