Beijing: China on Friday warned the US that any attempts to pressure or coerce Beijing will not succeed, saying it is willing to pursue mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation with Washington. According to Anadolu Agency, during a news conference regarding the preparations for the Victory Day commemorations, China's Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu stated that Beijing is firmly safeguarding its national sovereignty, security, and development interests. "Attempts to pressure or coerce China will not succeed, and efforts to contain China's development or obstruct the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation are doomed to fail," Ma emphasized. On the topic of Taiwan, Ma stressed that it is purely China's internal affair and that Beijing will not tolerate any external interference. "External forces attempting to use Taiwan to contain China are 'playing with fire,' will get burned eventually," he warned. His remarks come amid ongoing tensions between Beijing and Washington over trade, tech nology, regional security, and Taiwan, despite both sides emphasizing the importance of maintaining dialogue. The two sides are currently discussing a trade deal amid a truce in tariffs. On Thursday, a spokesperson from the Commerce Ministry announced that China trade tsar Li Chenggang will visit the US this week for talks. Separately, Taiwan's Defense Ministry reported the detection of 19 sorties of Chinese aircraft, along with seven navy ships and another ship operating around Taiwan. China considers Taiwan a breakaway province, while Taiwan rejects that claim and has asserted its independence since 1949.
