Biden’s Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, was humiliated by China’s top diplomat during talks in Alaska. The event is not being covered entirely by the media.
To give you an idea of how the media is covering the event, here is a short clip from Reuters. The full transcript and video are below:
China is chastised in opening talks by Blinken for threatening the “rules of order.” Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi then delivers a 15-minute long tongue lashing about how the U.S. is a superpower in decline and no longer a global supreme leader.
Yang chastised Blinken for lecturing China on how to run their own country. U.S. polls show China’s government is popular among the Chinese. Simultaneously, “many people within the United States actually have little confidence in the democracy of the United States.”
“The wars in this world are launched by some other countries, which have resulted in massive casualties,” Yang said. “But for China, what we have asked for, for other countries, is to follow a path of peaceful development, and this is the purpose of our foreign policy. We do not believe in invading through the use of force, or to topple other regimes through various means, or to massacre the people of other countries, because all of those would only cause turmoil and instability in this world.”
WATCH:
Yang also criticized Blinken for lecturing China on human rights while the U.S abuses its own citizens.
“On human rights, we hope that the United States will do better on human rights,” Yang said. “China has made steady progress in human rights, and the fact is that there are many problems within the United States regarding human rights, which is admitted by the U.S. itself as well. The United States has also said that countries can’t rely on force in today’s world to resolve the challenges we face. And it is a failure to use various means to topple the so-called ‘authoritarian’ states. And the challenges facing the United States in human rights are deep-seated. They did not just emerge over the past four years, such as Black Lives Matter. It did not come up only recently. So we do hope that for our two countries, it’s important that we manage our respective affairs well instead of deflecting the blame on somebody else in this world.”
Yang continued: “And for China, we will manage our own affairs well, and we hope to deliver a better life for our 1.4 billion Chinese people. This is the goal of China’s diplomacy. And also, we will make our contribution to the peace and stability of the world. Since breaking the ice between our two countries in our engagement several decades ago, China and the United States have achieved a lot together. This is the result of the concerted efforts of the people with vision of both countries, and this past is a part of our achievements. Although so much has changed in this world, it is important that our two countries think about how we can work together and expand our cooperation under the new circumstances.”
“The United States itself does not represent international public opinion, and neither does the Western world. Whether judged by population-scale or the trend of the world, the Western world does not represent the global public opinion. So we hope that when talking about universal values or international public opinion on the part of the United States, we hope the U.S. side will think about whether it feels reassured in saying those things because the U.S. does not represent the world. It only represents the Government of the United States. I don’t think the overwhelming majority of countries in the world would recognize that the universal values advocated by the United States or that the opinion of the United States could represent international public opinion, and those countries would not recognize that the rules made by a small number of people would serve as the basis for the international order.”
Yang also said that “the United States does not have the qualification to say that it wants to speak to China from a position of strength.”
On Twitter, Chinese human rights activist Zhou Fengsuo said, “Yang Jiechi is being applauded as a national hero for his belligerent rant.”
“There is no doubt that he is testing the resolve of Biden administration; he used to hold his tongue with previous administrations.”
Biden said: “I’m very proud of Secretary of State” Blinken’s embarrassing performance.
The U.S. is upset by our hostile elite throwing open the borders and shipping our jobs overseas. Now we are getting trampled in world affairs.
The world can see how our fake “democracy” is fragile. The ruling “elites” are fulfilling their agenda.
All it takes to knock our clown leadership off their moral high ground is to cite their own words bashing the majority of Americans as racist devils for “oppressing” PoCs.
When the U.S. complains about the Chinese committing “genocide” against the Uyghurs, China just turns around and accuses the U.S. of pursuing a “genocide” against their majority population.
FULL TRANSCRIPT:
SECRETARY
BLINKEN: Well, good afternoon, and welcome. On behalf of National Security
Advisor Sullivan and myself, I want to welcome Director Yang and State
Councilor Wang to Alaska and to thank you very much for making the journey to
be with us.
