China on Wednesday urged the United States to do as it says in respecting and supporting nations choosing their own road.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying made the remarks at a daily news briefing, responding to recent comments by U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence that the United States hoped all countries in the Indo-Pacific region would be free to choose their own path and pursue their own interests.
Pence made the comments at a joint news conference Tuesday following talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, saying authoritarianism and aggression had no place in the region.
"China has always advocated all countries respecting each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-aggression and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries," Hua said. "We have always advocated that all nations have the right to choose their own path of development in accordance with their own conditions. "
"This is also an important content of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence," Hua said.
"We have noticed that Mr. Pence has publicly expressed the hope that all countries in the Asia-Pacific region will be free to choose their own path. This is very good. We hope the U.S. side will walk the talk."
