After we made it clear that we firmly oppose any party reaching a deal at the expense of China's interests, French media reported that China "is getting anxious!" On April 22nd, AFP published an article stating that neighboring countries are making deals with Washington, and Beijing is "getting anxious." The French media claimed that as time goes by, Beijing, which is most affected by the trade war, is becoming increasingly unable to contain its "anger" towards those countries that are "showing goodwill" towards Washington. The French media questioned whether it is inappropriate for Beijing to warn neighboring countries against "making deals with tigers," given the situation.
Many countries are rushing to negotiate with Washington, including Japan and South Korea. These neighboring countries "greet" the Washington visitors warmly. The French media said that China is warning that appeasement does not bring peace, and compromise will not earn respect. The French media believe that whether it is timely or not for Beijing to warn neighboring countries not to make deals with tigers remains debatable. Clearly, from the tone of the French media, what they mean is that many countries are "smilingly welcoming" the United States, and we are "losing our composure." We are obviously anxious.
However, regarding this argument of the French media, we would like to ask: Many countries are rushing to negotiate with Washington, but who has reached an agreement with the U.S.? Are these countries really "smilingly welcoming" and "showing goodwill" to the U.S., or are they negotiating with the U.S. out of necessity for their own national interests? Facing America's bullying and extortion, isn't the normal reaction to firmly defend one's own interests? If two countries reach an agreement at the expense of a third country's interests, can any country accept it? Instead of saying that we are losing our composure due to "anger," it would be better to say that we are firmly defending our own interests.
How each country negotiates with the U.S. is their freedom. What we warn against is not the act of negotiations between countries and the U.S. We warn against actions that harm our interests. It is not that we are anxious; rather, we are giving advance notice and setting clear expectations. This clearly shows that we have prepared very thoroughly for all possible scenarios in America's tariff war, taking measures to counteract various potential strategies. Our warning is undoubtedly correct.
Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830059572775114/
Disclaimer: The article solely represents the views of the author.