China urges U.S. to help developing countries

The United States should do more to help developing countries, China's Foreign Ministry has said.

"The United States should put itself in the shoes of developing countries and do more concrete things for them with no political strings attached," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said at a routine press briefing on Tuesday.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang holds a regular press briefing on Tuesday, October 30, 2018. [Photo: fmprc.gov.cn]

Lu's comment came in response to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's recent remarks about China's economic engagement in Latin America as well as comments by national leaders of several Carribean countries.

During his trip to Latin America earlier this month, Pompeo accused China of "predatory economic activity" in the region.

Gaston Browne, prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, said that Pompeo's remarks were "confounding black and white," and that the United States should be "shameful" of its policies and activities in Latin America.

Browne is reported to have said that without China's assistance, the Carribean countries will find it impossible to have such a promising future for regional development.

Lu said: "It was commented by Antigua and Barbuda's media that the country wishes the United States to do concrete things for the Carribean countries in real earnest the same way as China does."

"Justice naturally inhabits man's heart. It's not the first time the United States was given a serious reminder about its truth-distorting remarks on China's cooperation with other developing countries at large by relevant countries.

"The United States may receive more praise and less reminders if it genuinely puts itself in the shoes of developing countries and does more concrete things for them with no political strings attached, just as the developing countries wish."