US seeing China as a threat hinders relations, says Foreign Minister Wang Yi
- Relations are ‘at a crossroad’ but it is untrue that China seeks to replace the US in its world role, Wang says in New York speech
- The two countries cannot move forward without each other, and ‘decoupling from China is decoupling from the future’, he says
In an all-encompassing speech before corporate and policy leaders on Tuesday in New York, Wang called for the US to engage with China, respect China’s right to develop and refrain from interfering with its internal affairs.
Wang said “some people are using every means to paint China as a major adversary, marketing their prophecy that the relationship is doomed to fall into the Thucydides’ Trap. The Greek historian’s metaphor reminds us of the inevitable conflict when a rising power rivals a ruling power.”
The truth is that “China has no intention to play Game of Thrones on the international stage” or “to seek to replace the US in its world role”, he said.
Wang emphasised that China-US relations “have once again come to a crossroad”. There have been differences over a wide range of issues including trade, technology and human rights.