China tells US it will not be scared off by sanctions over Taiwan
- Foreign vice-minister Le Yucheng tells forum that ‘unimaginable consequences’ will result if Washington pushes the issue
- Le also denies that China had advance knowledge of or supported the invasion of Ukraine and blames America for fuelling conflict
Stop playing the Taiwan card, China tells US
In response to American warnings that China would face similar sanctions to those placed on Russia if it attacked Taiwan, Le said “China must be unified, and will be unified”, and sanctions and isolation “could absolutely not scare China”.
“What kind of storms haven’t we weathered in the more than 70 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China?” he said, adding that in the past few years the US had already taken coercive measures – such as tariffs, reducing cooperation, arresting people on espionage charges – but was not able to break China.
“Not only has China not collapsed, but we are still thriving with each passing day. What else do we have to fear?”
“Recently, the United States has been flexing its muscles at the door of China, putting up together various anti-China circles, and even making a big fuss about the Taiwan issue to test the red line,” he said.
“Isn’t this a version of Nato’s eastward expansion in the Asia-Pacific region? If it is allowed to go on, the consequences will be unimaginable and will eventually push the Asia-Pacific into a fire pit.”
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Heightened tensions in Taiwan amid Russian invasion of Ukraine
Defending Beijing’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine War, Le said China was “not a party to the Ukraine issue, let alone a perpetrator”.
“That is just a normal statement … In fact, we talk about friendship with all countries, and we never set limits on cooperation with anyone, nor do we need to,” he said.
He also accused the US of failing Europe, adding: “Obviously, what they care about is not peace talks to end the war, not the lives of the Ukrainian people, but to use Ukraine as consumables and cannon fodder to bring down Russia, and use the lives of Ukrainians to satisfy their own great power ambitions and achieve their own geostrategic goals.
“By sacrificing Ukraine, they are weakening Russia, controlling Europe, and continuing hegemony, what a multi-benefit deal. No wonder they are so happy with it.”
China invokes 1999 Belgrade embassy bombing in attack on Nato
Le also said sanctions undermined the international economy and ultimately destabilised the whole world.
“Affected by [US sanctions], multiple crises such as global food, energy, finance, and supply chains have emerged, and the international political and economic security order is in danger,” he said.
