China branded US democracy a “weapon of mass destruction” on Saturday, following the US-organised Summit for Democracy which aimed to shore up like-minded allies in the face of autocratic regimes. “‘Democracy’ has long become a ‘weapon of mass destruction’ used by the US to interfere in other countries,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said in an online statement, which also accused the US of having “instigated ‘colour revolutions'” overseas. Ahead of the summit, China ramped up a propaganda blitz criticising US democracy as corrupt and a failure. Taiwan, a democratic self-ruling island that is claimed by China, was invited to the US summit in a clear snub to its larger neighbour. In response, the US State Department called on “all countries that value democratic institutions” to “expand engagement” with the island.

Source: Punch December 11, 2021 22:32 UTC