China's top diplomat offers brutal rebuke of Trump's war on Iran and trade policies

Beijing, China - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday slammed President Donald Trump for launching an unprovoked war on Iran and urged the Washington to take steps to iron out its differences with Beijing.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday slammed President Donald Trump for launching a war against Iran.  © Collage: AFP/Iori Sagisawa/POOL & AFP/Saul Loeb

"We observe a certain country erecting tariff barriers and pursuing decoupling and supply chain disruption," Wang told a press conference on Sunday while speaking at China's annual "Two Sessions" political gathering.

"These actions are akin to trying to extinguish a fire with fuel. Ultimately, they will backfire."

While China and the US "cannot change each other," they can "change the way we interact with each other," Wang insisted, urging both sides to "manage existing differences and eliminate unnecessary interference."

China China vows to hold its "red lines" while seeking communication with the US over Iran

Ties between China and the US have been strained since Trump returned to the White House last year, kicking off a major trade war that saw tariffs reach as high as 145% before cooling down in early November.

Wang's comments also come as both countries gear up for negotiations ahead of a meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing at the end

Trump's war on Iran, which Beijing has condemned as a breach of international law, has further complicated matters.

On Sunday, Wang said that the conflict "should never have happened" and told reporters "a strong fist does not mean a strong reason. The world cannot return to the law of the jungle."

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He also pointed to the issue of Taiwan as a "red line" for Beijing, warning the US that China "will never allow anyone or any force to separate Taiwan... from China once again."

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