I just returned myself from meetings with Secretary of Defense Austin and our
counterparts in Japan and the Republic of Korea, two of our nation’s closest
allies. They were very interested in the discussions that we’ll have here today
and tomorrow because the issues that we’ll raise are relevant not only to China
and the United States but to others across the region and indeed around the
world. Our administration is committed to leading with diplomacy to advance the
interests of the United States and to strengthen the rules-based international
order.
That system is not an abstraction. It helps countries resolve differences
peacefully, coordinate multilateral efforts effectively, and participate in
global commerce with the assurance that everyone is following the same rules.
The alternative to a rules-based order is a world in which might makes right
and winners take all, and that would be a far more violent and unstable world for
all of us. Today, we’ll have an opportunity to discuss key priorities, both
domestic and global, so that China can better understand our administration’s
intentions and approach.
We’ll also discuss our deep concerns with actions by China, including in
Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan, cyber attacks on the United States, and economic
coercion toward our allies. Each of these actions threaten the rules-based
order that maintains global stability. That’s why they’re not merely internal
matters and why we feel an obligation to raise these issues here today.
I said that the United States relationship with China will be competitive where
it should be, collaborative where it can be, adversarial where it must be. Our
discussions here in Alaska, I suspect, will run the gamut. Our intent is to be
direct about our concerns, direct about our priorities, with the goal of a more
clear-eyed relationship between our countries moving forward. Thank you for
being here.
And before turning to you, Mr. Director, I’d like to invite National Security
Advisor Sullivan to say a few words.
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Secretary, and welcome to
Director Yang and State Councilor Wang. It’s fitting that we’re meeting here in
Alaska. We may be far from the continental United States, but there are few
places that are as quintessentially American: big-hearted, resilient, intrepid.
This is truly a fitting place for us to host this meeting.
Secretary Blinken and I are proud of the story about America we’re able to tell
here about a country that, under President Biden’s leadership, has made major
strides to control the pandemic, to rescue our economy, and to affirm the
strength and staying power of our democracy. We’re particularly proud of the
work that we’ve done to revitalize our alliances and partnerships, the
foundation of our foreign policy. Just last week, President Biden hosted the
Quad leaders’ summit that spoke to the can-do spirit of the world’s democracies
and committed to realize the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. It is
through partnerships like these that all of us can deliver progress and
prosperity for our peoples.
Secretary Blinken laid out many of the areas of concern, from economic and
military coercion to assaults on basic values, that we’ll discuss with you
today and in the days ahead. We’ll do so frankly, directly, and with clarity.
These are the concerns that are on the minds of the American people, but it
goes beyond that. We’ve heard each of these concerns posed from around the
world – from our allies and partners to the broader international community
during the intensive consultations we’ve undertaken in the last two months.
We’ll make clear today that our overriding priority from the United States side
is to ensure that our approach in the world and our approach to China benefits
the American people and protects the interests of our allies and partners. We
do not seek conflict, but we welcome stiff competition, and we will always
stand up for our principles, for our people, and for our friends. We look
forward to discussing all of these matters with you in the hours ahead. Thank
you.
DIRECTOR YANG: (In Mandarin.)
PARTICIPANT: It’s a test for the interpreter.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: We’re going to give the translator a raise. (Laughter.)
DIRECTOR YANG: (Via interpreter) Secretary Blinken and Mr. Sullivan, the State
Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and I have come to Anchorage, the
United States, to have this strategic dialogue with the United States. We hope
that this dialogue will be a sincere and candid one. Both China and the United
States are major countries in the world, and together we shoulder important
responsibilities to the peace, stability, and development of the world and the
region. In China, we have just concluded the Lianghui or the two sessions of
the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative
Conference. During the sessions, we adopted the outline for the 14th five-year
economic and social development plan and the long-range objectives through the
year 2035.
