US wants an open relationship with China but pledges to defend its national interests

Amid the rising tension between the US and China, US Department of State quoting President Donald Trump on Sunday (June 14) said that Washington wants an open and constructive relationship with Beijing but achieving that relationship requires the US to vigorously defend its national interests. 

The US Department of State also accused the Chinese goverment of continually violating its promises to the US and many other nations.

Few days go, it was reported that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is planning to travel to Hawaii to hold talks with some senior Chinese government officials. Sources claimed that Pompeo is planning the visit ‘quietly’ but the date of the meeting is still unknown. Notably, Pompeo has been openly criticising Beijing on several issues including China’s development in Hong Kong to its handling of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

The relations between the US and China have touched a new low with President Trump even threatening to cut off Washington's ties with China. In May, Pompeo had claimed that China had the power to reduce the number of casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic but the country failed to provide information about the novel coronavirus outbreak in time. Pompeo had also accused China of failing to share the entire information on COVID-19 with the global community.

As Black Lives Matter protests erupted across the US after the death of black man George Floyd in police custody, Pompeo accused the Chinese Communist Party of “callous exploitation” to justify its “authoritarian denial of basic human dignity exposes its colours yet again”. On June 6, Pompeo called the Chinese “propaganda” as “laughable” over the turn of events in America. Pompeo launched a direct attack on China by saying that when a church burns in China, the attack is “almost certainly” directed by the Chinese Communist Party”, whereas in the US if a similar incident happens, “the arsonists are punished by the government”.