Macau Monthly: CIA Director William Burns delivered a speech on April 14, in which he called China a “formidable competitor lacking in neither ambition nor capability”, and that China is “intent” on replacing the US as “the preeminent power in the Indo-Pacific.” What is China’s comment on this?

Zhao Lijian: The US has been constantly disseminating disinformation about the Ukraine crisis, flagrantly smearing China and driving a wedge between China and Russia with the agenda to profit from the repercussions of its blameshifting and confrontation incited among others. The US should focus more on its responsibility for the outbreak and escalation of the Ukraine crisis. I want to stress that China pursues development in order to bring better lives to the people, without any interests in challenging, still less replacing others. For too long, the US has been whipping up the “China threat theory” and throwing dirty water at China. But lies remain lies, no matter how many times they are repeated. The world can make fair judgement about China’s contribution to world peace and development. Certain US politicians should view China’s development in an objective light, stop making things up, stop sowing discord between China and other countries that China has normal relations with, and do more things that are conducive to the development of China-US relations.