China Concerned About America's Protectionist Trade Talk

International Herald Tribune

China's ambassador to the US chides America for its protectionist trade sentiments


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The Associated Press


Saturday, February 23, 2008


INDIANAPOLIS: China's ambassador to the United States chided America for its protectionist trade sentiment while touting China's contributions throughout the world.


Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong, speaking Friday before about 200 people at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, also reiterated his country's hardline stance against Taiwan, saying its independence is out of the question.


"The 1.3 billion people on the mainland and the 23 million people in Taiwan are of the same blood and share a common destiny," he said. "We are willing to make every effort with the utmost sincerity to achieve peaceful reunification of the two sides ... but we will never allow anyone to separate Taiwan from the motherland in any name or by any means."


China claims Taiwan as its own and resists anything that appears to give the self-governing, democratic island the trappings of sovereignty. Officials in Beijing vow to attack at any declaration of Taiwanese independence and have stationed hundreds of missiles opposite Taiwan.


Zhou also noted that many "China-related" trade protection bills have been introduced in the U.S. Congress.


Americans are worried by claims that Beijing's low valuation of the yuan, its currency, makes Chinese goods cheaper in the United States and American products more expensive in China. U.S. lawmakers are considering bills that would punish China for what they contend are predatory trade practices blamed for contributing to the loss of millions of manufacturing jobs.


"The growing protectionist sentiments and the tendency to politicize economic and trade issues are especially worrisome," Zhou said.


Most of Zhou's roughly 40-minute talk focused on China's contributions to a number of world affairs, including negotiations between the two Koreas and improved relationships with Japan, India and Russia.


"We are ready to join hands with people across the world to promote the building of a harmonious world of enduring peace and a common prosperity," he said. "This is China's policy and long-term strategy."


He also noted that China has contributed more than 9,000 peacekeepers to United Nations operations around the globe.


"Working together, China and the United States effectively safeguard and enhance the peace, stability and the prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world," he said.


Two protesters were quickly escorted out of the auditorium when they stood up while Zhou answered an audience question about human rights abuses in China.