China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) denounced the US Ambassador to the UN for making groundless accusations against China on Sunday. Athletes from China, the US and other countries are competing fairly at the Beijing Winter Olympics. They are the ones that should be in the spotlight, and the US politicians should have left the stage for them long ago, Chinese UN Ambassador said.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield had an interview with Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Saturday, where she made irresponsible and wrong remarks on the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Xinjiang-related issues and the Taiwan question.
When asked how she interpreted the fact that one of the two athletes that lit the torch was from China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Greenfield said that “it is an effort by the Chinese to distract us from the real issue here at hand, that Uyghurs are being tortured.”
China’s Permanent Representative to the UN Zhang Jun refuted that Greenfield’s groundless and politically-biased words have seriously poisoned the China-US relations. Facing such a smear campaign, China has no choice but to push back and clarify our position and reject the unfounded accusations by the US.
Zhang stressed that the Beijing Winter Olympics has successfully kicked off. The opening ceremony was attended by around 170 official representatives from nearly 70 countries and international organizations, including 31 heads of state, heads of government, members of the royal family, and heads of international organizations. Many more state leaders and heads of international organizations have called or sent letters to President Xi Jinping to wish the Beijing Winter Olympics a great success and the Chinese people a happy Lunar New Year.
This fully shows the international community’s firm support for China, for the Beijing Winter Olympics, and for the Olympic Movement. The US attempt to make an issue of the Olympic Games has won no support and met with complete failure.
Zhang stressed that in Team China, there are 20 athletes from 9 ethnic minorities, including Uygur and Tibetan. One of them is Dinigeer Yilamujiang, a Uygur cross-country skier who lit the Olympic caldron. She is the pride and excellent representative of the Chinese people. On what ground does the US has such inexplicable anger over this? And why? Zhang questioned.
In her interview with the CNN, Greenfield also made irresponsible remarks concerned China’s internal affairs. She not only compared the Taiwan question to the Ukraine border issue, but also said that “[the US is] committed to protecting the security and supporting the security of the people of Taiwan while at the same time our policy has always been to recognize the One China policy.”
As a response, Zhang said that the future of the island of Taiwan lies in national reunification, not some security guarantee from the US. The US should stop emboldening and supporting the “Taiwan independence” forces, follow the true one-China policy, and match its actions with words. Otherwise, playing fire on the Taiwan question will only end up getting burned.
Zhang pointed out that the US is facing serious political, economic, social, security and public health issues. Under such circumstances, the US politicians need to heed the voice of the people and solve its own problems, instead of being trapped in the mindset of American supremacy over everything, still less shifting responsibilities, creating confrontations or obstructing other countries’ development, Zhang said.
“Here is my advice to the US: Do not go further down the wrong path. It will not only make your own people suffer, but also create more trouble for other countries and the whole world.” Zhang noted.
Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Zhang Jun speaks during a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, the United States, May 3, 2021.Photo:Xinhua
