China slams Biden, Ardern on Xinjiang, HK, Taiwan remarks
After he was urged to explain by his own independent ethics adviser how he believed
that the partygate fine issued to him by Scotland Yard did not breach the country’s
ministerial code
BEIJING: China’s foreign ministry on Wednesday slammed a joint statement by the leaders of the US and New Zealand that expressed “grave concerns” on human rights violations in Xinjiang and the erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong.
Their joint statement smears China and gravely interferes in China’s internal affairs, said Zhao Lijian, a spokesman at the Chinese foreign ministry.
In their statement, US President Joe Biden and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also said they would encourage the peaceful resolution of crossStrait issues.
Taiwan, Xinjiang and Hong Kong are China’s internal affairs, Zhao said at a regular news conference. Separately, the Chinese military said on Wednesday it had conducted a combat “readiness patrol” in the seas and airspace around Taiwan in recent days, saying it was a necessary action to respond to “collusion” between Washington and Taipei.
China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up its military manoeuvres around the island over the past two years or so, as it seeks to pressure Taipei to accept its sovereignty claims.
China has been particularly unhappy with US support for Taiwan.
Biden also angered China last week by appearing to signal a change in an American policy of “strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan by saying the US would become involved militarily if China were to attack the island. US officials said there had been no change in policy.
In a statement, the People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theatre Command said the combat “readiness patrol” had happened around Taiwan in recent days and was “a necessary action against US-Taiwan collusion”.
“Recently, the United States has frequently made moves on the Taiwan issue, saying one thing and doing another, instigating support for Taiwan independence forces, which will push Taiwan into a dangerous situation,” the command added.
Taiwan is part of China and Chinese troops continue to strengthen military training and preparations to “thwart” interference from external forces and actions by those who support Taiwan independence, it said.