China says U.S. bullying countries to pick sides, attempt will not succeed

Reuters

Published Oct 23, 2020 04:12

BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States is bullying countries to pick sides over their ties to China, but such efforts will not succeed, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a news briefing on Friday.

The United States is urging Sri Lanka to make "difficult but necessary choices" to secure its economic independence instead of choosing opaque practices, a senior State Department official said on Thursday, in an apparent reference at China deepening its influence over the South Asian country.