Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang attends a press conference on China's foreign policy and foreign relations on the sidelines of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

Containing and suppressing China won't make the U.S. great, and it will not stop the rejuvenation of China, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing annual session of China's national legislature, Qin said the United States' China policy has entirely deviated from the rational and sound track.

"The U.S. claims that it seeks to out-compete China but does not seek conflict. Yet in reality, its so-called 'competition' means to contain and suppress China in all respects, and get the two countries locked in a zero-sum game," Qin said.

Comparing China and the U.S. to two athletes competing in an Olympic race, Qin said if one of the athletes, instead of focusing on giving one's best, always tries to trip or even injure the other, that is not fair competition but malicious confrontation and a foul.

Qin said the U.S. rhetoric of "establishing guardrails" and "not seeking conflict" simply means China should not respond in words or action when slandered or attacked. "That is just impossible," he said.

"If the U.S. does not hit the brake but continue to speed down the wrong path, no amount of guardrails can prevent derailing and there will surely be conflict and confrontation," Qin said.

China is firmly opposed to such competition, which is a reckless gamble with the stakes being the fundamental interests of the two peoples and even the future of humanity, he said.

"If the U.S. has the ambition to make itself great again, it should also have a broad mind for the development of other countries," Qin said.