Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian on Sunday lambasted the recent remarks made by United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, saying it was “in total defiance of the facts.”
This comes after Blinken said that the countermeasures taken by China on the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan was irresponsible.
Huang stressed that Blinken’s remarks accused China of overreacting and using it as a pretext to change the status quo over Taiwan Strait and destabilizing the region.
“Such remarks are in total defiance of the facts, attempting to confuse right with wrong and shift the blame on China, which again underscores the US’s bullying, highhandedness and hegemony. In view of his misinformation and smear words, it is necessary to get the facts out and set the record straight,” Huang said.
The Chinese envoy added that Pelosi’s move seriously violates the One-China policy, where it maliciously infringes China’s sovereignty and undermines peace and stability across Taiwan Strait, and sends a wrong signal to Taiwan’s separatist forces for “Taiwan Independence.”
He also said that the Chinese government has every right to justify its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“The Chinese government has every right to do whatever is necessary and justified to resolutely uphold our sovereignty and territorial integrity. China has acted in legitimate self-defense only after the US made this egregious provocation,” Huang said.
“Since April, China had repeatedly warned the US through various channels of the grave nature and severe harm of this visit and made it clear that all consequences arising therefrom should be borne by the US side,” he added.
He reiterated that China’s countermeasures are completely just, legitimate and proportionate, saying it is necessary as warning to the provocateurs and as legitimate steps to uphold their sovereignty and security.
Huang also accused the United States of ganging up for confrontation and creating division, where its “Indo-Pacific Strategy,” as well as the Quad and AUKUS aims to create small circles to contain China.
“At the critical time of fighting Covid-19 and promoting economic recovery in the region, the US is not lending a helping hand. Instead, it is ganging up for confrontation and creating division. In recent years, the US has been promoting the so-called “Indo-Pacific Strategy” by strengthening the Five Eyes, peddling the Quad and piecing together AUKUS, all aiming to create small circles to contain China,” Huang said.
On Saturday, Blinken cautioned China that any attack on Filipino assets or armed forces in the South China Sea would result in that country’s obligations under the Mutual Defense Treaty. This warning came during a press conference.
“I reiterated our ironclad commitment to the US-PH Mutual Defense Treaty and reaffirmed that an armed attack on Philippines’ armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the South China Sea would invoke US’ mutual defense commitments under that treaty,” Blinken said.
According to recent reports from USAID and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the worth of fish illegally captured in Philippine waters is estimated to be P63 billion annually, according to the US Embassy’s statement from the previous year.
After Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan — which clearly infuriated Beijing — Blinken further chastised China for its ongoing aggression in the Taiwan Strait, which is a vital international trade route.