China warns US of 'counter-attack' if it continues to interfere in Hong Kong

China warns of retaliation against US President Donald Trump's announcement of stripping Hong Kong's special status in relation to trade and banning Chinese students from entering the United States. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian during a press briefing on June 1 reacted to Trump's comment saying every US move to harm China's interest will be dealt with strong counter-attacks from Beijing. Donald Trump on May 29 said that he is directing his administration to remove Hong Kong's special status in relation to trade because of the ongoing unrest in the former British colony.

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"For some time the US has been resorting to a series of negative and wrong words and deeds in people-to-people and cultural exchange with China. It runs counter to the openness and freedom the US claims to champion. It goes against public opinions in the two countries and the trend of the times in international talent exchange. This has gravely impacted the normal cultural and personnel exchange between the two countries, undermined the social foundation for bilateral relations, and exposed some Americans' deep-seated zero-sum game mindset and Cold-War mentality," Lijian said during an earlier press briefing. 

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US-China tensions

Tensions between the United States and China are currently at an all-time high with Donald Trump accusing the Communist state of not being transparent with its handling of COVID-19 outbreak. The United States claims the pandemic that is raging havoc across the world is not of naturally occurring and is man-made at Wuhan virology institute. Donald Trump has also said that the United States will terminate its relations with the World Health Organisation (WHO) accusing it of being pro-China. 

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