China on Tuesday urged the US to “abandon its Cold War mentality and zero-sum game concept” after President Donald Trump labelled Beijing as a challenge to American power in a new document outlining his administration’s National Security Strategy.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying warned Washington that failure to do so “would only harm itself as well as others”.
“China will resolutely safeguard its sovereignty, security and right to develop,” she said. “No one should have the fantasy of expecting China to swallow the bitter fruit of harming its own interests.”
On Monday, Trump described China a “rival power” seeking to “challenge American influence, values and wealth”.
The new document outlining his presidency’s security strategy went even further as it called both China and Russia as “revisionist powers” who want “to shape a world antithetical to US values and interests”.
The US President’s security plan contrasts with the friendly nature of his first state visit to China in November when he received a lavish welcome.
His relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping appeared to be at an all time high that time with both lauding each others’ achievements and Trump saying he didn’t blame Beijing for “taking advantage” of previous US administrations.