Part of Washington’s campaign against Beijing is pressuring allies not to do business with China, a strategy that doesn’t seem to be working with many European countries. Portuguese officials just rejected an ultimatum given to them by the US Ambassador George Glass over the country’s dealings with China.
Glass said that Portugal has to choose between its “friends and allies” in the US or its “economic partner” in China, and described Portugal as a “battlefield” for Washington and Beijing.
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa sharply responded to Glass in comments to reporters on Monday. “In Portugal it is the representatives chosen by the Portuguese and they alone who decide on their destiny, respecting the constitution and the rights it gives them,” he said.
Portugal’s Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva also responded to Glass. “In Portugal, the decision-makers are the Portuguese authorities, who decide which are Portugal’s interests,” Silva said.
Glass said Portugal could expect consequences related to its defense and security if it continues to do business with China. One company the US is trying to get pushed out of Europe is Huawei, the tech firm that specializes in 5G.
Portugal’s three major cell phone companies have said they will not use Huawei technology for their 5G networks, but the government has not banned the firm from supplying the infrastructure. Lisbon signed an agreement with China in 2018 to join China’s Belt and Road initiative.
Part of Washington’s campaign against Beijing is pressuring allies not to do business with China,
Now replace the words Beijing and China with a blank. Now put your name in those blanks. They have the same kind of tactics and techniques to be employed on a local level against individual mainland citizens. Some targeted individuals are not lying or disillusional. They aren’t terrorist or spies or even partially important to society in some cases. Think the United States wouldn’t do that to its own citizens. Think again. You know the United States as the bullying of the world. It is also a bully inward
If any other nations ambassador behaved this way, theyd be sent packing.
“Glass said that Portugal has to choose between its “friends and allies” in the US or its “economic partner” in China, and described Portugal as a “battlefield” for Washington and Beijing.”
Don’t you just love having “friends” that give ultimatums and describe your country as a “battlefield” between them and another foreign country? Seek new friends.
There should be Portuguese companies doing business in China and not the US. Portugal should withdraw from NATO & beef up its military & start a domino effect across Europe & the world.