For China, we are now in a historic year where we will move from finishing the
first centenary goal to the second centenary goal, and by the year 2035, China
will surely achieve basic modernization. And by the year 2050, China will achieve
full modernization. China has made decisive achievements and important
strategic gains in fighting COVID-19, and we have achieved a full victory in
ending absolute poverty in China. China’s per capita GDP is only one-fifth of
that of the United States, but we have managed to end absolute poverty for all
people in China. And we hope that other countries, especially the advanced
countries, will make similar efforts in this regard. And China has also made
historic achievements in building the country into a moderately prosperous one
in all respects. The Chinese people are wholly rallying around the Communist
Party of China. Our values are the same as the common values of humanity. Those
are: peace, development, fairness, justice, freedom, and democracy.
What China and the international community follow or uphold is the United
Nations-centered international system and the international order underpinned
by international law, not what is advocated by a small number of countries of
the so-called “rules-based” international order. And the United
States has its style – United States-style democracy – and China has the
Chinese-style democracy. It is not just up to the American people, but also the
people of the world to evaluate how the United States has done in advancing its
own democracy. In China’s case, after decades of reform and opening up, we have
come a long way in various fields. In particular, we have engaged in tireless
efforts to contribute to the peace and development of the world, and to
upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
The wars in this world are launched by some other countries, which have
resulted in massive casualties. But for China, what we have asked for, for
other countries, is to follow a path of peaceful development, and this is the
purpose of our foreign policy. We do not believe in invading through the use of
force, or to topple other regimes through various means, or to massacre the
people of other countries, because all of those would only cause turmoil and
instability in this world. And at the end of the day, all of those would not
serve the United States well.
So we believe that it is important for the United States to change its own
image and to stop advancing its own democracy in the rest of the world. Many
people within the United States actually have little confidence in the
democracy of the United States, and they have various views regarding the
Government of the United States. In China, according to opinion polls, the
leaders of China have the wide support of the Chinese people. So no attempt to
– the opinion polls conducted in the United States show that the leaders of
China have the support of the Chinese people. No attempt to smear China’s
social system would get anywhere. Facts have shown that such practices would
only lead the Chinese people to rally more closely around the Communist Party
of China and work steadily towards the goals that we have set for ourselves.
In 1952, China adopted its first five-year development plan, and now we are
into the first year of the 14th five-year development plan. We will continue
along this path, step by step. China’s development is not just about delivering
benefits for the people of China but also about contributing to the development
of the world in the 21st century. China and the United States are both major
countries, and both shoulder important responsibilities. We must both
contribute to the peace, stability, and development of the world in areas such
as COVID-19, restoring economic activities in the world and responding to
climate change. There are many things that we can do together and where our
interests converge.
So what we need to do is to abandon the Cold War mentality and the zero-sum
game approach. We must change the way we think and make sure that in this
century, the 21st century, countries big or small, particularly the big
countries, should come united together to contribute to the future of humanity
and build a community with a shared future for humankind. It’s also important
for all of us to come together to build a new type of international relations,
ensuring fairness, justice, and mutual respect. And on some regional issues, I
think the problem is that the United States has exercised long-arm jurisdiction
and suppression and overstretched the national security through the use of
force or financial hegemony, and this has created obstacles for normal trade
activities, and the United States has also been persuading some countries to
launch attacks on China.
And as for China, we believe, and we have handled import- and export-related
issues according to scientific and technological standards. Secretary Blinken,
you said you just came back from Japan and the ROK. Those two countries are
China’s second and the third largest trading partners. ASEAN has now become
China’s largest trading partner, overtaking the European Union and the United
States. So we do hope that the United States will develop sound relations with
all countries in the Asia-Pacific. We should have many mutual friends. This is
the right way forward in the 21st century.
On the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year, President Xi Jinping and President
Joe Biden had a phone conversation. The two presidents agreed to step up
communication, manage differences, and expand cooperation between our two countries.
