China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told journalists his country is a source of stability in the world – in contrast to the United States. CGTN’s Jen Copestake reports from Beijing.
#2025ChinaAgenda #China #Chinanews
#2025ChinaAgenda #China #Chinanews
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00:00China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi says his country is a source of stability in international affairs in contrast to the United States.
00:08He told journalists in Beijing that big countries should not bully the weak, and that power politics were not conducive to a stable world.
00:16Wang said China would continue to take countermeasures against what he called arbitrary US tariffs, but added there was still space for cooperation.
00:26Let's talk to our correspondent, Jen Copesteak, who's been watching that press conference in Beijing.
00:32Jen, strong comments from Wang Yi, particularly aimed at the United States.
00:42Yes, that's right, Jamie. Such strong comments there towards the United States.
00:46There was such a lot of interest in the room today to ask questions about the US and China relationship.
00:53Foreign Minister Wang Yi was asked about US President Donald Trump's America First doctrine specifically,
00:58and he said no country should put their interests first above any others.
01:02He said there were over 190 countries in the world, and if everybody did that, especially the big countries, we would simply return to the law of the jungle.
01:10Now, he said big countries had to fulfill their responsibilities to the international community, and he said they cannot put selfish interests above principles.
01:19So he also said that any country shouldn't fantasize that it can suppress China and maintain good relations at the same time.
01:26And he called some of the rhetoric from the United States two-faced acts, which are not good for the stability of bilateral relations or building mutual trust.
01:35Wang Yi spoke strongly against America's accusations on China regarding the drug fentanyl,
01:41saying the abuse crisis is a problem that needs to be resolved internally in the United States.
01:46Let's take a listen.
01:48China always takes resolute measures against drug trafficking and manufacturing.
01:56China has the world's toughest and most comprehensive counter-narcotics policies.
02:01We have assisted the US on humanitarian grounds.
02:04The US should not repay goodwill with hostility or impose arbitrary tariffs on Chinese products.
02:11The foreign minister continued by saying that America needed to go over what actually happened and what it achieved by threatening others, imposing tariffs.
02:20And ask, has this strategy led to a strengthening of the country's manufacturing output?
02:25Has it made its citizens happier? Has it made the American economy more competitive?
02:30United States to one side for a moment and talk about Europe.
02:35What did Wang Yi say specifically in terms of China's relations with Europe?
02:45Yes, a journalist asked a question about the long-running commercial tensions between China and the EU.
02:51These include tariffs imposed on Chinese electric vehicles to Europe and whether this would negatively affect China's relationship with the EU.
02:59Now Wang Yi answered by saying that this was a critical year, a very important year, as it's the 50th anniversary of the China-EU official diplomatic relations.
03:09So he said that China remains confident in Europe and believes that Europe will be a trustworthy partner.
03:14And that the two sides will have the capacity and the wisdom to overcome any issues like this with the tariffs, any pending issues.
03:22And he was looking forward to another 50 years of a healthy relationship between the EU and China.
03:28He highlighted the amount of bilateral trade that has taken place between China and the EU over the last 50 years.
03:34He said this has expanded over five decades from 2.4 billion US dollars to 780 billion.
03:41And he said jointly the EU and China make up one third of the world's economy.
03:45And said there was a great strategic value in having a healthy and stable relationship between the EU and China.
03:51He said that will lift up both sides and create a brighter world.
03:55Jen, thank you for that. Our correspondent Jen Capestake in Beijing.