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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on September 8, 2022

2022-09-08 19:21

Reuters: Taiwan said on Thursday that it would send a representative to former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s state funeral. What is the foreign ministry’s response to this? Can the foreign ministry announce if a representative from China is attending the funeral and if so, who it is?

Mao Ning: Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The Taiwan question bears on the political foundation of China-Japan relations and the basic trust between our two countries. The Japanese side has made serious political commitments on this to China for multiple times. The Japanese side should abide by the principles of the four political documents between China and Japan and handle relevant issues in strict accordance with the one-China principle. Japan must not provide any platform for “Taiwan independence” forces to find opportunities for political manipulation.

The Taiwan authorities seek to use the event to engage in political manipulation and benefit politically. Their political calculations will not succeed. 

Regarding your question on whether someone will represent China at the funeral, I gave an answer yesterday and have nothing to share.

CCTV: According to reports, Russian President Putin said at the Eastern Economic Forum on September 7 that the system of international relations has undergone irreversible, tectonic shifts. Emerging countries around the world, including in the Asia-Pacific region, now play a substantially bigger role. Sanctions by Western countries, replacing the pandemic, have become the biggest threat to the world. In an attempt to obstruct the course of history, the US has undermined the pillars of the global economic order, including in financial and monetary sectors, built over centuries, and concocted self-serving rules based on its own will. What is China’s comment?

Mao Ning: As permanent members of the UN Security Council and representatives of major emerging markets, China and Russia have firmly defended the international system with the UN at its core and the international order underpinned by international law, resolutely practiced true multilateralism and stayed committed to achieving world economic recovery amid the pandemic. In stark contrast, certain country has disregarded the purposes of the UN Charter and the basic norms of international law and willfully imposed illegal unilateral sanctions against other countries, which has had a serious impact on the world political and economic order and the international governance system.

We will continue to work with Russia and the rest of the international community to jointly promote a multi-polar world, economic globalization and greater democracy in international relations, and make positive contributions to building a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind. 

Bloomberg: A bipartisan group of eight US lawmakers arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday, led by Stephanie Murphy, a Representative from Florida. Today, some of the representatives met with Taiwan’s Tsai Ing-wen. Does the Chinese foreign ministry have a comment on this visit by the US lawmakers to Taiwan?

Mao Ning: The US lawmakers’ visit to China’s Taiwan region seriously violates the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués and goes against the US’s commitment of maintaining only unofficial ties with the Taiwan region. The Chinese side deplores and firmly rejects this.

There is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. We will not waver in opposing “Taiwan independence” separatist activities and external interference. We urge the relevant US politicians to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, immediately stop all forms of official interactions with Taiwan, and immediately stop sending wrong signals to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. China will continue to take strong measures to resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

CCTV: The Fourth Forum of Science, Technology and Innovation of China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States was held the other day in a virtual format. More than 20 representatives of science and technology ministries from countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) attended the meeting via video link. Representatives of LAC countries expressed the strong desire to promote China-LAC cooperation in such areas as agro-technology, digital economy, and development driven by science and technology. Can you share more information of the forum? 

Mao Ning: The Forum of Science, Technology and Innovation of China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States is an important sub-forum of the China-CELAC Forum. This forum was co-hosted by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology and Argentina’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of CELAC. The forum was themed on “science and technology for common development, solidarity and cooperation for a better future”. The forum adopted a joint statement. An MOU was signed between China’s Ministry of Science and Technology and the science and technology authorities of the LAC states to advance cooperation on establishing a sustainable food innovation center. The two sides spoke highly of the achievements of bilateral scientific and technological cooperation and agreed to deepen cooperation in clean energy, digital technology, agro-tech, satellite communications and other fields. 

LAC is a promising land filled with hope and dynamism. Equality, mutual benefit and shared development has always been the hallmark of China-LAC relations. Last year, trade between our two sides exceeded $450 billion for the first time. The two sides hosted the Third Ministers’ Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum, where new broad consensus was reached on deepening our strategic mutual trust and practical cooperation in the following three years. Statistics show that between 2005 and 2020, Latin America saw the construction or inauguration of more than 100 infrastructure projects undertaken by China. Those projects created over 600,000 local jobs. From jointly combating COVID-19 to conducting joint R&D on resources satellites, from ensuring food security to introducing each other’s specialties from the agriculture, husbandry and fishery industries into domestic markets, China-LAC cooperation has proven to be unconstrained by geographical distance and has flourished instead.

As fellow members of the developing world, China and LAC countries all advocate a multi-polar world and greater democracy in international relations. The shared aspiration for independence, development and prosperity is a strong bond linking the “Chinese dream” and the “LAC dream”. China stands ready to work together with Latin America to remain committed to the concept of mutual respect and win-win cooperation, advance high-quality BRI cooperation, actively act on the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, and strengthen and expand practical cooperation across the sector to build a China-LAC community with a shared future.

Bloomberg: A report came out today from Freedom House in the US which claims that the Chinese government is expanding efforts to increase its media influence around the world. And the report also includes observations that Chinese diplomats are also involved in such activities. Does the foreign ministry have any comment on the report from Freedom House? 

Mao Ning: The organization you mentioned has a long track record of making false allegations on China-related issues. This report is not fact-based and is driven by ulterior motives.

Telling the story of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and presenting a true, multi-dimensional and panoramic view of China to the world is part and parcel of the job of Chinese media and foreign service. What we share with the world are facts, real numbers, concrete examples and plain truth. They are completely different from the so-called “influence efforts” or “disinformation” in the report.

I would also like to point out that the criteria for evaluating a media outlet should not be based on a country’s political system or ideology, but whether the reporting itself is objective, truthful, fair and just. Chinese media abide by press ethics and uphold the principles of objectivity, integrity, truthfulness and faithfulness. The report you mentioned pins labels on the normal reporting activities of the Chinese media on the grounds of their so-called affiliation, while turning a blind eye to the false reporting of some Western media. This is typical double standard.

We will continue to tell the world the story of China, the story of the CPC and the story of China’s pursuit of peaceful development, and work to build deeper mutual understanding between China and the rest of the world.

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