BEIJING: China on Monday urged the U.S. to respect regional countries’ shared aspiration for seeking stability, cooperation and development when handling its relations with Asian countries.
The remarks were made by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning at a regular press briefing in response to a query that the U.S. and Vietnam have upgraded their diplomatic ties and signed deals on semiconductors and minerals.
The decisions were made after U.S. President Joe Biden visited Vietnam and held talks with Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, according to media reports.
Vietnam has stressed on multiple occasions that growing the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership is its diplomatic priority and a top priority in the country’s foreign affairs, said Mao.
China’s view is that developing bilateral relations should not target a third party or harm regional peace, stability, development and prosperity, Mao noted. She asked the U.S. to abide by basic norms governing international relations and discard the hegemonic and Cold War mentality when dealing with relations with Asian countries.
Mao Ning said that the Taiwan question is a matter of China’s internal affairs, while resolving it is the responsibility of the Chinese people and should be decided by them, without any external interference.
During the Foreign Ministry’s briefing, the Chinese official refuted US President Joe Biden’s view that China now faces economic challenges to keep it from “invading” the Taiwan region.
Speaking of the relations between China and Vietnam, Mao said that China noticed that the Vietnamese side has repeatedly emphasized that developing a comprehensive strategic partnership with China is Vietnam’s top diplomatic priority, as well as a top priority in its foreign relations.
The Chinese side believes that the development of bilateral relations between countries should not target third parties and should not undermine regional peace, stability and development, Mao noted.
“We urge the US to respect the common aspirations of regional countries to promote stability, cooperation and development, when dealing with Asian countries, abiding by the basic norms of international relations, and abandoning hegemonic and Cold War thinking,” said Mao.
