China attacks US on riots, Hong Kong, WHO stance
on Monday fired a salvo of criticism against the US, threatening Washington with “firm countermeasures” if it harms Chinese interests in Hong Kong, saying America is “addicted to quitting” because of President Donald Trump’s decision to leave the World Health Organization (WHO).
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, referring to the protests and riots in the US over George Floyd’s death, said racial discrimination is a long-standing problem in the country and Beijing hoped Washington would take necessary measures to deal with the violent law enforcement of police in order to protect the interests of racial minorities.
Black lives matter and their human rights should be protected, he said.
Ties between the two nations have increasingly soured in recent times over several issues, including the actual origin of the coronavirus, arms sale to Taiwan and a dispute over trade. On Trump’s announcement that the US would leave the WHO, Zhao said the “US has become addicted to quitting groups and scrapping treaties”. Trump announced on Friday the US would cut ties with the WHO,, accusing the UN body of becoming a puppet of China.
On Hong Kong, Zhao said any move by the US to harm Chinese interests will be met with firm countermeasures, questioning Washington’s decision to end the special treatment for Hong Kong as well as actions against Chinese students and companies. “The announced measures severely interfere with China’s internal affairs, damage Us-china relations, and will harm both sides. China is firmly opposed to this,” Zhao said at a briefing on Monday. “Any words or actions by the US that harm China’s interests will meet with China’s firm counterattack.”
Earlier, the Hong Kong government was quoted in reports as warning the US to keep out of the national security debate.
China is engaged in diplomatic disputes on numerous fronts, from acrimony with the United States to a backlash over its clampdown on Hong Kong, a border dispute with India and criticism over its handling of the novel coronavirus.
It has also been criticised over its treatment of ethnic Uighur Muslims in its western Xinjiang region.