Virtual democracy summit advances US geostrategic agenda: China

China on Thursday decried the US-hosted so-called virtual "Summit for Democracy" for undermining democracy and inherently advancing a US geostrategic agenda.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a routine press briefing in Beijing after the Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that the US and its allies should not claim themselves a "beacon of democracy."

"China appreciates Russia's stance on the issue," Wang said. The summit has been "unanimously rejected by the international community," he noted.

"Based on its own criteria, the US tries to divide countries and regions in the world into two camps as so-called 'democratic and nondemocratic,'" Wang said, "which is against the spirit of democracy and exposes the real US intention of weaponizing democracy and using it as a tool to advance its geostrategic agenda and oppress other countries."

Confronted with global challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, terrorism and economic revival, "what the world needs most is to uphold multilateralism and strengthen solidarity and cooperation, not a summit for democracy instigating division and confrontation," he said.

(Compiled by Xie Runjia)