China’s President Xi Jinping has warned that foreign powers should not interfere with China’s affairs, threatening to take action if they attempt to bully or influence the country in a defiant speech at an event marking the centenary of the ruling Communist Party. The remarks were made on Thursday. Mr. Xi also stated that Beijing would not allow for sanctimonious preaching, a phrase that has been widely regarded as directed at the US. The event comes as China faces widespread criticism over alleged human rights abuses and its crackdown in Hong Kong.
Relations between the US and China have worsened in recent times due to conflict over trade, espionage, and the pandemic. The issue of Taiwan has also become increasingly tense, while the entity sees itself as a sovereign state yet Beijing considers Taiwan as a breakaway province. Under US laws, the country is required to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself should Beijing attempt to use force to take the island back.
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