We are having this dialogue today to follow up on the common understanding of
the two presidents reached during their phone conversation. And having this
dialogue is, in fact, a decision made by the two presidents. So for the people
of the two countries and the world, they’re hoping to see practical outcomes
coming out of our dialogue. And with Xinjiang, Tibet, and Taiwan, they are an
inalienable part of China’s territory. China is firmly opposed to U.S.
interference in China’s internal affairs. We have expressed our staunch
opposition to such interference, and we will take firm actions in response.
On human rights, we hope that the United States will do better on human rights.
China has made steady progress in human rights, and the fact is that there are
many problems within the United States regarding human rights, which is
admitted by the U.S. itself as well. The United States has also said that
countries can’t rely on force in today’s world to resolve the challenges we
face. And it is a failure to use various means to topple the so-called “authoritarian”
states. And the challenges facing the United States in human rights are
deep-seated. They did not just emerge over the past four years, such as Black
Lives Matter. It did not come up only recently. So we do hope that for our two
countries, it’s important that we manage our respective affairs well instead of
deflecting the blame on somebody else in this world.
And for China, we will manage our own affairs well, and we hope to deliver a
better life for our 1.4 billion Chinese people. This is the goal of China’s
diplomacy. And also, we will make our contribution to the peace and stability
of the world. Since breaking the ice between our two countries in our
engagement several decades ago, China and the United States have achieved a lot
together. This is the result of the concerted efforts of the people with vision
of both countries, and this past is a part of our achievements. Although so
much has changed in this world, it is important that our two countries think
about how we can work together and expand our cooperation under the new
circumstances.
If there is competition between our two countries, I think the competition
focuses on the economic aspect, and in this area, as I have said just now, for
frictions in our economic engagement, it is important to respond to them in a
rational way and seek win-win results. And China-U.S. trade has already
achieved a lot, and we should do even better. The overwhelming majority of
American businesses in China have said that China’s business environment is
good and nobody has forced them to stay in China. They see a profit coming from
their presence in China and they see immense opportunities in China. That’s why
they are staying in China. And I believe that for our two countries, under the
new circumstances, we need to enhance communication, properly manage our
differences, and expand our cooperation instead of engaging in confrontation.
But between our two countries, we’ve had confrontation in the past, and the result
did not serve the United States well. What did the United States gain from that
confrontation? I didn’t see any, and the only result was damages done to United
States. And China will pull through and has pulled through such confrontation.
So the way we see the relationship with the United States is as President Xi
Jinping has said – that is, we hope to see no confrontation, no conflict,
mutual respect, and win-win cooperation with the United States. And actually,
during the phone call between the presidents, President Biden himself also
talked about the importance of having no conflict or confrontation between our
two countries. So at our level, I think it’s vital that we do everything we can
to fully and faithfully follow up and implement the understandings reached
between our two presidents and bring back the China-U.S. relationship to the
track of sound and steady growth.
On cyber attacks, let me say that whether it’s the ability to launch cyber
attacks or the technologies that could be deployed, the United States is the
champion in this regard. You can’t blame this problem on somebody else.
The United States itself does not represent international public opinion, and
neither does the Western world. Whether judged by population scale or the trend
of the world, the Western world does not represent the global public opinion.
So we hope that when talking about universal values or international public
opinion on the part of the United States, we hope the U.S. side will think
about whether it feels reassured in saying those things, because the U.S. does
not represent the world. It only represents the Government of the United
States. I don’t think the overwhelming majority of countries in the world would
recognize that the universal values advocated by the United States or that the
opinion of the United States could represent international public opinion, and
those countries would not recognize that the rules made by a small number of
people would serve as the basis for the international order.
Because, Mr. Secretary and NSA Sullivan, you have delivered some quite
different opening remarks, mine will be slightly different as well.
STATE COUNCILOR WANG: (Via interpreter) Well, I will stay quite brief compared
with Director Yang. Secretary Blinken, NSA Sullivan, you have been involved in
the relationship with China for many years, so you’re also true friends for the
Chinese people. And I would say that I am pleased to meet you today, and China
– the Chinese delegation – is here at the invitation of the United States. And
as NSA Sullivan said, Anchorage is the midpoint of the air route connecting our
two countries, and it is fair to say that this place is a refueling station for
China-U.S. exchanges and also a place that China and the United States can meet
each other halfway.
