Nicholas Burns, nominated by US President Joe Biden as the next US ambassador to China, has said that China has been aggressive against India on the Himalayan border and the US will have to hold the Chinese government accountable for non-compliance with the rules.
Burns told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday during a hearing confirming his name as the US ambassador to China that the US would challenge China where it needed to.
He said that whenever China takes action against American values and interests, threatens the security of America or its allies, or undermines the rules-based international order, America will take action against it.
“China has been aggressive against India near the Himalayan border, against Vietnam, the Philippines and others in the South China Sea, against Japan in the East China Sea,” Burns said. He has launched a campaign of intimidation to Australia and Lithuania.
“China’s genocide in Xinjiang and oppression in Tibet, throttling Hong Kong’s autonomy and independence, and threatening Taiwan is unjust and must be stopped,” he said. The recent action from the US is objectionable and the US has the right to continue to follow its ‘one China policy’.
“We also deserve to support the peaceful resolution of disputes and oppose unilateral action that undermines the status quo and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” he said.
Burns said the US will compete hard with China in areas where it needs to do so, including jobs and the economy and infrastructure and emerging technologies, and will continue to do so, including climate change, drug action, global health and disarmament. Will cooperate with China, which is in its interest.
