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WORLD NEWS Thursday 9 March 2023

Xi accuses U.S. of trying to block China’s development

By JOE McDONALD
BEIJING (AP) — Is the Unit-
ed States out to sabotage
China? Chinese leaders
think so.
President Xi Jinping ac-
cused Washington this
week of trying to isolate his
country and hold back its
development. That reflects
the ruling Communist Par-
ty’s growing frustration that
its pursuit of prosperity and
global influence is threat-
ened by U.S. restrictions on
access to technology, its
support for Taiwan and oth-
er moves seen by Beijing as
hostile.
Xi, China’s most powerful
leader in decades, tries to
appear to be above prob-
lems and usually makes U.S. President Joe Biden, right, stands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a meeting on the
blandly positive public sidelines of the G20 summit meeting on Nov. 14, 2022, in Bali, Indonesia. Associated Press
comments. That made
his complaint Monday all ficials see them as threats. Shi Yinhong, an interna- Quad, with Japan, Austra-
the more striking. Xi said a They say Chinese develop- tional relations specialist at lia and India in response
U.S.-led campaign of “con- ment plans are based at Renmin University in Beijing. to concern about China
tainment and suppression” least in part on stealing or He noted that in the five and its claim to vast tracts
of China has “brought un- pressuring foreign compa- months since then, Wash- of sea that are busy ship-
precedented, severe chal- nies to hand over technol- ington approved more ping lanes. They insist the
lenges.” He called on the ogy. Some warn Chinese weapons sales to Taiwan, group doesn’t focus on
public to “dare to fight.” competition might erode criticized Beijing’s stance any one country, but its of-
On Tuesday, Foreign Min- U.S. industrial dominance on Ukraine and put more ficial statements are about
ister Qin Gang sharpened and incomes. Chinese companies on ex- territorial claims and other
the warning, saying Wash- Washington has set back port watchlists, all of which issues on which they have
ington faces possible “con- Beijing’s plans by putting China saw as hostile. disputes with Beijing.
flict and confrontation” if it Chinese companies in- Xi and Qin spoke in a “dra- The latest change in tone
fails to change course. cluding its first global tech matic way” this week, but follows acrimonious ex-
“The foreign minister is brand, Huawei, on a black- “the essence of what they changes over a Chinese
speaking on behalf of a list that limits access to said is China’s long-term balloon that was shot down
widely held view that the processor chips and other stance,” Shi said. The lead- after passing over North
United States is coming af- technology. That crippled ership believes “the United America. Its electronics
ter China and they have to Huawei’s smartphone States has implemented al- and other equipment are
defend themselves,” said brand, once one of the most all around, drastic and being examined by the FBI.
John Delury, an interna- world’s biggest. American desperate containment of Qin, the foreign minister is
tional relations specialist at officials are lobbying Eu- China in all respects, espe- “trying to position China as
Yonsei University in Seoul. ropean and other allies to cially in strategic and mili- a global force for modera-
China is hardly the only avoid Huawei equipment tary fields.” tion and for peace” in front
government to fume at when they upgrade phone “The risk of military conflict of foreign audiences and
Washington’s dominance networks. Washington cites between China and the say “it’s the Americans who
of global strategic and security fears, but Beijing United States is getting big- are blowing things out of
economic affairs. But Chi- says that is an excuse to ger,” Shi said. A State De- proportion,” Delury said.
nese leaders see the Unit- hurt its fledgling competi- partment spokesperson, Xi’s government is espe-
ed States as making extra tors. The two governments Ned Price, said Washing- cially irritated by displays of
effort to thwart Beijing as a have the world’s biggest ton wants to “coexist re- support by American and
challenger for regional and trading relationship and sponsibly” within the global other Western legislators
possibly global leadership. common interests in com- trade and political system for Taiwan, which split with
The ruling party wants to bating climate change and denied the U.S. gov- China in 1949 after a civil
restore China’s historic role and other problems. But ernment wants to suppress war.
as a political and cultural relations are strained over China. “This is not about Taiwan never has been
leader, raise incomes by Taiwan, Beijing’s treatment containing China. This is not part of the People’s Repub-
transforming the country of Hong Kong and mostly about suppressing China. lic of China, but the Com-
into an inventor of technol- Muslim ethnic minorities, This is not about holding munist Party says the island
ogy, and unite what it con- and its refusal to criticize or China back,” Price said of 22 million people must
siders the Chinese mother- isolate Russia for its invasion in Washington. “We want unite with the mainland, by
land by taking control of of Ukraine. to have that constructive force if necessary.
Taiwan, the self-ruled island The official Chinese view competition that is fair” Washington is obligated
democracy that Beijing has soured following an and “doesn’t veer into that by federal law to see that
claims as part of its territory. uptick when Xi met U.S. conflict.” Taiwan has the weapons to
Beijing sees those as posi- President Joe Biden in No- The United States formed defend itself and has sold it
tive goals, but American of- vember in Indonesia, said a strategic group, the fighter jets and missiles.q