US Ambassador to China Nick Burns accused Beijing of blocking Chinese nationals from participating in US government programs, making people-to-people exchanges between the two countries “impossible”.
In excerpts of the interview published Tuesday by The Wall Street Journal, Burns said that since last November, mainland Chinese officials have interfered with 61 public events hosted by the U.S. Embassy in Beijing by pressuring Chinese nationals not to attend or threatening those who did.
“They say they are in favor of reuniting our people, but they are taking drastic measures to make that impossible,” he added, saying disruption of embassy events was “commonplace.”
The United States has long accused Beijing of blocking Chinese nationals from participating in activities funded by the U.S. government.
“We need lots of young American men and women who speak Mandarin, who have experience in China, who are working in government and leading businesses,” he said at an Asia Society event in New York earlier this month.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said later in the day that the United States still believes in expanding people-to-people exchanges with China, but that Beijing’s interference in U.S. cultural programs is “contrary to” the commitments made in San Francisco.
Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in Washington said Mr Burns’ claims about Beijing’s actions were “completely false”.
“There are no restrictions on Chinese nationals’ participation in people-to-people and cultural exchanges,” embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu said.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in Washington has been hosting a number of events to celebrate the two countries’ people-to-people ties.
“China wants to be a friend and partner of the United States,” Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng said at an embassy event last month.
