On Sunday morning, the Chinese Ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang sat down for an interview with CBS's Face the Nation anchor Margaret Brennan and it did not go well for him. Brennan grilled Gang on everything from China's appeasement of Russia's invasion of China to their alleged imprisonment of over a million Uighurs.
The first contentious moment came when Brennan asked Gang about China standing by Russia when "four days ago the International Court of Justice ordered Russia to stop its military actions. China abstained from that. The vote was 13-2."
"The only country that stood next to Russia was China. That sounds like you are condoning and not condemning," she told him.
Gang defended his country claiming that they make an observation "based on the merits of the matter itself" and then claimed, "China upholds the U.N. purposes and the principles, including the respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, including Ukraine."
Next up, Brennan asked him if he would be concerned if Russia put over 150,000 troops on the Chinese border. Gang's only response was to basically excuse Russia's actions by saying "that’s why we want good, friendly, neighborly relations with Russia."
Brennan shot back sarcastically asking "you would recognize that’s not good friendly, neighborly relationship, putting 150,000 troops on the border of a neighboring country and then to send those troops into that country?" She then asked him "why can't you condemn this as an invasion?"
He claimed condemnation doesn't solve anything. Explaining that he would be surprised if Russia backed down because China condemned them.
Things got really testy when Brennan snapped at Gang after he claimed that "we need good diplomacy":
Well, Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he would like to meet with Vladimir Putin. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in a bunker. Vladimir Putin is at a political pro-war rally right now. You can't have diplomacy when it is one country -- the only one country willing to actually negotiate.
The last question Brennan asked clearly threw Gang off guard. She prefaced by noting how he "talked about how important the UN is" so she brought up how a "UN Human rights panel said there are credible reports that a million Uighurs are in a massive internment camp shrouded in secrecy."
She then asked if China would give human rights officials unlimited access to the internment camps. Gang defiantly retorted "I totally reject that." When further pressed, he claimed, "there is no such so-called human rights violation."
To read the relevant transcript click "expand":
CBS’s Face the Nation
3/20/2022
10:49:24 a.m. EasternMARGARET BRENNAN: Let's talk about those international laws because four days ago the International Court of Justice ordered Russia to stop its military actions. China abstained from that. The vote was 13-2. The only country that stood next to Russia was China. That sounds like you are condoning and not condemning.
QIN GANG (CHINA’S AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.): China makes its observation and conclusion based independently, based on the merits of the matter itself. On the one hand.
BRENNAN: The United Nations Secretary General said that Russia invaded.
GANG: We uphold on the one hand China upholds the UN purposes and the principles, including the respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, including Ukraine.
(...)
BRENNAN: Would you be concerned if Russia amassed more than 150,000 troops at China’s border?
[crosstalk]
GANG: That’s why we want…
BRENNAN: Well just to be clear because China.
GANG: Good, friendly, neighborly relations with Russia.
BRENNAN: But you would recognize that’s not good friendly, neighborly relationship, putting 150,000 troops on the border of a neighboring country and then to send those troops into that country. In those circumstances, why can't you condemn this as an invasion?
GANG: Let’s, don’t be naive. Condemnation.
BRENNAN: It sounds naive to say that's not an invasion.
[crosstalk]
GANG: It doesn't solve the problem. I will be surprised if Russia will back down by condemnation.
BRENNAN: Will they back down if your president asks Vladimir Putin to back down? Will your president ask Vladimir Putin to back down? They rely on you.
GANG: We have done so, and they continue to promote peace talks and urge immediate fire. Condemnation only doesn't help. We need reason. We need wisdom. We need courage. And we need good diplomacy.
BRENNAN: Well, Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he would like to meet with Vladimir Putin. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in a bunker. Vladimir Putin is at a political pro-war rally right now. You can't have diplomacy when it is one country -- the only one country willing to actually negotiate.
(...)
BRENNAN: I want to talk to you about one quick thing before we run out of time. You talked about how important the UN is and what respect you have for it. So a UN Human rights panel said there are credible reports that a million Uighurs are in a massive internment camp shrouded in secrecy. And High Commissioner for Refugees and Human Rights will go to China soon. Will you give them unlimited access?
GANG: I totally reject that.
BRENNAN: Yes you will give access or no you won’t give access?
[crosstalk]
GANG: There is no such so-called human rights violation.
[crosstalk]
BRENNAN: So you will give access?
GANG: Well, we are in talks with the Human Rights Special Commissioner, and as far as I understand there is an agreement.
