U.S. 'smears' of China affecting global stability, top Beijing diplomat says

BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. trade, economic and scientific restrictions on China and "smears" against its sovereignty are impacting global stability and development, the Chinese government's top diplomat said in comments published on Monday.

Even as the world's two largest economies have taken steps to cool a bitter trade war, they remain far apart on a string of issues including anti-government protests in Hong Kong, Syria, human rights and the status of Chinese-claimed Taiwan.

China has been particularly upset by criticism from senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, of China's ruling Communist Party and of the country's treatment of its Muslim Uighur minority.

The United States says it is determined to speak out about human rights abuses in China, re-balance what it sees as a mismatched trade relationship and stop potential national security threats with restrictions on Chinese companies such as tech giant Huawei.

In a year-end interview with state media, State Councillor Wang Yi said this year marking 40 years of ties between the People's Republic of China and the United States should have been an important anniversary for both to mark.

"Regrettably, the United States has successively imposed restrictions and put pressure on China in various fields such as economy, trade, science and technology, and on a series of issues concerning China's territorial sovereignty has interfered and smeared (us)," Wang said.

"What the United States has done has undermined Sino-U.S. mutual trust accumulated over the past 40 years and has also impacted the stability and development of the entire world," he added, in excerpts of the interview carried on the Chinese Foreign Ministry's website.

Wang said China would safeguard its core interests and right to legitimate development, and no person or force can stop the 1.4 billion Chinese people from the path of modernisation.

China wants to resolve problems that arise with the United States through dialogue and on the basis of mutual respect, he added.

"We hope that the United States will rebuild its objective and correct understanding of China," Wang said.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Andrew Heavens)