And China certainly in the past has not and in the future will not accept the
unwarranted accusations from the U.S. side. In the past several years, China’s
legitimate rights and interests have come under outright suppression, plunging
the China-U.S. relationship into a period of unprecedented difficulty. This has
damaged the interests of our two peoples and taken its toll on world stability
and development, and this situation must no longer continue. China urges the
U.S. side to fully abandon the hegemonic practice of willfully interfering in
China’s internal affairs. This has been a longstanding issue, and it should be
changed. It is time for it to change. And in particular, on the 17th of March,
the United States escalated its so-called sanctions on China regarding Hong
Kong, and the Chinese people are outraged by this gross interference in China’s
internal affairs, and the Chinese side is firmly opposed to it.
Anchorage is a midpoint between China and the United States, but after all, it’s
still the United States territory, and I accept that the Chinese delegation has
come here at the invitation of the United States. However, just the other day,
before our departure, the United States passed these new sanctions. This is not
supposed to be the way one should welcome his guests, and we wonder if this is
a decision made by the United States to try to gain some advantage in dealing
with China, but certainly, this is miscalculated and only reflects the
vulnerability and weakness inside the United States. And this will not shake
China’s position or resolve on those issues.
And let me also say that the phone conversation that President Xi Jinping and
President Biden had on the eve of the Chinese New Year is a very important one,
and during this phone conversation, they agreed to some common understandings
that have pointed the way forward for us to bring back the China-U.S.
relationship onto the right track. And the international community is following
very closely our dialogue for today and tomorrow. They’re watching whether our
two sides will each demonstrate goodwill and sincerity, and they are watching
whether this dialogue will send out a positive signal to the world.
So we will be watching what will happen today and tomorrow, and if United States
is willing, I think our two sides should step up to this responsibility and
deliver on this task that we are given. I will stop here. Thank you.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you very much.
(Break.)
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Mr. Director, State Councilor, given your extended remarks,
permit me, please, to add just a few of my own before we get down to work, and
I know Mr. Sullivan may have things to say as well.
I have to tell you, in my short time as Secretary of State, I have spoken to, I
think, nearly a hundred counterparts from around the world, and I just made my
first trip, as I noted, to Japan and South Korea. I have to tell you, what I’m
hearing is very different from what you described. I’m hearing deep
satisfaction that the United States is back, that we’re re-engaged with our
allies and partners. I’m also hearing deep concern about some of the actions
your government has taken, and we’ll have an opportunity to discuss those when
we get down to work.
A hallmark of our leadership, of our engagement in the world, is our alliances
and our partnerships that have been built on a totally voluntary basis. And it
is something that President Biden is committed to reinvigorating.
And there’s one more hallmark of our leadership here at home, and that’s a
constant quest to, as we say, form a more perfect union. And that quest, by
definition, acknowledges our imperfections, acknowledges that we’re not
perfect, we make mistakes, we have reversals, we take steps back. But what we’ve
done throughout our history is to confront those challenges openly, publicly,
transparently, not trying to ignore them, not trying to pretend they don’t
exist, not trying to sweep them under a rug. And sometimes it’s painful,
sometimes it’s ugly, but each and every time, we have come out stronger,
better, more united as a country.
I recall well when President Biden was vice president, and we were visiting
China. This was in the wake of the financial crisis. There was much discussion
then, including with then-Vice President Xi Jinping. And Vice President Biden
at the time said it’s never a good bet to bet against America, and it’s true
today.
STAFF: Thank you, press.
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SULLIVAN: Just briefly, to add to what Secretary
Blinken has said – because I was actually going to make the same point without
us even consulting – a confident country is able to look hard at its own
shortcomings and constantly seek to improve. And that is the secret sauce of
America.
