Wang Yi slams US for 'erroneous perception' of China, says some nations are at table while others are 'menu'

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi on Thursday (Mar 7) slammed the United States for holding on to wrong perceptions of China. While speaking at a conference on the sidelines of an annual parliament meeting in Beijing, Wang said that the US has yet to fulfil its "promises".

He talked about the gaps despite agreeing that some progress has been made since US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met last November — a meeting that was aimed at better ties between the two nations.

Wang accused the US of trying to suppress China and said that exchanges between both countries can only continue if both sides respect and recognise their differences. He said that it is "unacceptable" that certain countries are at the table while others are "on the menu".

The minister called out the American policy of imposing sanctions on Chinese companies to a "bewildering" and "unfathomable" level.

"It has to be pointed out that the US side's erroneous perception of China continues, and the promises it has made have not really been fulfilled," Wang said at the National People's Congress.

"The methods of suppressing China are constantly being renewed, and the list of unilateral sanctions is constantly being extended," he added.

Wang said that the "crimes" the US wanted to add to the list China had supposedly committed "have reached an unbelievable level".

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China-Russia ties

He admitted that ties with the US were "critical", but he also vowed that relations with Russiawould be strengthened and deepened in the coming months.

He said China is willing to work with Russia to foster newcooperation and consolidate friendship. China and Russia had declared a "no limits" partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing just days before he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine, triggering the deadliest land war in Europe since World War II.

Wang praised the "strategic guidance" between Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin as he underlined that the bilateral trade hit a record $240bn last year.

Wang also announced an expansion of its visa-free travel scheme, saying that China will offer visa-free travel to nationals from Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg from March 14.

China currently has a mutual visa waiver agreement with 22 countries, including most recently Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.

(With inputs from agencies)