Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday that China would respond 'resolutely' if the United States attempted to unilaterally 'bully' it.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Wang stated that China sought to build "stable, sound, and sustainable" ties with the US.
"Of course, we hope the US will work with us in the same direction. However, if the US is unwilling and remains bent on suppressing and containing China, we have no choice but to respond accordingly," he said. "We will resolutely counter any unilateral bullying practices by the US."
Wang also warned that the world could not afford a conflict between Washington and Beijing.
"The right approach is to respect each other," he asserted, adding that any attempts to overturn China’s political system would be unrealistic.
This year's Munich conference not only focused on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict but also on the potential role China could play in peace negotiations.
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US President Donald Trump has initiated efforts to broker a resolution, with Beijing offering itself as a mediator.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Trump announced that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to begin talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
Trump suggested that a resolution could be reached soon, even if it meant sidelining Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has repeatedly rejected any negotiations that exclude Kyiv.
"We believe that all parties and stakeholders should, at an appropriate time, participate in the peace process," Wang said. "Since this is happening on European soil, Europe should play a significant role."
Wang also criticised certain countries—without naming them—for politicising economic and trade issues as tools to suppress China.
"We cannot allow this to happen. We must be responsible for our people," he said, referencing China’s substantial gas imports from Russia.
The Munich Security Conference has traditionally served as a platform for China to engage in bilateral meetings with European and American leaders, as well as to articulate its global ambitions.
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