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China, Iran Ministers Meet, Criticize 'Bullying Practices'

Associated Press

   BEIJING - China's foreign minister has decried international "bullying
   practices" while meeting with his Iranian counterpart Tuesday, in the
   country's latest criticism of American foreign policy under the Trump
   administration.

   Wang Yi reaffirmed the strength of bilateral relations in opening
   remarks at the beginning of talks with Mohammad Javad Zarif.

   The Iranian minister's visit follows a trip to close ally Russia and
   comes just after the first-ever drills among the navies of the three
   countries in the northern part of the Indian Ocean.

   "We need to stand together against unilateralism and bullying
   practices," Wang said.

   China was a signatory to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and has
   strongly criticized the U.S. for abandoning it in favor of a campaign
   of heightened diplomatic and economic pressure.

   Without directly mentioning the U.S., Wang said China and Iran would
   stand up for their national interests as well as "uphold
   multilateralism and norms governing international relations."

   Zarif responded that the two countries were united in, "our common
   effort to fight unilateralism and to promote multilateralism"in 2020.

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