BEIJING — Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi said on Friday that the United States had seriously damaged the hard-won mutual trust between the countries by criticizing Beijing over issues such as Hong Kong and the treatment of Muslim Uighurs. "Such behavior is almost paranoid, and is indeed rare in international exchanges, seriously damaging the hard-won foundation of mutual trust between China and the United States, and seriously weakening the United States' international credibility," said State Councillor Wang. Wang, who is China's foreign minister, said there were deep-seated issues that need to be addressed and resolved between both sides, issues that are bringing increasingly severe challenges to the future of the countries' relationship. Wang was speaking at an annual symposium in Beijing on international affairs and China's diplomacy. Bilateral tensions over issues such as the protests in Hong Kong and Beijing's treatment of its Uighur Muslim minority have flared in recent months, just as both countries tried to work out a deal to end a trade war.

Source: International New York Times December 13, 2019 01:52 UTC