Beijing has erupted with rage over criticism of its military build-up and human rights abuses, saying the West owes it a “blood debt”.
China is furious about criticism levelled at it by G7 nations and has lashed out in response. Picture: Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images
Beijing has exploded at the West with a blistering attack on G7 nations, including the United States, and vowing to seek a “blood debt” from NATO.
China has been the subject of condemnation for days by attendees of the summit over its human rights abuses, anti-democracy efforts, territorial incursions, trade wars and military build-up.
That criticism culminated in a pointed communique at the event’s conclusion in Britain on Sunday and came just days before a similarly strong-worded statement from NATO following its meeting.
Both did not go unnoticed.
“The US is ill and very ill indeed,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters at a media conference overnight.
“The G7 had better take its pulse and come up with a prescription.”
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China isn’t pleased about the G7 meeting, which saw the world’s most powerful leaders gather. Picture: AFPSource:AFP
Mr Zhao added that the outcome of the summit “exposes the bad intentions of the US and a few others to create confrontation and estrangement and expand differences and disagreements.”
Later, he took to Twitter to continue his rant and attacked the G7, accusing it of practising “block politics for the interests of a few, ideology-based suppression and blame-shifting.”
He attacked America’s record on child labour and human trafficking and also savaged the treatment of a retired Pentagon official, who is now in hot water for penning opinion pieces for Chinese state-run media.
China owed a ‘debt of blood’
At his media conference, Mr Zhao hit out at the NATO statement. The group, a Cold War-era military alliance of 30 North Atlantic nations with the US, has failed in its duties, he said.
“It is up to its neck in debt morally and has brought wars and instability to the world many times,” he said.
“The international community will not forget the 78 days of indiscriminate bombing of Yugoslavia by NATO without the approval of the UN.”
But he went a step further on Twitter, repeating that statement but adding: “It owes Chinese people a debt of blood for bombing Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia.”
Beijing hit back strongly after the G7 and NATO communiques. Picture: Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images
Beijing’s attacks on the US mark a new low in relations, which have slumped since President Joe Biden took office.
Mr Biden spent his time at the G7 rallying world leaders to join America in taking a tougher stance on China’s activities, particularly its increased militarisation.
An item most upsetting to Beijing in the communique was likely the call for an independent investigation into the origins of coronavirus – a request from Australia that sparked China’s trade war.
After the release of NATO’s statement, the group’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he was “concerned by China’s coercive policies, which stand in contrast to the fundamental values enshrined in the Washington Treaty.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said NATO owes the country a “debt of blood”. Picture: ReutersSource:Reuters
Beijing’s military co-operation with Russia, among other things, was one of the chief causes for concern.
On Twitter, Mr Zhao commented specifically on that criticism.
“We have full confidence in the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of co-operation in the new era, which enjoys all-round (and) all-weather growth that has no ceiling limit (and) delivers benefits to 2 peoples,” he wrote.
“Those seeking to drive a wedge between China (and) Russia need to know that gold fears no fire (and) any attempt to undermine China-Russia relations is doomed to fail.”