In an exclusive interview with CGTN’s Wang Guan, former Secretary of State Colin Powell says the U.S.-China relationship is by and large “sound” and “solid” though there’s room for improvement.
“You can’t contain China, nor should we think that we can contain China,” said General Powell, who refuted suggestions that the U.S. should revise its engagement policy with China. He believes U.S. President Barack Obama should never have used the word Asia Pivot. “I think it’s a bad choice of words,” said the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “It annoys our friends in Europe and the Mideast because it gave the impression that we are turning away from them…it annoys the Chinese who think now we are coming after them.”
General Powell also talked about Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first state visit to the U.S. and offered his solutions to “difficult” issues in bilateral relations, ranging from alleged cybertheft to South China Sea.
The former Secretary of State also discussed his views on the Iran nuclear deal and the on-going humanitarian crisis in Europe.
