'Major powers should not bully the weak', China foreign minister says

By Ryan Woo, Ethan Wang and Laurie Chen

BEIJING (Reuters) -China's foreign minister said on Friday the country will "resolutely counter" pressure from the United States on the fentanyl issue, adding that major powers "should not bully the weak", in a veiled swipe at Washington.

Beijing also presented itself as a reliable global power in the midst of geopolitical turmoil and U.S. President Donald Trump's withdrawal from international institutions, part of a clear appeal from Beijing to Europe and countries in the Global South.

The U.S. levied an additional 10% tariffs on Chinese imports this week over the continued flow of the deadly opioid fentanyl into the country, threatening to worsen an escalatory spiral of trade actions against China and other countries including Canada and Mexico.

"If one side blindly exerts pressure, China will resolutely counter that," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a briefing on the sidelines of China's annual parliamentary meeting.

"No country can imagine that it can suppress China on one hand while developing good relations with China on the other hand."

Wang added that the U.S. "should not repay kindness with grievances, let alone impose tariffs without reason," referring to the "various assistance" Beijing has provided Washington over the years on tackling the flow of fentanyl precursor drugs into the U.S.

Wang was also bullish on U.S.-China tech competition, saying that "where there is a blockade, there is a breakthrough, and where there is suppression, there is innovation."

UKRAINE STANCE

On resolving the Ukraine war, China wants to achieve a "fair, lasting and binding peace agreement" acceptable to all parties, Wang Yi said.

"China is willing to continue to play a constructive role in the final resolution of the crisis and the realisation of lasting peace, in accordance with the wishes of the parties concerned, together with the international community."

Western countries have urged Beijing to take a more active role in using its economic leverage over Russia to stop the war, but Beijing has so far refused to publicly criticise its strategic partner or halt its economic support of Moscow.

China-Russia relations are a "constant in a turbulent world, not a variable in geopolitical games," Wang told the press conference.

Chinese President Xi Jinping recently reaffirmed Beijing's "no limits" partnership with Moscow in a telephone call with his Russian counterpart on the third anniversary of Moscow's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Trump has upended U.S. policy on Ukraine after taking office last month, showing a more conciliatory stance towards Russia that has unnerved Washington's traditional allies in the West.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday the Ukraine conflict is a "proxy war" between Washington and Moscow that needs to end, and has previously said that Washington wishes to "peel off" Moscow from Beijing.

Analysts say Beijing wishes to exploit the growing transatlantic rift to bolster its ties with European countries, which have been strained over Ukraine and trade tensions.

"China still has confidence in Europe, and believes Europe can still be China's trusted partner," Wang said.

GLOBAL SOUTH

Wang Yi also urged developing countries to "continue to improve our representation and discourse power in global governance", while facing pressure from the U.S.

"If every country emphasizes its own national priority and believes in strength and status, the world will regress to the law of the jungle, small and weak countries will bear the brunt, and the international rules and order will be severely impacted," said Wang in a veiled reference to Washington's actions.

"Major powers should assume international obligations and fulfill their responsibilities as major powers. They should not be profit-driven, and they should not bully the weak."

Within the first two months of taking office, Trump has withdrawn the U.S. from several multilateral organisations and climate agreements, suspended most foreign aid, and voted against a United Nations resolution condemning Russia for the Ukraine invasion.

(Reporting by Laurie Chen, Ryan Woo and Ethan Wang in Beijing; Editing by Tom Hogue and Lincoln Feast.)