China asks US to halt support for “separatist forces” in Tibet, HK, Xinjiang

By Choekyi Lhamo

DHARAMSHALA, Feb. 22: China on Monday urged US to stop “smearing” the Community Party of China (CPC) and its one-party system, adding that it should lift sanctions on trade and halt support for “separatist forces” in Tibet, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Taiwan. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during his annual speech at Lanting Forum that the Biden administration should shift its hardliner policy pursued by former President Donald Trump towards Beijing.

The spokesperson said that China had no intention to challenge or replace the United States, “We hope the United States will respect China’s core interests, national dignity, and rights to development. We urge the United States to stop smearing the CPC and China’s political system, stop conniving at or even supporting the erroneous words and actions of separatist forces for ‘Taiwan independence’, and stop undermining China’s sovereignty and security on internal affairs concerning Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet.”

Wang hoped that the US will “adjust” its policies as soon as possible and remove “unreasonable tariffs on Chinese goods, lift its unilateral sanctions on Chinese companies and research and educational institutes, and abandon irrational suppression of China”. US President Joe Biden spoke to Chinese president Xi Jinping on his first phone call on Feb. 11, noting that there would be “repercussions” for Chinese human rights abuses.

US President on Wednesday in a CNN town hall discussion said that he stressed to President Xi that the country would continue its support for human rights on the world stage, “We must speak up for human rights. It’s who we are . . . There will be repercussions for China, and [Xi] knows that.” Ahead of his call with Xi, he announced a new Defence Department task force aimed at assessing the US military’s China strategy.

Wang in his speech also said that it is important to step-up dialogue and effectively manage the differences between the two, “Given the differences between our two countries in the social system, development stage, history and culture, it is natural for us to have disagreements. What is crucial is to enhance mutual understanding through dialogue and not allow our relations to be defined by disagreements.”

He also stressed that both sides should act in the fundamental interests of the people and take a “forward-looking, open-minded, and inclusive attitude” to establish dialogue at various levels. “China is, as always, open to dialogue. We stand ready to have candid communication with the U.S. side, and engage in dialogues aimed at solving problems,” he further remarked.