China-US ties – from Hong Kong to Xinjiang – dogged by lies, ‘fake news’, ‘capitalist dogma’, Chinese ambassador says
- China’s top diplomat says two countries need to base relations on facts
- Cui Tiankai warns Washington not to put Beijing’s ‘bottom line’ to the test
Speaking at the annual gala of the China General Chamber of Commerce – USA in New York, ambassador Cui Tiankai warned Washington “not to put our bottom line to [the] test” and repeated a line from a recent speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping that “we are not afraid of storms and dangers and barriers”.
“In the new year, China and the United States need to base their relations on facts and not let lies and ‘fake news’ have their way,” Cui said.
“The problems besetting Hong Kong society, such as wealth polarisation and social division, are rooted in the blind faith in and indiscriminate application of capitalist dogma, but some people are using Hong Kong’s problems to stir up violence, and their ultimate scheme is to contain and split up China.”
The ambassador made his speech just hours after a US congressional body released a 323-page report slamming China for an alleged lack of civil liberties in the country.