As tensions between the United States and China continue to escalate, both in terms of military exercises as well as political rhetoric, the spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry yesterday urged the United States “not to make an issue out of China in its election.” At his regular press conference, Zhao Lijian responded to a question from Bloomberg about President Donald Trump’s speech at the Republican Convention in which, the reporter stated, “He said among other things that China would own America if Joe Biden got elected, but if he himself was re-elected, America would no longer rely on China, and American businesses would leave China.”
Zhao responded: “We have no comment on the U.S. presidential election, which is an internal affair. At the same time, we urge the U.S. not to make an issue out of China in its election.” He continued: “We believe both stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. We are committed to develop a bilateral relationship featuring no conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation. At the same time, we are firmly determined to defend national sovereignty, security and development interests. We urge the U.S. to look at China and bilateral relations in an objective and rational light, work with us towards the same goal, manage differences, promote cooperation and bring China-U.S. relations back onto the right track of coordination, cooperation and stability.”
