Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang press conference on the sidelines of the two sessions.
Q&A format, both Chinese and foreign reporters present.
This marks Qin’s first appearance on the two sessions since he took office three months ago.
- We resolutely oppose all forms of hegemony, cold war mentality
- We resolutely defend national sovereignty and security
- We oppose decoupling and unilateral sanctions
The comments come following Chinese President Xi Jinping's confrontational remarks on Monday that are being read as heightening the prospects of a further US-China Cold War:
- "Western countries—led by the U.S.—have implemented all-round containment, encirclement and suppression against us, bringing unprecedentedly severe challenges to our country’s development”
This is a departure for Xi who is usually circumspect and very limited indeed with comments critical of the US in public. He doesn't refrain in private, of course, he has been harsh in internal speeches.
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Looks like we are living in interesting times folks.
