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[Top Chinese officials have lashed out at the United States this week with unusually direct, hostile rhetoric coming from Beijing's new foreign minister. Qin Gang warned of conflict and confrontation if the U.S. continues to try to contain China. The U.S. says it is not seeking to contain China and sees no change in relations, as VOA's senior diplomatic correspondent Cindy Saine reports.
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LanguageEnglish
Transcript/Script(PLAYBOOK SLUG: US-CHINA TENSIONS
HEADLINE: China Escalates Hostile Rhetoric Against US
TEASER:
PUBLISHED: 3/9/2023 at
BYLINE: Cindy Saine
CONTRIBUTOR: Jessie Jiang
DATELINE:
VIDEOGRAPHER:
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Holly Franko, Sharon Shahid
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Mandarin Service, MRT, Saine Zoom interview
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
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((INTRO:))
[[Top Chinese officials have lashed out at the United States this week with unusually direct, hostile rhetoric coming from Beijing's new foreign minister. Qin Gang warned of conflict and confrontation if the U.S. continues to try to contain China. The U.S. says it is not seeking to contain China and sees no change in relations, as VOA's senior diplomatic correspondent Cindy Saine reports.]]
((Video: AFP V000_33AP2BQ SLUG RAW - CHINA - POLITICS Creation date 3/7/2023: Tracking shot delegates applaud as China's President Xi Jinping arrives for the second plenary session of the National People's Congress), wide shot of the Congress, members applauding))
((NARRATOR))
At a plenary session of the National People's Congress, Chinese President Xi Jinping slammed the United States for leading what he termed "containment, encirclement and suppression of China," while calling on the private sector in his country to boost innovation and economic development.
((Video: AP Video ID: 4422898: B-roll and Soundbite 7))
((Video: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2023%3Anewsml_WD547907032023RP1&share=true:
China's new foreign minister, Qin Gang, was even more direct on Tuesday at a news conference.
((Qin Gang, Chinese Foreign Minister)) ((English voice over needed))
"If the United States does not hit the brakes but continues to speed down the wrong path, no amount of guardrails can prevent derailing or a crash, and there will surely be conflict and confrontation."
((Video: MRT March 7th State Dept: Ned Price Entrance B-roll and 14;31;26;16 MRT PRICE this is not about suppressing china))
((NARRATOR))
The Biden administration has often said it is seeking "guardrails" to prevent competition with China from veering into conflict. State Department spokesperson Ned Price had this reaction.
((Ned Price, State Department Spokesperson))
"This is not about containing any country around the world. This is not about containing China. This is not about suppressing China. This is not about holding China back. This is about upholding the rules-based order — the rules-based order that countries like China have signed on to.”
((Video: more B-roll from Chinese President Xi getting thunderous applause at the plenary session: AFP V000_33AP2BQ SLUG RAW - CHINA - POLITICS Creation date 3/7/2023 OVER TO: Michael Mazza Video China.mp4-link Emailed to production: MAZZA SOT: TC: 00:00:33 - 00:01:29))
((NARRATOR))
One expert told VOA that the harsh language from Beijing this week is unusual.
[[Radio Intro: Michael Mazza is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. He spoke to VOA via Zoom.]]
((Michael Mazza, American Enterprise Institute)) ((Mandatory Zoom courtesy))
"The rhetoric coming both from the foreign minister and from Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, has been quite striking, mostly because Chinese leaders, when speaking about the United States, tend not to speak so directly. They may harbor these opinions privately, but when they speak, they tend to be more circumspect."
((NARRATOR))
Another expert told VOA it will not be easy for Beijing and Washington to find common ground because they perceive each other as a threat.
((Video: Blake SOT: https://app.frame.io/player/a2f2cfc2-cc71-42d8-813c-7ec2cb0e3dfb) TC: 12:58-13:15))
[[Radio Intro: Chase Blazek is an Asia-Pacific Analyst at RANE, a risk intelligence company. He spoke to VOA via Teams.]]
((Chase Blazek, RANE)) ((Mandatory Teams courtesy))
"China says, 'We're willing to have good relations with you as long as you don't try to contain China.’ The United States says, ‘We're willing to have good relations with you as long as you don't pose a threat to our national security.' But the United States perceives the threat of national security from China, and China perceives that the United States is intent on containing it."
((NARRATOR))
((Video: MRT hearing B-roll and 09;01;18;28 MRT HOUSE pfluger america has been met with aggression))
At a House of Representatives hearing Thursday, Republican Representative August Pfluger said the U.S. finds itself in conflict right now, not with the people of China, but with China's Communist Party.
((Rep. August Pfluger, Republican))
"Despite years of attempts by the United States to develop a productive, fair and honest relationship with the People's Republic of China, America has been met with dishonesty and aggression. The PRC government run by the Chinese Communist Party has deceived and manipulated us at every turn, committing espionage in our homeland and working to overturn the global rules-based order."
((Video: B-roll of the shooting down of the Chinese balloon last month-Kim gathered))
((NARRATOR))
Last month, the U.S. shot down a high-altitude Chinese balloon that had flown across the continental United States. The Pentagon says it was a surveillance aircraft. China says it was a research balloon blown off course.
Cindy Saine, VOA News
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateMarch 9, 2023 20:24 EST
BylineCindy Saine
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
