We urge america to not do such preposterous issues, stated China’s prime diplomat Wang Yi

Munich:

China’s prime diplomat Wang Yi on Saturday blasted america’s response to what Washington has known as a Chinese language spy balloon as “hysterical and absurd”, in uncharacteristically robust remarks towards the highest Western energy.

Addressing a gathering of world leaders on the Munich Safety Convention, Wang stated US President Joe Biden’s administration has a “misguided” notion of Beijing.

And he accused Washington of attempting to “smear” the Asian large whereas it itself was implementing insurance policies that ran counter to its paradigms equivalent to free commerce.

“There are various balloons from many international locations within the sky. Do you need to down each one among them?” Wang charged.

“We urge america to not do such preposterous issues merely to divert consideration from its personal home issues.”

The US has been in a state of alarm since an enormous white balloon from China was noticed over a sequence of prime secret nuclear weapons websites, earlier than being shot down simply off the east coast on February 4.

Beijing denies it makes use of spy balloons and says the craft was for climate analysis. Subsequently it accused Washington of sending its personal espionage balloons over its territory — one thing that the US has denied.

The spate had led US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to abruptly cancel a uncommon go to to China.

With Blinken additionally in Munich for the convention, all eyes are on whether or not either side reach organising a gathering.

However requested if he was planning a huddle with the US delegation, Wang reacted combatively.

Washington, he stated, had the incorrect view of China as a critical geopolitical problem and a risk to america.

“It is a misguided notion of China and with this notion, america is utilizing all of its means to smear and clamp down China, and is co-opting different international locations to do the identical,” he stated.

Wang accused the US as a substitute of “one hundred pc protectionism, one hundred pc self-servingness, one hundred pc unilateral motion” in its personal financial insurance policies just like the Chips Act.

“We hope the US facet would take a realistic and proactive angle in direction of China and work along with China to return our bilateral ties to just accept a monitor of sound improvement,” he added.

‘Do not make identical mistake’

After 4 years of antagonistic relationship with China beneath his predecessor Donald Trump, US President Joe Biden has made a precedence of resetting relations with Beijing — which he describes as Washington’s greatest competitor.

However tensions flared final yr after Nancy Pelosi, then the chief of the US Home of Representatives, visited Taiwan — the self-governing democracy island claimed by Beijing.

That challenge could also be examined once more quickly, with a high-level Pentagon official reportedly planning to go to Taiwan within the coming days.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has additionally led Western powers to forged a cautious eye on the relations between Russian chief Vladimir Putin and China’s President Xi Jinping — who name one another “buddies”.

Additionally in Munich, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg stated “Beijing is watching intently to see the worth Russia pays, or the reward it receives for its aggression”.

“What is occurring in Europe at this time may occur in East Asia tomorrow,” he warned.

Stoltenberg additionally stated that Moscow’s incursion has uncovered the risks of Europe’s over-reliance on authoritarian regimes and may function a lesson because the continent orientates its relations with Beijing.

“We must always not make the identical mistake with China and different authoritarian regimes,” he cautioned.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)