Beijing warns of ‘catastrophic consequences’ for US and its allies

Xi Jinping and his Foreign Minister have accused America and its allies of waging ‘all-round containment’ on China.

Foreign Minister Qin Gang holds a copy of China's constitution during a press conference in Beijing. Picture: Getty Images.

Xi Jinping and his Foreign Minister have accused America and its allies of waging “all-round containment” on China, warning of “catastrophic consequences” unless Washington “hits the brakes” in its approach to Beijing.

Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Tuesday used a podium at China’s most high profile annual political meeting to accuse the US of precipitating a crisis.

“If the United States does not hit the brakes, and continues on the wrong path, there will surely be conflict and confrontation,” Mr Qin said at the National People’s Congress. “Who will bear the catastrophic consequences?”

He later read from a copy of China’s constitution to assert that Taiwan was part of the “motherland” and warned against foreign interference in China’s “internal affairs” and the “core of its core interests”. After insisting Beijing wanted to take control of Taiwan peacefully, Mr Qin warned that China “reserves the right to take all necessary measures”.

He was speaking hours after it was reported that Taiwan’s President, Tsai Ing-wen, was planning to meet US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in April in California ­instead of Taipei. Ms Tsai intends to transit through California on her way to Guatemala and Belize, two countries that have official ­relations with Taiwan.

A visit to Taiwan by then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last August was followed by a furious demonstration by China’s People’s Liberation Army. Some sources in Taipei have been concerned that Beijing would respond even more belligerently to a visit by Mr McCarthy.

China’s Foreign Minister spoke after the publication of unusually frank criticism by Mr Xi of Washington. “Western countries – led by the US – have implemented all-round containment, encirclement and suppression against us, bringing unprecedentedly severe challenges to our country’s development,” Mr Xi was quoted by state media as saying.

The comments marked an unusual departure for a leader who has generally refrained from ­directly criticising the US in public and set the tone for the combative performance by his Foreign Minister.

It came after China revealed a relatively modest growth target of “about 5 per cent” for 2023, along with a more than 7 per cent boost to defence spending.

Mr Qin used Tuesday’s highly choreographed press conference – at which all questions were vetted and most were asked by Chinese state media – to dismiss the tag of “wolf warrior” diplomacy as a “narrative trap” by media hostile to the country.

He said Chinese diplomacy had “kindness and goodwill”, although he acknowledged that sometimes Beijing believed a blunter ­approach was required. “When wolves get in the way and wolves attack, Chinese diplomats must ‘dance with wolves’ to defend their home and country,” Mr Qin said.

The more assertive approach in Chinese diplomacy has been a hallmark of the Xi era, along with professions of loyalty to the country’s strongman leader. In ­response to a question from state broadcaster CCTV, Mr Qin promised that in 2023 China’s diplomats would put “Xi Jinping thought on diplomacy into full practice”. Tokyo was issued a warning to never forget its imperial war history and to beware of “taking part in a new Cold War to contain China”.

America’s Indo-Pacific strategy – of which Japan and Australia are two linchpins – was denounced as a plan to build an “Asia-Pacific version of NATO”. Australia was not mentioned directly.

Mr Xi’s envoy made a much more positive pitch to the developing world, declaring that China had “bust the myth that modernisation is Westernisation”. He said that later in the year Beijing would host a 10-year anniversary celebration of the Belt and Road ­Initiative, Mr Xi’s signature development-focused foreign policy.

Mr Qin called criticism of China’s relationship with Russia “absolutely unacceptable” and said an “invisible hand” was trying to extend the “Ukraine crisis”, a veiled swipe at the US.

He also indicated that Mr Xi would likely soon visit Vladimir Putin in Moscow, describing the two leaders as the “compass and anchor” of the China-Russia ­relationship.