Q: It’s reported that in his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue on May 31, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth repeatedly warned of the so-called “threat” China poses and made negative comments on Taiwan, the South China Sea and so on. What’s China’s comment?
A: Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a “threat.” The remarks were filled with provocations and intended to sow discord. China deplores and firmly opposes them and has protested strongly to the U.S.
No country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the U.S. itself, who is also the primary factor undermining the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific. To perpetuate its hegemony and advance the so-called “Indo-Pacific strategy,” the U.S. has deployed offensive weaponry in the South China Sea and kept stoking flames and creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific, which are turning the region into a powder keg and making countries in the region deeply concerned.
The Taiwan question is entirely China’s internal affair. No country is in a position to interfere. The U.S. should never imagine it could use the Taiwan question as leverage against China. The U.S. must never play with fire on this question. China urges the U.S. to fully abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, and stop supporting and emboldening the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. On the South China Sea, there has never been any problem with regard to freedom of navigation and overflight there. China has always been committed to working with countries concerned to properly handle differences through dialogue and consultation, while safeguarding China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with laws and regulations. It is the U.S. who is the primary factor that is hurting the peace and stability in the South China Sea. Läs artikel