China ‘builder of world peace’, says Beijing after Blinken labels it ‘biggest geopolitical test of the 21st century’

Beijing dismissed Washington’s suggestion that China is a “geopolitical test” to the US but said it is inevitable that the two nations, with their differing histories, cultures, and political systems will disagree on some issues.

“The key is to respect each other, treat each other as equals, and properly manage and handle them in a constructive manner. Dialogue is better than confrontation,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Thursday. 

The spokesman contended that “China has always been a builder of world peace” and a positive contributor to global development, calling on other nations to see Beijing’s accession as an opportunity and not a challenge.

“It is hoped that the US will view China and China-US relations in an objective and rational manner, conform to the trend of the times and abandon the outdated zero-sum thinking,” Wang added as he reiterated Beijing’s position on Xinjiang and Hong Kong-related issues, and demanded Washington refrain from interfering in their internal affairs. 

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed China represents America’s “biggest geopolitical test of the 21st century,” adding that the emerging superpower nation was the only country powerful enough to jeopardize the current international order. 

“Our relationship with China will be competitive when it should be, collaborative when it can be, and adversarial when it must be. And we will engage China from a position of strength,” Blinken said in a speech addressing the State Department.

Sino-US relations spiraled during the Trump administration and continue to deteriorate amid increasing Western criticism of Chinese internal affairs, notably alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, which China strongly denies.

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