China to US Blinken: A 'liberal' world order is not doing whatever you want

BEJING: The Paper: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the centennial celebration for the Foreign Affairs magazine that China poses “the most serious long-term challenge to the rules-based order”. He noted the profound difference between the US and China is this: “The order that we’ve sought to build very imperfectly, but that we’ve sought to build, is profoundly liberal in nature. The order that China seeks is illiberal.” What is China’s comment?

Zhao Lijian: Earlier this week, we already made China’s position very clear on the US’ so-called “rules-based international order” .

Blinken claimed that they’ve sought to build an imperfect but liberal  order. What does an “imperfect” but “liberal” order mean exactly? Does it mean the US can do whatever it wants, while other countries must always follow the US’ orders and fall into line with the US? Does it mean the US can arbitrarily attack other sovereign countries militarily, while other countries can only watch and say nothing? Does it mean the US can wantonly impose illegal, unilateral sanctions on other sovereign countries, while other countries must comply? Or does it mean the US can unscrupulously attack and smear other countries and deprive other countries of their sovereign rights, security and right to development, while the only thing other countries are left to do is to sit on their hands with their mouths shut? This is not liberal; This is no order; This is hegemony, highhandedness and bullying; This is house rules made by the US and a few other countries.

I do not think people of the world would want the kind of “imperfect” but “liberal” order peddled by the US. What they want is an equal and shared right to security, development and prosperity for all. It is high time that the US reflected on itself and took real responsibilities for world peace and development. 

Frankly speaking, there is indeed a profound difference between the US and China. China has always been committed to upholding the international order underpinned by the UN Charter and international law. We are a force for world peace, for global development and for defending the international order. What China upholds is true multilateralism, and universally-recognized international rules and order that have the support of the overwhelming majority of countries in the world, who have observed and benefited from the rules and order.