The other secret sauce of America is that our people are a problem-solving
people, and we believe we solve problems best when we work together with allies
and partners around the world.
Just a couple of weeks ago, the United States landed another rover on Mars, and
it wasn’t just an American project. It had technology from multiple countries
from Europe and other parts of the world. It is also going to leave behind a
collection of material for Mars that the United States and Europe will build a
device that can fly there to pick it up and bring it back.
That is what can be accomplished by a country that is constantly reinventing
itself, working closely with others, and seeking constantly to produce the kind
of progress that benefits all of us and is rooted in a concept of human dignity
and human rights that is truly universal that every man, woman, and child in
this world aspires to.
So we will look forward to the conversation today, but I do hope this
conversation will be one carried out with confidence on both sides. So it’s not
lectures or long, winding statements; it’s the opportunity for us to explain
where we’re coming from, to hear where you are coming from, and to indicate, at
bottom, what our principles, our priorities, and our long-term strategies are.
That’s what we hope for in the dialogue that lies ahead, that is the spirit
with which we approach this, and we look forward to continuing the discussion
today. Thank you, everybody.
STAFF: Thank you very much, everyone.
(Break.)
QUESTION: (Off-mike.)
DIRECTOR YANG: (Via interpreter) Well, it was my bad. When I entered this room,
I should have reminded the U.S. side of paying attention to its tone in our
respective opening remarks, but I didn’t.
The Chinese side felt compelled to make this speech because of the tone of the
U.S. side.
Well, isn’t this the intention of United States, judging from what – or the way
that you have made your opening remarks, that it wants to speak to China in a
condescending way from a position of strength?
So was this carefully all planned, and was it carefully orchestrated with all
the preparations in place? Is that the way that you had hoped to conduct this
dialogue?
Well, I think we thought too well of the United States. We thought that the
U.S. side will follow the necessary diplomatic protocols. So for China, it was
necessary that we made our position clear.
So let me say here that, in front of the Chinese side, the United States does
not have the qualification to say that it wants to speak to China from a
position of strength. The U.S. side was not even qualified to say such things
even 20 years or 30 years back because this is not the way to deal with the
Chinese people. If the United States wants to deal properly with the Chinese
side, then let’s follow the necessary protocols and do things the right way.
Cooperation benefits both sides. In particular, this is the expectation of the
people of the world. Well, the American people are certainly a great people,
but so are the Chinese people. So have the Chinese people not suffered enough
in the past from the foreign countries? Well, at times, I have not been sure
since China started being encircled by the foreign countries.
Well, as long as China’s system is right with the wisdom of the Chinese people,
there is no way to strangle China. Our history will show that one can only
cause damages to himself if he wants to strangle or suppress the Chinese
people.
While the United States has talked about its cooperation to land on some other
planet with the European side well, China would welcome it if there is a will
to carry out similar cooperation from the United States with us.
I’ll stop here. Would the State Councilor wish to add?
STATE COUNCILOR WANG: (Via interpreter) Secretary Blinken and NSA Sullivan, you
mentioned that during your engagements and the visit that Mr. Secretary had
just recently, the two countries you visited mentioned coercion from China. We
don’t know if this is a direct complaint coming from those countries that you
visited, or is it just the United States’ own view?
Well, I think for those relationships, it brings in China’s relationship with
the United States, with Japan, and with Australia. I don’t think we could know
from all being together because for all of those instances, they each have
their own set of issues, and different positions are involved. So to accuse
China of coercion even before sharing the relevant views with China, is this
the right act to do? Of course not.
If the United States would indiscriminately protest and speak up for those
countries just because they are your allies or partners, we believe for the
long term (inaudible), then it will be very difficult for international
relations to develop properly. So we don’t think one should be so testy as to
accuse some other country of coercion. Who is coercing whom? I think history
and the international community will come to their own conclusions.
But if the United States is interested in having those discussions with China,
then we are ready to have those discussions with the U.S. side, but based on
mutual respect so that we can increase our mutual understanding on those
issues.