This Sept 24, 2015 photo shows the national flags of China, right, and the United States as well as the flag of Washington D.C. on the Constitution Avenue in Washington, capital of the US. (BAO DANDAN / XINHUA)

LONDON – International scholars said Saturday that aggressive statements and actions by the US government towards China pose a threat to world peace and a potential new cold war on China is against the interests of humanity. 

The comments came during a virtual meeting on the international campaign against a new Cold War on China, which gathered experts from a number of countries including the United States, China, Britain, India, Russia and Canada. 

Jenny Clegg, senior lecturer in international studies of University of Central Lancashire, said China-US relationship is one of the most important bilateral relationships and its deterioration would pose significant threat to world peace. 

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John Ross, senior fellow at Chongyang Institute, Renmin University of China, listed the threat of war by the United States, including launching major wars in Iraq and Libya, taking the dangerous step of withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, and unilateral sanctions on Iran and Venezuela. 

We support China and the US basing their relations on mutual dialogue and centering on the common issues which unite humanity. 

Internationals scholars  

"Of course, a threat of war with China itself would be an unimaginable catastrophe," he said. 

Medea Benjamin, cofounder of Codepink, a women-led grassroots organization working to end US wars, said it was concerning that the US leaders claim a new Chinese aggression when the US itself has military bases around the world. 

"The US needs to understand China is not our enemy. We call for cooperation with China," Benjamin said. 

Magaret Kimberley, a columnist at Black Agenda Report, said the US government made wrong accusations of China on issues relating to Xinjiang and controlling the coronavirus pandemic and its forced closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston violated international law. 

Some experts attending the meeting issued a statement calling upon the US side to step back from this threat of a Cold War and also from other dangerous threats to world peace it is engaged in. 

They said the United States goes in a wrong direction by withdrawing from the INF Treaty and the Paris Agreement on climate change, and increasing disengagement from UN bodies. 

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"We support China and the US basing their relations on mutual dialogue and centering on the common issues which unite humanity," the statement said, urging collective effort on addressing global challenges like climate change, the pandemic and the economic development.