FM says China will defend legal interests

China supports relevant companies and individuals in seeking legal redress to protect their rights and interests and refusing to be victimized like "silent lambs", State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday.

Recent actions against a particular Chinese company and individual are by no means a pure judicial case but "deliberate political suppression", Wang said at a news conference on the sidelines of the ongoing annual legislative session.

He was referring to the extradition case of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou and issues raised in the Chinese high-tech company's recent lawsuit against the United States.

The Chinese government will continue to take "all necessary measures" to safeguard legitimate and lawful interests of Chinese businesses and citizens, Wang said.

"What we are standing up for is not just the interests of a company, but also the legitimate right to development of a country and a people－and by extension, the basic right of all countries who wish to climb up the technology ladder," he said.

Meng was detained in Canada in December at the request of the United States on charges related to alleged violation of US sanctions on Iran. She has been released on bail and faces possible extradition.

Huawei has sued the US government, saying a law limiting its US business is unconstitutional.

Speaking of China-US relations, Wang said the two countries stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation.

"Although a great deal has changed in the world and in both countries, this valuable lesson still holds true today and must continue to guide our interactions. We must stay the course without any doubt," he said.

Wang said the current frictions don't represent the big picture of the ties between China and the United States, adding that the two countries should not, and will not, reach a confrontation.

He called on the United States to eliminate its zero-sum mentality and work with China to foster healthy competition while deepening their cooperation and striving for win-win outcomes.

Wang said China has a positive outlook on China-US relations, adding that the two countries should make joint efforts to promote bilateral ties based on coordination, cooperation and stability.

He described some individuals' ideas of decoupling the US economy from that of China as "wishful thinking". Decoupling from China would mean decoupling from opportunities, from the future, and, in a sense, from the world, he added.

Cooperation remains the mainstream of China-US relations, Wang said.

He said trade talks have made substantial progress, and both countries will have solutions acceptable to both sides to any difficult problem as long as they respect each other and stay committed to consultations on an equal footing.

Wang reiterated China's pursuit of peaceful development, saying assertiveness has never been part of China's tradition, and hegemony will never be the country's choice, even when it becomes stronger.

"China will surely become stronger, but will not be assertive. China values its independence, but will not go it alone. China will stand up for its rights, but will not seek hegemony," Wang said.

However, he added, China will safeguard its legitimate and lawful rights and interests, and, in the meantime, will not tolerate any act that infringes on the country's sovereignty and dignity.