China’s foreign minister Wang Yi has spoken out against US tariffs and accused it of “meeting good with evil”.
Speaking during a rare press conference in Beijing as part of the week long National People’s Congress, Wang said that in the current geopolitical environment China wants to prevent a return to the “law of the jungle”.
He also addressed the status of the self-governed island of Taiwan and reiterated China’s position that it is an “inalienable part of China” and any attempt to make it independent is “doomed to fail”.
What is still unclear is how US President Donald Trump will deal with the issue of Taiwan.
Trump’s tilt towards Russia and away from Ukraine has raised questions about the US’ commitment to Taiwan in the event of a conflict.
China insists that “reunification” with Taiwan is inevitable and says it will happen by force if necessary. Taiwan’s government wants to maintain the status quo.
Officially, the US acknowledges China’s position while supplying the island with weapons to defend itself in the event of an attack.
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All this makes Taiwan one of the most important geopolitical flashpoints in the world.
On both sides of the Taiwan Strait people have grown accustomed to the uncertainty and tension.
Xiamen in southern China is only a couple of miles away from Taiwan’s outlying island, Kinmen.
We visited the small Chinese fishing village of Qiongtou to find out how this community sees the relationship between China and Taiwan.
On a misty morning when only a few boats ventured out, Mrs Chen was waiting for her husband to return from sea.
“Taiwan is our national territory,” Mrs Chen said. “We are the powerful country, belonging to us is good for everyone.
“Taiwan will only have hope if it is part of our country.”
Last month, Taiwan seized a Chinese ship accusing it of cutting an undersea cable to the Island. Incidents like this highlight how hot this region can become.
The question is, if it flares up, how will the US respond?
So far there have been mixed messages. The US State Department recently revised its website of facts about Taiwan and removed the phrase “we do not support Taiwan independence”.
This drew a strong rebuke from China.
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Officially, the US policy towards Taiwan has not changed. However, with President Trump in the White House, there is no guarantee.
Trump has said Taiwan should pay for its defence and accused it of stealing the US semiconductor industry. The US president clearly admires China’s leader Xi Jinping and has praised him.
For many Taiwanese these are troubling times.
In the Chinese megacity of Wuhan, we met two Taiwanese university students, Guan Guan and Terry Tsai.
They are studying in China and say they admire the country’s efficiency, but value Taiwan’s democracy.
Guan Guan says: “I want to live in a democratic place, but at the same time I envy the administrative efficiency of a one-party system, because I think the way they make decisions and start construction is much faster than in a democracy.”
Terry Tsai says the possibility of war over Taiwan is something he has been thinking about since he was a child.
“I wonder whether this day will come, what will Taiwan look [like], and how life in Taiwan will change,” he says.
Around the world geopolitical rifts are growing wider and there is a disquieting sense of unease.
The relationship between the US, China and Russia is in a state of flux as all three countries jostle for supremacy.
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Qiongtou village is near one of the most contested waterways in the world.
Here there is a rhythm to life, that centres around the sea.
But these are unpredictable days, and as China’s President Xi Jinping said, there could be “rough seas” ahead.
