BEIJING: A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Thursday refuted U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s remarks on “de-risking,” saying that one needs to find out what the risks are before talking about de-risking.
According to reports, on May 31, Blinken said to the press after the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council ministerial meeting that with regard to China, the United States and the EU are not looking for confrontation, a Cold War or decoupling, but are focused on de-risking.
“De-risking is becoming a buzzword lately. Before talking about de-risking, one needs to find out what the risks are,” spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily news briefing when asked to comment on Blinken’s remarks.
Mao said China is firmly committed to advancing high-level opening-up and providing market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment for companies of all countries. China pursues trade, sci-tech and investment cooperation with all countries based on mutual respect and mutual benefit. China staunchly upholds international equity and justice and facilitates the settlement of differences through dialogue and consultation.
“A country like this is a source of opportunities, not risks,” she said.
Mao added that the true risks faced by the world are such practices as stoking bloc confrontation and brewing a new Cold War, wantonly interfering in other countries’ internal affairs and causing regional turmoil and chaos, politicizing trade and sci-tech issues and destabilizing global industrial and supply chains, shifting domestic economic and financial risks overseas and reaping global wealth like a seasonal crop.
The international community needs to be vigilant and jointly fend off these risks, Mao said.
