After issuing threats, China now wants Mike Pompeo to ‘address domestic affairs first’

After issuing threats of retaliation to the United States over the deployment of intermediate-range missiles in the Asia Pacific region, China has now resorted to advising Mike Pompeo "to address domestic affairs first." Responding to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's comment, China's Spokesman of Foreign Ministry Zhao Lijian, in a video message, pointed out various domestic issues in America. Pompeo had earlier said that Chinese Communist Party's behaviour is putting the "security of American people at risk"

Lijian lambasted Pompeo and called out US for "incompetent epidemic response, economic recession, serious systemic racism, social disturbances, drug abuse & gun violence." Highlighting the issues prevailing in the country, the Spokesman said, "I wonder why Pompeo still has confidence and courage to point fingers to China?"

Read: Mike Pompeo Says US Stands With Canada Against China's Arbitrary Detention Of Its Citizens

Claiming that Pompeo is "telling lies" to smear China, he adding that "lies repeated a thousand times are still lies." Sharpening his attack, he said, it's just Pompeo's nature to "lie, cheat, and steal as he himself admitted." Zhao further said it's not possible to "wake up someone who pretends to be asleep."

Read: Pompeo Responds To China’s Threat, Says Trump Administration First To Take It ‘seriously’

War of words between China-US

China's comments came after Pompeo responded to Beijing’s threat to retaliate if the United States deploys intermediate-range missiles in the Asia Pacific region. Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian had earlier said that China “firmly opposes” the deployment, adding that Beijing will not sit idle and will take all necessary measures to counter. Wu said that if the United States insists on deploying missiles at its military bases in Japan, it will be provoking China to take necessary measures to resolutely fight back.

In retaliation, Pompeo had said that the behaviour of China puts the security of American people at risk, and Trump administration will take the threat “seriously”. The US Secretary of State took to Twitter to lambast China and laud Trump administration for being 'the first in decades to take this threat seriously'. The war of words continues between the two countries as the US has been challenging Beijing’s claim on the South China Sea and helping Taiwan militarily too boost its defence inventory. 

Read: China's 'foreign Mission' Media Now Targets US' Pompeo On His Faith Amid Constant Attacks

Read: Mike Pompeo Slams China's Aggressive Behaviour, Uses Galwan Valley Face-off As Reference