US must stop China ‘slander’
Beijing – China demanded the United States “dispel obstacles” to improving military ties and stop slandering it, amid growing tensions over trade, Taiwan, the South China Sea and US President Donald Trump’s claims of China meddling in the upcoming US election.
Trump accused China of seeking to interfere in the November 6 US congressional elections, saying Beijing did not want him or his Republican Party to do well because of his stance on trade.
The two countries are already embroiled in an acrimonious trade war and have continued to butt heads over a list of sensitive issues, including the disputed South China Sea and self-ruled Taiwan, armed by Washington but claimed by Beijing.
On Saturday, China summoned the US ambassador in Beijing and postponed joint military talks to protest Washington’s decision to sanction a Chinese military agency and its director for buying Russian fighter jets and a surface-toair missile system.
Defence ministry spokesperson Ren Guoqiang told a monthly briefing the US should take steps to improve military relations and expressed China’s firm opposition to “provocative” US air force flights over the South China Sea, after US B-52s flew in the vicinity of the waterway this week.
He even hinted a planned visit to the US later this year for Defence Minister Wei Fenghe could be in doubt.
“The United States is to blame for the present problem, so the US must immediately correct its mistakes and withdraw the so-called sanctions to dispel obstacles that interfere in the healthy development of relations between the two militaries,” Ren said, when asked about Wei’s trip.
Beijing has also denied a request for a US warship to visit Hong Kong, the US consulate in the Chinese city said on Tuesday. Ren said he had no further information on that.
Adding fuel to the flames, China was angered this week when the US approved the sale of spare parts for F-16 fighter planes and other military aircraft worth up to $330 million (R4.6 billion) to Taiwan, which China considers a wayward province.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang reiterated a denial of Trump’s accusation that Beijing is trying to influence the US elections.
“We advise the US to stop this unceasing criticism and slander of China,” Geng said.