Question: The UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Liz Truss delivered a speech at the Lowy Institute of Australia, in which she mentioned China several times, blaming China groundlessly for exerting “economic coercion” against other countries and working more closely with Russia. She called on the UK and Australia to work with some other countries to “defend economic security and freedom”. What is the comment of the Chinese Embassy in the UK?

Embassy Spokesperson: The accusations against China in this speech confuse right and wrong and raise questions about their real intention. They are full of disinformation about China as well as the current international situation.

What the people are seeing is China taking concrete measures in the spirit of a community with a shared future for mankind, and always striving to be a defender of world peace, a contributor to global development and an upholder of international order. Facts are facts. They will not be shaken because of the disinformation by a few.

What the people are seeing is parroting of US rhetorics in the speech, drawing lines along ideology and discrediting other sovereign countries regardless of facts. This is an attempt to justify the move to create the small circles, which has inflicted negative impact on regional peace and stability.

Today’s world is a far cry from the one 40 or 50 years ago. The Cold War is long gone! In the face of global challenges including pandemics, what the international community needs is solidarity and cooperation, not division or confrontation. British diplomacy, if following the Cold War playbook, will get nowhere.