Image via Facebook
In response to two questions Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian denounced Donald Trump's tariffs and fictions about Fentanyl on March 4.
Q: The State Council Information Office released a white paper “Controlling Fentanyl-Related Substances—China’s Contribution.” Do you have any comment?
A: The white paper “Controlling Fentanyl-Related Substances—China’s Contribution” released by China gave an authoritative review of the tremendous work China has done, the innovative steps it has taken and its experience in this field. The white paper covers the following aspects: ensuring supervision over fentanyl-related medications, striking hard against fentanyl-related crimes, enforcing strict control over precursors of fentanyl-related substances, accelerating technology research, development, and application, adopting comprehensive measures for more efficient drug control, and promoting global governance of fentanyl-related substances. The white paper will help people from various sectors and the international community to understand China’s position, measures and achievements in this field in a full, in-depth and objective way. With a vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, China always earnestly fulfills its international obligations in drug control and participates in international counternarcotics affairs in an in-depth manner, stays fully committed to advancing the global governance of drug control and makes relentless effort to work with other countries in the joint response to the new challenge posed by the fentanyl issue. What has been achieved is there for all to see.
Facts speak louder than words. The U.S. is spreading all kinds of false information on the fentanyl issue, smearing and scapegoating China, and hiking tariffs on Chinese imports over fentanyl. Such move is unjustified and will do no one good. China’s position is clear-cut. We stand ready for practical cooperation with the U.S. based on equality and mutual respect. That said, we firmly oppose the U.S. pressuring, threatening and blackmailing China under the pretext of the fentanyl issue. We urge the U.S. to respect facts, bear in mind its own interest and make the right choice.
The New York Times: The United States has imposed further 10 percent tariffs on most goods from China. What is your reaction?
Lin Jian: I believe you’ve noticed the statements released by competent Chinese departments. The fentanyl issue is a flimsy excuse to raise U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports. China has made clear its opposition more than once. Our countermeasures to defend our rights and interests are fully legitimate and necessary.
The U.S., not anyone else, is responsible for the fentanyl crisis inside the U.S. In the spirit of humanity and goodwill towards the American people, we have taken robust steps to assist the U.S. in dealing with the issue. This is obvious to all and people from various sectors in the U.S. have expressed thanks to China on multiple occasions. Instead of recognizing our efforts, the U.S. has sought to vilify and shift the blame to China, and is seeking to pressure and blackmail China with tariff hikes. They’ve been punishing us for helping them. This is not going to solve the U.S.’s problem and will undermine our counternarcotics dialogue and cooperation.
Let me reiterate that intimidation does not scare us. Bullying does not work on us. Pressuring, coercion or threats are not the right way of dealing with China. Anyone using maximum pressure on China is picking the wrong guy and miscalculating. If the U.S. truly wants to solve the fentanyl issue, then the right thing to do is to consult with China on the basis of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit to address each other’s concerns. If the U.S. has other agenda in mind and if war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end. We urge the U.S. to stop being domineering and return to the right track of dialogue and cooperation at an early date.
Comments