China urges US to avoid double standards in exchanges

China on Wednesday urged the Unites States to avoid adopting double standards on normal nongovernmental exchanges and do more that are conducive to bilateral cultural communications.

The US embassy and consulates in China rolled out an annual public diplomacy grants program on its website to fund individuals, nongovernmental organizations, think tanks and academic institutions in China to conduct activities aimed at promoting understanding of the US among the Chinese people.

In the meantime, however, Washington has accused Chinese institutes of infiltration and espionage when carrying out normal academic exchanges and people-to-people contacts in the US.

The US Senate Foreign Affairs Committee in April passed the Strategic Competition Act of 2021, which authorized a $300 million fund to spread negative information to tarnish China.

"It makes me doubt the true intentions behind the program," Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a daily news conference.

International media also repeatedly exposed that the US has been interfering in other countries and creating Color Revolutions under the pretext of democracy and human rights, Zhao said.

China remains open to public diplomacy activities and programs aimed at enhancing people-to-people bonding, and hopes the US will stop groundless accusations and smears against China's normal academic and people-to-people exchanges with the US, he said.