China warns US against imposing democratic ideals

BEIJING • China yesterday warned the United States against imposing its democratic ideals on others, while criticising trade sanctions and military moves in Beijing's backyard, just hours after President Joe Biden's speech on American geopolitical priorities.

The remarks came after Mr Biden's first address to Congress on Wednesday, in which the US leader placed a renewed focus on diplomacy and said the country was in competition with China and others to win the 21st century.

Mr Biden added that "autocrats think democracies can't compete", while saying that the US welcomes competition and is not looking for conflict.

Asked about the speech, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said it was normal for the US and China to compete in some areas. "But this kind of competition should be a track and field race, not a duel to the death," he said at a regular press briefing.

Mr Wang also warned that "forcing other countries to accept one's democratic system... will only create divisions, intensify tension, and undermine stability".

In his speech, President Biden also said the US would stand up to unfair trade practices such as subsidies for state-owned enterprises and intellectual property theft.

But China lashed out a day later at the US for "violating the market principle of fair competition" and "politicising" issues such as the economy, trade and technology, in reference to the trade war between both countries in recent years.

"China is committed to developing a relationship with the US based on non-conflict and non-confrontation," Mr Wang said.

While Mr Biden said he had told Chinese President Xi Jinping the US would maintain a strong military presence in the Indo-Pacific to prevent conflict - just as it did with Nato in Europe - China highlighted issues with US deployments in the region.

China's Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian added in a separate statement yesterday that, since the inauguration of the current US government, the frequency of American warships sent to China's maritime territory had risen by 20 per cent from last year.

The frequency of reconnaissance aircraft activity in the region also increased by 40 per cent, Mr Wu added, saying that China "resolutely opposes this".

"The US frequently sends warships and planes to carry out activities in maritime waters and airspace near China, advancing regional militarisation and threatening regional peace and stability," he said.

The US Navy had earlier this month taken the rare step of publishing a photo on its main website of an American guided missile destroyer, the USS Mustin, watching China's Liaoning aircraft carrier carry out an exercise.

Mr Wu said the USS Mustin had interfered with the Chinese exercise and threatened the freedom of navigation of both vessels and the safety of their crews.

He said Chinese Navy ships warned away the Mustin and that Beijing had lodged a formal complaint to Washington over the matter. "The aircraft carrier is no 'homebody'. It will routinely train in seas further from its shore."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS