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China’s Foreign Affairs Minister Qin Gang on Tuesday warned of “conflict and confrontation” with the US if relations between the two countries continue to sour, citing recent incidents that killed a Chinese spy has created a “diplomatic crisis”, including going The balloon and the relationship between American diplomats and Taiwan.

important facts

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during a Press conference On Tuesday, Qin said that the US’s “perception and views of China are seriously distorted” and that US policy serves to “contain and suppress” the Chinese government.

Qin said that the recent downing of a Chinese spy balloon—which Qin referred to as the “unmanned airship incident”—was an overreaction by the US, adding that it “abused force and dramatized the accident “which could have been avoided.”

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Qin denounced the US for urging China not to supply arms to Russia, while it is “insulting” China by selling arms to Taiwan – a self-governing island over which China claims jurisdiction .

Qin said that China’s conflict with Taiwan is “the bedrock of the political foundation of Sino-US relations” and “the first red line that should not be crossed.”

Sources said that Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen will now meet House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California in April. reuters On Monday, McCarthy will travel to Taiwan following reports – although McCarthy’s office did not say whether the meeting has been moved to the US to avoid escalating tensions with China.

Qin said that despite rising tensions, improving relations with the US “is not optional” and that they can be improved through “friendship between the Chinese and American people”.

important quotes

Qin suggested that the US "views China as its primary rival and most consequential geopolitical challenge," and compared the relationship between the two countries to "a shirt with the first button on wrong."

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FBI analysis of the wreckage of a Chinese spy balloon — which was "successfully located and recovered" off the South Carolina coast last month — is ongoing, though a full report could take months.

main background

Relations between the US and China have deteriorated in the last one year. China has continued to maintain ties with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, although it has also called for an end to the conflict. Reports have indicated that China is also providing military aid to Russia in violation of US-led sanctions. After a spy balloon was shot down after traveling in US airspace - traveling from Alaska to the Atlantic Ocean over the course of a week - China vowed unnamed "retaliation" against the US for busting its balloon. Although Chinese government officials have maintained that it was not used to collect information. The US has issued sanctions against six Chinese tech and aviation companies, while passing a House resolution formally condemning the Chinese government for deploying the balloons. In response, China announced sanctions against security firms Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies for arms sales to Taiwan—a decision that was criticized by the White House. called "Symbolic measure and unnecessary."

Chinese official calls US response to spy balloons 'hysterical'forbes,

China threatens retaliation against US for shooting down surveillance balloonforbes,