The continued terse alternate of phrases between China and the US over the “balloon incident” continued on Thursday with China’s prime legislature strongly opposing an US Congressional decision that blamed and condemned Beijing over the incident.
The overseas affairs committee of China’s rubber-stamp parliament, the Nationwide Folks’s Congress (NPC) mentioned on Thursday that it “strongly condemns and opposes” the US Home of Representatives’ decision over the balloon incident, calling it “ill-intentioned hype and political manipulation, and which intentionally exaggerates the ‘menace of China’.”
“China is a accountable nation that strictly abides by worldwide regulation, respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, and has no intention of violating the territory and airspace of any sovereign nation,” based on a press release launched by the NPC committee and quoted by Chinese language official media.
The Chinese language assertion reiterated Beijing’s place that the balloon was a “civilian unmanned airship that unintentionally entered US airspace”.
It referred to as on the US Congress to “instantly cease maligning China, and chorus from taking actions that would solely escalate the scenario”.
China’s overseas ministry added to the criticism with its spokesperson, Wang Wenbin saying the decision doesn’t “mirror fundamental info”.
“These resolutions don’t mirror fundamental info. They’re purely meant to attain political factors and dramatise the scenario. China strongly disapproves of and firmly opposes them. We strongly urge the US Congress to respect info, respect the spirit of worldwide regulation and the fundamental norms in worldwide relations, instantly cease smearing China, and cease taking actions which will escalate the scenario,” Wang added.
China sanctions prime US firms
China, in the meantime, on Thursday imposed commerce and funding sanctions on defence giants Lockheed Martin and on a unit of Raytheon for supplying weapons to Taiwan, a self-governed island that Beijing claims as its personal territory.
The US’s ties with Taiwan is one other main friction level between Beijing and Washington with the previous alleging the latter’s relations with Taipei is an interference in inside issues.
As a part of the sanctions, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Applied sciences’ Raytheon Missiles and Defence have been barred from importing items into China or making new investments within the nation, China’s commerce ministry introduced.
The ministry mentioned on Thursday that the 2 firms had been added to the “unreliable entity” record of firms whose actions are restricted as a result of they could endanger nationwide sovereignty, safety or growth pursuits.
The brand new sanctions have been introduced a day after Beijing pledged to take “countermeasures” in response to Washington’s dealing with of the alleged suspected Chinese language surveillance balloon.
China had sanctioned Lockheed Martin for promoting arms to Taiwan in 2020.
Earlier this month, the US authorised a attainable $100m sale of kit and providers to Taiwan to “maintain, preserve, and enhance” the Patriot missile protection system utilized by the island.
Whereas Washington doesn’t have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, it’s the island’s principal provider of navy tools, a lot to the annoyance of Beijing.
Based on the Chinese language commerce ministry, the 2 enterprises are prohibited from partaking in import and export actions associated to China and prohibited from making new investments in China amongst different bans.
“Lockheed Martin has equipped Taiwan’s navy with radar, helicopters and air visitors management tools. It performs a task within the island’s growth of its personal fighter jet and navy frigates. In China, Lockheed Martin has offered air visitors management tools for civilian airports and helicopters for industrial use,” the Related Press mentioned in a report on Thursday.