The Chinese ambassador to the U.S. warned that China will retaliate if the U.S. issues more restrictions on technology and trade. Ambassador Xie Feng said that while China does not want a trade war…

The Chinese ambassador to the U.S. warned that China will retaliate if the U.S. issues more restrictions on technology and trade.

Ambassador Xie Feng said that while China does not want a trade war with the United States, it will take action if the U.S. further restricts trade. His comments at the Aspen Security Forum on Wednesday come as tensions remain rocky between China and the U.S. over a suspected Chinese spy balloon that flew over the U.S. earlier this year, as well as sanctions on trade and technology.

“China does not shy away from competition, but the definition of competition by the U.S. side I think is not fair,” Xie said. “The United States is trying to win by keeping China out.”

“This is like restricting the other side to wear outdated swimwear in a swimming contest while you yourself (are) wearing a Speedo,” he added.

When asked whether China will match the U.S with restrictions, he said that is not their hope.

Earlier this month, China restricted exports of high-tech metals gallium and germanium, which are two substances used in computer chips and solar cells. The move was largely seen as a protest against the U.S. sanctions on microchips.

“Definitely it’s not our hope to have a tit for tat,” Xie said. “We don’t want a trade war, technological war. We want to say goodbye to the Iron Curtain, as well as the Silicon Curtain.”

He reiterated that the “world is big enough” for both the U.S. and China to succeed, adding that China is “eager” to have a “stable, healthy relationship” with the U.S.

He said improvements could include increasing the number of flights between China and the U.S. and looking into renewing the countries’ science and technology cooperation agreement.

  • jaykstah@waveform.socialEnglish
    73·
    1 year ago

    Maybe if this was a completely isolated situation it makes more sense but it seems hypocritical to say something like this while their government is actively bolstering the great firewall to prevent Chinese citizens from accessing stuff the rest of the world has access to

    • VariousWorldViews@lemmy.worldEnglish
      66·
      1 year ago

      How is this great firewall isolationist policy different from what other countries are doing with immigrants?

      It’s an isolationist policy, one that does not put Mexicans in concentration camps.

      • jaykstah@waveform.socialEnglish
        21·
        1 year ago

        I’m not here to debate you on how the great firewall compares to what other countries do, I wasn’t saying anything like that

        The part I was pointing out is that it’s hypocritical, in my opinion, for a government (China) to act like there’s some injustice being done to them by countries like the USA putting sanctions on them when they are currently voluntarily cutting their population off from the world.

        They’re saying they want to collaborate while at the same time preventing their own citizens from accessing many western websites and services.

        • VariousWorldViews@lemmy.worldEnglish
          24·
          1 year ago

          No, it isn’t. I was using an example to explain my definition of China’s firewall. It would have been whataboutism if I left the argument entirely solely to mention how the US is keeping Mexican immigrants in concentration camps.