The Two Sessions, a regular Chinese tradition of government annually providing the space to be listened to on its work reports and plans recently kicked off in Beijing with focus on key priority areas, including the economy, security, development and foreign policy.
Beijing, as the political capital city of China with over 20 million people, is the host of the annual event which is usually opened to extensive media coverage, including foreign journalists who visit the country’s capital and are permitted to enter the Great Hall of the People (Legislature-Capitol Building) and other state functionary buildings to gather reports.
As always, this year’s “Two Sessions” which began on March 5, brought into play a series of issues of national concerns, and the Communist governance system based country has taken due cognizance of the need to respond to the United States which has waged a trade war with the aim of strangulating countries it believes need to pay a price, each.
Wang Yi, China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs spoke tough at a press conference as the Third Session of the 14th National People’s Congress was ongoing in Beijing and questioned America’s role in redefining friendship and its approach to globalization of growth, development and modernity.
According to Wang, gone are the days when wars of all kinds, including trade wars were made sense but also with much more selfish motives. Wang said there is no logic and any true victory in trying to bring down other people and countries simply because you want to be a superpower.
“What has America achieved from tariff and trade wars these years? Has its trade deficit widened or narrowed? Has its manufacturing become more competitive or less competitive?,” he asked and gave an affirmative response as “no.”
He said President Donald Trump’s approach to fighting China through trade will not hurt China alone but also the United States as both the countries need each other to contribute to the advancement of the world.
The Chinese Foreign Minister disclosed that the United States has become a troublemaker in the world rather than helping to make peace and promote economic growth and development beyond its borders.
“Years have passed since the U.S. released its Indo-Pacific strategy,” but what has it done for regional countries? Nothing except for stirring up troubles and creating disputes,’ he added.
For President Trump, now is time for countries doing business with America to pay the fair share in tariffs, something he suggests would help reposition the American economy to a better level compared to what it has been over the years, especially so when Joe Biden was President of the US.
But, Wang disagrees with Trump, noting that China has not rob any country of anything, adding that America needs to understand that its definition of friendship and interests continues to create crises instead of promoting mutual coexistence and shared benefits.
Making reference to Winston Churchill’s assertion about friendship which says “There are no permanent friends, only permanent interests,” the Chinese astute Foreign Minister disclosed that such assertion is selfish and totally unwarranted in any world that seeks collective progress.
“China believes friends should be permanent, and interests should be shared,” Wang told journalists.
He added that America’s actions have always made it as a country to pay a price, although it sees itself as a nation singled out to have solutions to all problems. “Has U.S. inflation gone up or down? Has the life of its people gotten better or worse?”
He assured that China will resolutely counter the U.S. tariff regime. He said America is insincere in its behavior towards China and Trump’s public remarks of wanting a good relation with President Xi Jinping of China is a two-faced diplomatic approach which seeks to create harm rather than helping to solve any problem.
Prior to his inauguration in January, Donald Trump, President-Elect then, said the United States working in collaboration with China would help solve most of the world’s problems, but things appear to be taking a different turn as his administration is employing different measures to bring back to America what its sees as the best.
Former President Joe Biden’s administration raised tariffs in the amount of US$8 billion on electric vehicles which are produced more in China than any other country in the world and are exported overseas, including the (US), as well as batteries and solar cells.
“No country can fantasize that it can suppress and contain China on one hand while maintaining while maintaining good relations with China on the other hand,” China’s Foreign Minister said.
China’s economy is the second most prosperous and best performing economy in the world after the United States’ and the country continues to explore means both at home and abroad to not only maintain its grip on the position but surpass its targets, something America sees as a threat to its first-place position.
Beijing has likely been preparing for the ongoing trade war years ago, especially following the 2018 trade war again launched by the U.S. The Chinese government is doing all it can to reduce its reliance on the United States in terms of trade benefits and is focusing on Africa and countries within Asia as well as Europe that take interests in doing business with it.
In 2018, with the same Donald J. Trump in the White House as President of the United States, Beijing and Washington entered a trade war that brought along with it certain critical and negative economic impacts.
Back then, on July 10, 2018 to be precise, the U.S. released a list of US$200 billion of Chinese goods targeted for increased tariff of 10 percent. Two days later, the Chinese government retaliated, placing more tariffs on US$60 American goods annually.
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