A Screenshot from Chinese Ambassador to Colombia Zhu Jingyang

Chinese Ambassador to Colombia Zhu Jingyang on Tuesday rebuked claims by US Ambassador to Peru Bernie Navarro, who maliciously invoked the story of Little Red Riding Hood in relation to China-Peru relations. Zhu asked whether Navarro was "looking in the mirror" when describing the wolf. The exchange followed Zhu's earlier criticism of Navarro's threats against Peru after Lima delayed a purchase of US fighter jets.

Navarro recently warned the Peruvian government that he would use "all available tools" if it negotiated in bad faith with the US, after interim Peruvian President Jose Balcazar said that he preferred to leave the decision on the purchase of fighter jets to the next president elected in the ongoing elections, according to EFE.

According to the report by AP, Balcazar deferred the decision on a $3.5 billion deal for US F-16 fighter jets to his successor who will emerge from a presidential runoff vote in June. He said he lacks the legitimacy as a temporary leader to make the commitment to buy 24 fighter jets manufactured by US-based Lockheed Martin and that his successor should make the decision. 

On April 19, Ambassador Zhu reposted Navarro's threats against Peru on X, stating that "this rhetoric is not diplomatic, it's direct, pure, and raw coercion."

Navarro on Monday maliciously smeared China's image, making a malicious comparison to Little Red Riding Hood in response to Zhu.  Zhu then reacted on Tuesday by asking, "When you describe the wolf from Little Red Riding Hood, aren't you looking in the mirror?"

"You shout 'free choice' but wave the stick of sanctions; you play the 'mature country' but resort to cheap mockery... With this, you only make it crystal clear who the real wolf is," Zhu added. 

The Chinese ambassador continued to emphasize that China always advocates mutual respect and equality. Peru is a sovereign country and has the right to choose its partners independently, without interference from any country through threats. "Our cooperation with Peru is clean, open, and mutually beneficial. Those who are truly strong don't need fairy-tale fangs, but greatness and intelligence."

The friendship between China and Peru is as solid as a rock, and no children's tale is going to stop it, Zhu noted. 

The matter was reported by media outlets in Peru. Peruvian newspaper Peru 21 stated that, in the context of the issue, China took the opportunity to reaffirm its position on Peruvian sovereignty. 

The episode lays bare America's interference in Peru's independent decision-making and internal politics and exposes its hegemonic nature in its approach to Latin America, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. With coercive rhetoric, the US is treating Latin American countries, especially Peru, as tools and a battleground for geopolitical games and sphere-of-influence competition.

China and Latin American countries, including Peru, will never accept the logic and mind-set of power politics, and shared interests will further strengthen relations between China and Latin American nations, Li said.