BEIJING (XINHUA, BLOOMBERG) - China is on a long march to modernisation and it is not trying to supplant the United States' role in global affairs, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday (March 8).
He stressed that the path taken by China "is different from that by other traditional powers".
Wang made the remarks on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress.
"Some people in the United States believe that China is overtaking the role of the US in international affairs. This is a fundamental strategic misjudgment," Wang said.
"If you say there is competition between China and the US, this should be positive competition and this is normal in international relations."
The foreign minister said Beijing was committed to peaceful development, and greater cooperation was needed to address issues like trade and North Korea.
"Although the 'China Threat Theory' has now been reprinted, it's even less persuasive because facts speak louder than words," Wang said, citing China's economic growth and contributions to world peace at the United Nations.
"As long as we don't look with prejudice or double standards, what we can see is not a threat but fulsome opportunities. The so-called 'China Threat Theory' can be laid to rest."
Wang's remarks came as the latest US national security and defence strategy listed China as a "strategic rival" and called for a strong economic, military and technological response to confront it.
