China panics after global criticism, President Jinping says this

China has panicked after seeing global protests over its oppression around the world, including the South China Sea. Chinese President Xi Jinping has clarified that his country neither wants to dominate Southeast Asia nor does it want to dominate its smaller neighbours.

Xi Jinping made this remark on Monday in an online conference with the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The conference was organized to commemorate the 30th anniversary of relations between China and ASEAN.

According to China's official news agency Xinhua, Xi said, "China strongly opposes authoritarianism and power politics. It wants to maintain friendly relations with its neighbours. It wants to jointly maintain lasting peace in the region and certainly will not dominate or oppress smaller countries."

Xi's remarks came days after Chinese coast guard ships hurled water on two Philippine boats carrying supplies to troops off the disputed South China Sea coast. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte expressed his displeasure over the incident during his speech at the conference, after which Xi Jinping reacted on this.

According to the report, during the conference, Xi Jinping tried to allay the concerns of neighbouring countries about China's growing power and influence. Especially regarding its claim on the South China Sea, which ASEAN member countries Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and the Philippines also claim. Jinping said that he wants to live peacefully with his neighbours and will not try to suppress anyone.

The report further added that no representative of Myanmar attended this online conference of ASEAN. In fact, the military government of Myanmar had refused to allow the ASEAN envoy to meet the arrested leader San Suu Kyi and other leaders. After this, ASEAN barred Myanmar's military ruler General Min Aung Hlaing from attending the summit.

Source : DNA India