Ahead of Antony Blinken visit, China urges US to avoid ‘illusion’ of strength
- Foreign ministry says US made a ‘serious misjudgment’ to view China as its biggest geopolitical challenge
- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expected to arrive in Beijing on Sunday after earlier trip postponed over ‘spy balloon’ row
China on Friday urged the United States to consider Beijing’s interests and not deal with Beijing from a position of strength, dimming expectations for a breakthrough as Washington’s top envoy Antony Blinken prepares to visit China.
Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry, said it was a “serious misjudgment” by the US to view China as its biggest geopolitical challenge.
“This is not the so-called responsible competition but an extremely irresponsible hegemonic behaviour which will only push China and the US into confrontation and the world into division,” he said.
Wang said the two countries should instead develop relations based on mutual respect and accommodate each other’s core interests and concerns.
“I would like to emphasise again that the US should not have the illusion of dealing with China from a position of strength,” he said.
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