China’s foreign minister warns of ‘conflict and confrontation’ with US

KARAH RUCKER: CHINA HAS A NEW FOREIGN MINISTER – AND IN HIS FIRST NEWS CONFERENCE SINCE TAKING OFFICE – HE DIRECTED A STARK WARNING TO THE U.S.

SAYING IF WASHINGTON STAYS ON ITS CURRENT PATH – THERE WILL BE INEVITABLE “CONFRONTATION AND CONFLICT” BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.

THE NEW FOREIGN MINISTER QIN GANG SHARES THE SAME SENTIMENTS AS CHINA’S LEADER XI JINPING – BLAMING THE U.S. FOR A DETERIORATING RELATIONSHIP.

IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE – QIN SAID QUOTE “If the U.S. side does not put on the brakes and continues down the wrong path, no amount of guardrails can stop the derailment and rollover into confrontation and conflict”

THE FOREIGN MINISTER RAISED MANY CONCERNS WITH THE U.S. – BLAMING THE U.S. FOR UNFAIR COMPETITION — SUPPRESSING CHINA’S ECONOMY — WHICH HAS STRUGGLED SINCE THE PANDEMIC.

QIN ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE U.S. SENDING INCREASED MILITARY SUPPORT TO TAIWAN — SAYING THAT WAS THE “FIRST RED LINE” IN CHINA’S RELATIONS WITH THE 

HE CRITICIZED WASHINGTON’S DECISION TO SHOOT DOWN A CHINESE SPY BALLOON AFTER IT CROSSED INTO U.S. AIRSPACE.

PERHAPS THE LATEST FRICTION COMES AFTER THE U.S. WARNED CHINA NOT TO SEND AID TO RUSSIA DURING THE WAR IN UKRAINE.

THE FOREIGN MINISTER EMPHASIZED CHINA IS NOT SENDING WEAPONS INTO THE WAR ZONE — BUT DOES HAVE A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH RUSSIA.

AND AS CHINA EMPHASIZES GOOD RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA – THERE IS A COMMON DISDAIN THERE FOR THE U.S.