Warns US To Change Its Attitude Or Conflict And Confrontation Will Occur, Chinese Foreign Minister: Who Bears The Consequences?

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang (Source: Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Lusinta Agustina)

JAKARTA - The United States must change its distorted stance on China or there will be conflict and confrontation, China's Foreign Minister said on Tuesday.

The US has engaged in suppression and detention of China, rather than engaging in fair and regulatory competition, Foreign Minister Qin Gang said at a news conference on the sidelines of an annual parliamentary meeting in Beijing.

"The perception and views of the United States on China are completely distorted," said Minister Qin, who was previously the Chinese Ambassador in Washington.

"It considers China its main rival and the most important geopolitical challenge. It's like the first wrong button shirt," he continued.

It is known that relations between the two superpowers have been strained over the years due to a number of issues, including Taiwan, trade, and recent war in Ukraine. Recently, relations have deteriorated after the United States shot down a balloon on the US East Coast, which is said to be China's spy balloon.

The US says it is building a fence for relations and is not seeking conflict. However, Qin said what it meant in practice was, China should not respond with words or actions when slandered or attacked.

"It is impossible," Minister Qin said at his first press conference since becoming foreign minister at the end of December.

Minister Qin's comments sounded the same as the strong tone of his predecessor, Wang Yi, who is now China's most senior diplomat at the position of Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission.

"If the United States does not step on the brakes, and continues to accelerate the wrong path, no guardrail can prevent slips will become conflict and confrontation, and who will suffer the consequences of the disaster?"

US officials often talk about building barriers in bilateral relations, to prevent tensions from escalating into crisis.

Minister Qin himself likened the Chinese-US competition to a race between two Olympic athletes.

"If one party is not focused on giving their best, always trying to tackle other parties, and even entering the Paralympics, then this is not a healthy competition," he said.