Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has accused the United States of employing devastating tactics in an attempt to suppress China. These methods include adding Chinese companies to a sanctions list as tensions between the two nations escalate.
According to Yahoo News, Yi stated during the annual meeting of China's legislature, "If the U.S. always says one thing and does another, where is its credibility as a major power? If the U.S. gets nervous and anxious when it hears the word ‘China,’ where is its confidence as a major power? If the U.S. is obsessed with suppressing China, it will eventually harm itself." Wang Yi assumed his role as foreign minister in the summer of 2023 after his predecessor was dismissed from the position without cause. He attributes escalating tensions in the South China Sea to US support for Taiwan's continued independence.
Taiwanese voters recently elected Lai Ching-te as president of their self-governing island, a move that has increased Beijing's resolve to claim Taiwan as part of its territory. Ching-te is a member of the pro-sovereignty Democratic Progressive Party, which advocates for Taiwanese independence. While China asserts it will strive for peaceful reunification with Taiwan, it also threatens to use any means necessary to reclaim the island and warns that supporters of Taiwanese independence will face consequences.
Yi acknowledged that while relations between China and the United States are crucial, China's primary focus over the coming months will be on strengthening ties with Russia. According to The Guardian, bilateral trade between Russia and China exceeded $240 billion last year - a record high for a single year. This surge can be partially attributed to an unrestricted friendship pact declared by China and Russia in February 2022 - just prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In fact, Chinese exports to Russia saw an increase of 54% in 2023 compared to 2022 figures, with nearly 850,000 vehicles manufactured by China sold to Russia last year.
