China accuses US of 'coercive diplomacy'

China has accused the US of “coercive diplomacy” following comments by Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the US will stand by Australia in the face of economic coercion by China. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying accused the US of imposing economic sanctions and strong-arming other countries over trade issues to achieve its “strategic goals.” Hua said China’s telecommunications and other high-tech industries are now falling victim to US “economic coercion,” an apparent reference to firms including Huawei and ZTE that have faced US restrictions. “Coercive diplomacy is a specialty of the United States, which has provided the world with…