Highlights: An interview with China’s vice foreign minister

BEIJING (AP) — China’s Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng spoke with The Associated Press on a range of issues from U.S.-China relations to human rights. He took on President Joe Biden’s strategy of working with others in Europe and Asia to confront China, a concern for Chinese policy makers. Le also said that calls for China to accelerate its climate change goals are unrealistic, because the country is at an earlier stage of development than the West. He blamed the U.S. for stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, and said there would be nothing strange with Hong Kong becoming more like a mainland city since it is part of China. He acknowledged competition but criticized the U.S. emphasis on confrontation over cooperation.