No meddling in internal affairs: Xi to US

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday hit out at the US, saying there should be no “bossing” and “meddling” in the internal affairs of other countries as Beijing is increasingly coming under pressure from Washington and its allies over issues of human rights violations, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

"Bossing others around or meddling in others' internal affairs would not get one any support. We must advocate peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, which are common values of humanity, and encourage exchanges and mutual learning among civilisations to promote the progress of human civilization," Xi said, without directly referring to the US. “What we need in today's world is justice, not hegemony," he said addressing the annual Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), a China promoted influential think tank based in Hainan via video link. "Big countries should behave in a manner befitting to their status and with a greater sense of responsibility," he said.

His snide remark against Washington came as US President Joe Biden vigorously pursued a strong China containment policy initiated by his predecessor by Donald Trump.

Biden united US allies like the UK, the EU and Japan over his China policy. He also held the first quadrilateral summit of the emerging alliance called Quad which included US, Australia, Japan and India. The US, the European Union, Britain and Canada have imposed coordinated sanctions on China over alleged human rights violations against Uygur Muslims in Xinjiang, a charge Beijing denied. These countries have also taken united position on China firming up its control over Hong Kong with its new national security law subduing the massive pro-democracy agitation in the former British colony.

Those who attended BFA meeting included Apple's CEO Tim Cook, Tesla's Elon Musk, Blackstone's Stephen Schwarzman and Bridgewater's Ray Dalio, South China Morning Post reported. Xi, in his address, also called on all countries in Asia and beyond to answer the "call of our times," defeat the pandemic through solidarity, strengthen global governance, and keep pursuing a community with a shared future for mankind.