UK taken to task on Cold War playbook

China's embassy in London has warned that Britain's diplomacy will go nowhere if it follows the Cold War playbook.

The assertion from the embassy came in response to repeated accusations leveled against China by UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on a visit to Australia.

Truss, who replaced Dominic Raab as Britain's top diplomat last year, delivered a speech on Friday at the Lowy Institute of Australia in which she blamed China for exerting "economic coercion" against other countries but offered no evidence for her claims. She also spoke of China working more closely with Russia. The foreign secretary mentioned China several times throughout the speech.

Truss also called on the UK and Australia to work with some other countries to "defend economic security and freedom".

Full of disinformation

In a statement on Saturday night, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy said: "What the people are seeing is parroting of United States rhetoric in the speech, drawing lines along ideology and discrediting other sovereign countries regardless of facts. This is an attempt to justify the move to create the small circles, which has inflicted negative impact on regional peace and stability."

According to the statement, the accusations against China in Truss' speech are full of disinformation about China, as well as the current international situation.

"What the people are seeing is China taking concrete measures in the spirit of a community with a shared future for mankind, and always striving to be a defender of world peace, a contributor to global development and an upholder of international order," the spokesperson said. "Facts are facts. They will not be shaken because of the disinformation by a few."

Earlier, the Chinese embassy had strongly condemned the joint statement made at the Australian-United Kingdom ministerial meeting regarding issues relating to Taiwan, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Hong Kong and the South China Sea.

The embassy spokesperson said the China-related content of the statement distorted facts and confused right and wrong by deliberately discrediting China on issues related to Chinese territory.

'Blatant interference'

"This is a blatant interference in China's internal affairs and severe violation of international law and the basic norms governing international relations. We express grave concern and strong opposition," the spokesperson said.

"No one should underestimate the strong determination, will and capability of the Chinese people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Currently, the biggest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits is that the Taiwan authorities, headed by the Democratic Progressive Party, are colluding with external forces and playing a provocation game with "Taiwan independence", according to the spokesperson.

"We urge the relevant countries to uphold the one-China principle and refrain from having official relations of any form with Taiwan, or giving any encouragement to secessionist activities in the name of 'Taiwan independence'," the spokesperson said.

So-called Xinjiang-related issues have nothing to do with human rights, ethnic groups or religious affairs, but everything to do with fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism, adding that "the basic rights of people of all ethnic groups are fully safeguarded", the spokesperson said.

"The allegation that there are 'severe human rights violations' in China's Xinjiang (Uygur autonomous region) is merely a barefaced lie."

Commenting on issues relating to Hong Kong, which is a special administrative region of China, the spokesperson said that it is governed in accordance with the Constitution of China and the Basic Law of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, not the Sino-British Joint Declaration.

On the issue of the South China Sea, the spokesperson said: "China remains unwavering in its determination to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial integrity and maritime rights and interests."

Certain countries outside the region sent naval vessels and aircraft to the region to flex military muscle and stir up trouble, the spokesperson said.

"This has become the biggest threat to peace and stability in the South China Sea, which the Chinese side strongly opposes."