Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has stressed that China does not want to unseat the United States from its position as the top superpower.

The country's top diplomat made the comments in an interview with state-run media Xinhua News Agency that took place on Wednesday, Aug. 5.

The interview was the first time Beijing has responded at length to U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo's speech on July 23, in which he declared the failure of 50 years of diplomacy with China, encouraged "the free world" to rise against China, and the Chinese people to help change the behaviour of the Chinese Communist Party.

China does not want to become another U.S.

Wang said China is not the former Soviet Union, which competed with the U.S. in areas of military and space technology, and fought for global dominance and influence.

He said China has "no intention of becoming another U.S." as the country "does not export ideology, and never interferes in other countries' internal affairs".

He emphasised that China, being the world's "largest developing country" and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, will promote global peace and uphold the international order.

That China wants to supplant the U.S. as the world's number one power is a sentiment that has taken hold in Washington.

Rising hostilities towards China cut across party lines, as both sides see a consensus on China being the main strategic threat for the country.

Besides Pompeo, FBI Director Christopher Wray and U.S. Attorney General William Barr have also given prominent speeches that labelled the Chinese government as the leading national security threat for the U.S. 

U.S.-China ties facing biggest challenge

Wang also acknowledged that China and the U.S. are facing "the gravest challenge" since diplomatic ties were established, which is something he blamed the U.S. for.

He said the root cause of the breakdown in relations is due to the actions of "some American politicians who are biased against and hostile to China".

They smeared China with "fabrications" and deliberately impeded normal ties with China under "various pretexts".

Wang further claimed that what these politicians want to do is to "revive McCarthyism" -- the act of making accusations without providing hard evidence -- to "undermine relations with China, stoke hostility between the two peoples, and erode trust between the two countries".

"Ultimately, they want to drag China and the U.S. into renewed conflict and confrontation and plunge the world into chaos and division again," he said. 

Does not wish to start a "new Cold War"

In addition, Wang vehemently rejected any attempt on China's part to start a "new Cold War" as it goes against the Chinese and American peoples' interests.

He said that anyone who wants to do so will be on "the wrong side of history" and remembered as the one who "upended international cooperation".

Calls for dialogue with the U.S.

Wang also reiterated the importance of dialogue to settle issues between both countries, adding that any differences should not be allowed to impede bilateral relations.

However, he managed to throw shade in his comments, saying that as a "major and responsible country", China is able to make "cool-headed and sensible" responses to the "impulsive moves and anxiety" on the side of the U.S.

"We urge the U.S. to stop acting with arrogance and prejudice, but enter into constructive dialogue with us on an equal footing," he said, adding that the message from China to the U.S. on the need to reduce tensions is "quite clear". 

US should abandon "fantasy" of remodelling China to its needs

Wang further called for the U.S. to "steer clear of red lines and avoid confrontation", adding that "mutual respect" is essential for sound bilateral relations.

Saying that China will never interfere in the U.S. elections or its other internal affairs, he said the U.S. should likewise do the same, and "abandon its fantasy of remodelling China to U.S. needs". 

He also reiterated the call for the U.S. to reject decoupling from China, "abandon its zero-sum mentality and stand up to shared responsibilities".

Wang's interview was published in full by party mouthpiece People's Daily as well, with the headline "Necessary to set up a clear framework for U.S.-China ties".

As the full interview was published in English on Xinhua too -- an unusual step -- the move suggests that Wang's comments are to be seen as a marker for Chinese diplomats to follow, according to South China Morning Post.

Escalating tensions

The Trump administration has accelerated its campaign of punishments targetting China as the presidential election nears.

Beijing has protested Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar's upcoming visit to Taiwan, which would be the highest-level official visit to the island since 1979, and the first by a U.S. cabinet official in six years.

Trump has also issued executive orders to ban any U.S. transactions with Chinese tech firms Tencent and ByteDance, which own popular social media and messaging app WeChat and the video-sharing app TikTok respectively.

Top image adapted via Xinhua News Agency