China blames US for conflicts from Afghanistan to Iran

Chinese foreign minister says United States is the origin of problems in Central Asian country and should make sure transition is stable

Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy is outdated and should be swept into the rubbish, he says

Reading Time:3 minutes

An Afghan National Army soldier stands guard at the gate of Bagram US air base on Friday, on the day the last of American troops vacated it. Photo: Reuters

Published: 6:00pm, 3 Jul 2021Updated: 10:40pm, 16 Aug 2021

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused the US of being “the source” of a series of conflicts in the world, seeking to present Beijing as a “defender” and “friendly neighbour” for countries in conflicts.

Addressing an international relations conference in the Chinese capital on Saturday, Wang listed a series of international conflicts – from Afghanistan to Iran – that he said the US was directly responsible for.

Wang also said the “Indo-Pacific strategy” – a key plank of American foreign policy – was based on an outdated cold war mentality.

“The Indo-Pacific strategy ... was aimed at building an exclusive circle [of countries against China] in geopolitical conflicts. It is walking backwards in history and a repetition of a cold war mentality that should be swept into the rubbish,” he said.

Wang made the comments at the World Peace Forum organised by Tsinghua University and the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, a government-run policy group.

On the sidelines of the forum, Wang said China hoped to resume high-level dialogue with the United States, but that it “depends on whether the US is sincere”.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x