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Beijing (AP) - China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged the United States not to interfere in internal affairs in order to restart relations.
Washington must also cease its official contacts with Taiwan.
The one-China principle is a “red line that should not be crossed,” said Wang Yi to the press in Beijing on Sunday during the annual meeting of the People's Congress.
China generally has to struggle with “hegemony, arrogance and chicane” as well as “blunt interference”.
The US "deliberately interfered in other countries' internal affairs under the pretext of democracy and human rights."
The US and China would have to be careful with their differences.
Their relationships should be designed as “healthy competition” - not “with blame”.
China is open to exploring a new cooperation, said Wang Yi.
But Washington must remove “unreasonable restrictions”.
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Relations between the two largest economies had fallen to an all-time low under US President Donald Trump.
Both sides are also engaged in an ongoing trade war with punitive tariffs.
The new President Joe Biden has indicated that he will also pursue a tough course with regard to China, albeit less alone like his predecessor, but more in cooperation with allies in Europe or Asia.
Wang Yi rejected the impression that Beijing was trying to split the European Union and the US.
The Foreign Minister emphasized that China and the EU have common interests.
The relationships showed "resilience and liveliness".
Wang Yi resolutely rejected the charge of “genocide” among the Muslim Uyghur minority in northwest China.
"The claim couldn't be more absurd."
He spoke of "rumors" and "lies".
Human rights groups estimate that hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Hui and other members of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang have been sent to re-education camps.
China, on the other hand, speaks of training centers.
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Uyghurs are ethnically related to the Turks and feel oppressed by the ruling Han Chinese in Xinjiang.
After taking power in Beijing in 1949, the communists incorporated the former East Turkestan into the People's Republic.
Beijing accuses Uighur groups of terrorism.
The new US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had expressed his personal opinion at the end of January that a “genocide” was being committed against the Uyghurs.
However, the new US administration has not yet taken an official position on the issue, which would also have legal consequences.
Blinken's predecessor, Mike Pompeo, charged the day before leaving office that Beijing was committing “genocide and crimes against humanity” in Xinjiang.
Wang Yi also called on the US to clearly abandon the "dangerous practice" of the old US administration of pursuing official contacts with Taiwan.
The island is an inseparable part of China and must be "reunited".
While Taiwan, which is now democratic, has long regarded itself as independent, Beijing speaks of separatism and tries to diplomatically isolate the island state with its one-China doctrine.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210307-99-723552 / 2