Commentary
WASHINGTON – Despite the United States’ poor record on respecting market economy principles and international trade rules in recent years, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo claimed earlier this week that the Chinese government is blocking Boeing airplane purchases.
Boeing reportedly refused to comment on Raimondo’s allegation. In March, the company’s CEO Dave Calhoun called on Washington to sort out political issues from trade with China “to encourage a free trade environment between these two economic juggernauts.”
In response to Raimondo’s claim, Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday that whether to buy Boeing airplanes is “a matter that should be left to companies.”
“The international community sees very clearly who has been wielding the big stick of sanctions, and politicizing and weaponizing economic issues with ideological prejudice in the past few years,” Hua said at the daily briefing, urging Washington to work with China to “strive for a healthy and steady development of China-US trade and economic relations.”
These days US trade officials have frequently talked about their take on issues involving China, and claimed to seek to ease relations with the Asian country, but meanwhile, made every effort to suppress Chinese businesses.
Last Friday, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Raimondo said she would seek to improve US business ties with China. “I actually think robust commercial engagement will help to mitigate any potential tensions,” she said.
However, on Tuesday, she told CNBC that the United States will rally allies in Europe to “slow down China’s rate of innovation.”
On Monday, the US Federal Communications Commission said it would start a US$1.9 billion program to reimburse mostly rural US telecom carriers for removing network equipment made by Chinese companies including Huawei.
With regards to the reimbursement program, Hua said: “The US has kept smearing and slandering Huawei and other Chinese companies, but is unable to present any solid evidence to support its accusations. The so-called ‘national security’ is only a clumsy excuse of the US to impose ‘national bullying’ and practice trade protectionism.”
“The US should immediately correct its mistakes and stop abusing power and trying all means to hobble Chinese companies,” she said.
– Xinhua
