'Gundemic'-hit U.S. should put the genie back in bottle first: Chinese FM

(ECNS) -- Statistics show that the U.S., as the world’s leading power, is riddled with the most severe gun violence, said Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, at a press conference Friday.

Studies estimate that the U.S., a country which accounts for only five percent of the world’s population, owns 46 percent of the world’s guns. Civilians in the U.S. own nearly 400 million guns of all kinds, or about 120 guns for per 100 people, said Zhao.

In the U.S., the military-industrial complex featuring “politicians plus arms dealers” has a profound influence on U.S. policy and public opinion, resulting in previous U.S. administrations were unable to restrict the use of guns, and different forms of gun control bills eventually fell apart due to various reasons, said Zhao, citing relevant reports.

With increasing number of cases, gun violence has become a typical example of the drawbacks of the U.S. system, the spokesperson added.

What the U.S. government should do first is to put the genie of gun violence back in the bottle and let the American people enjoy “democracy and human rights” free of gun violence, said the spokesperson.