China News Service: The 62nd Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded in Hangzhou on March 1. We’ve learned that China shared its experience and practice in meteorological disaster prevention and mitigation at the session. Can you share the outcomes of the session? We’ve also noted that COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago said in a recent interview that “China has been able to give some fantastic answers to the fight against climate change.” “They are doing their own thing, and their own thing is benefiting the rest of the world,” he added. What is your response?
Lin Jian: I noted the report. This is the first time that the Chinese government hosts the IPCC session. With the strong support and effort from China, the session adopted the outlines of the three Working Group contributions to the Seventh Assessment Report, which identified the key direction of the scientific assessment on climate change, and laid an important foundation for pooling the strength of the global science community and jointly improving climate governance.
China is always a partner of Global South countries on the development path of green transition. China proactively responded to the U.N. initiative on meteorological early warning, shared observation data with 132 countries and regions worldwide, and jointly developed early warning system together with Pakistan, Ethiopia and other countries to share China’s experience and solution. We actively shouldered international obligation commensurate with our national conditions and capabilities. China shared the results of green innovation with more than 100 developing countries to lower the cost of emission reduction and boost global green production capacity. Low-carbon demonstration zones, facilities of wind and solar power, and energy-efficient lighting projects are all over Asia, Africa and Latin America. Green energy has become a daily necessity, instead of a luxury. We will stay committed to building a fair and equitable global climate governance system for win-win cooperation, supporting developing countries’ climate response capacity building and technological advancement, and help Global South countries jointly realize green and low-carbon revitalization.
Reuters: Global Times reported today that China is formulating countermeasures to fresh U.S. tariffs expected to enter force tomorrow, including curbs on American agricultural products. Is the Foreign Ministry able to confirm this?
Lin Jian: I made clear China’s solemn position on the relevant question last week. The U.S. once again uses the fentanyl issue as a pretext to threaten China with tariff hikes on its imports. China opposes this move and will do what is necessary to firmly safeguard its legitimate interests.
Associated Press of Pakistan: Last Friday, Pakistan and China signed a cooperation agreement on spaceflight of a Pakistani astronaut on Chinese space station. This is being considered another milestone in space cooperation between the two countries. What is your response please?
Lin Jian: Exploring the universe is humanity’s shared aspiration. We are glad to see the signing of a space cooperation agreement between China and Pakistan. We hope the Pakistani astronaut’s entry into the Chinese space station will be a full success. Since the launch of the manned space engineering program, China has been following the principles of peaceful use, equality, mutual benefit and common development. We focus on sharing with all humanity the results of China’s development and offer opportunities of cooperation in China’s space station. We are willing to work with Pakistan to elevate our space cooperation to a new level, and give a stronger boost to the socioeconomic development of the two countries through space technologies. China also stands ready to conduct more international cooperation and exchange with other countries and regions that are committed to the peaceful use of outer space.
Reuters: U.S. President Trump accused Ukrainian President Zelenskyy of being not ready for a peace deal with Russia. Does China’s Foreign Ministry have any comment on the meeting?
Lin Jian: We noted relevant reports. China will continue to play a constructive role for the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis and the realization of peace.
Bloomberg: I want to follow up if China would send peacekeepers to Ukraine as some analysts have suggested?
Lin Jian: China did not start the Ukraine crisis, nor is it a party to it. We support all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis. China hopes that the relevant parties can find a sustainable and lasting solution that takes into account each other’s concerns.
Reuters: Is the Foreign Ministry able to confirm that the 40 Chinese nationals repatriated from Thailand last week are Chinese Uyghurs? The United Nations human rights experts said that they were at risk of harm if returned. Are you able to tell us what would happen to them next?
Lin Jian: I made clear China’s position last week. Let me stress once again that the repatriation is carried out in accordance with the laws of China and Thailand as well as international law and common practices. The lawful rights of people concerned are fully protected. Readouts were also released by competent authorities.
China has all along been committed to protecting the lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens. Those who were long detained abroad have been repatriated to China and returned to a normal life. Their lawful rights and interests have been fully protected in accordance with the law. This speaks to the consistent position and firm resolve of the Chinese government in respecting and protecting human rights. U.N. human rights experts need to perform their duties fairly and objectively, respect countries’ sovereignty, respect objective facts, and refrain from interfering in countries’ judicial sovereignty and normal law enforcement cooperation between countries.
CCTV: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently blamed China on issues of Taiwan, economy and trade, COVID-19 and Indo-Pacific affairs at an interview by U.S. media outlet. What is China’s comment?
Lin Jian: Rubio’s remarks are steeped in the Cold-War mentality and full of lies and false accusations. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this, and has lodged serious protests with the U.S.
There is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. This is the real status quo of the Taiwan Strait. The U.S. has distorted the one-China principle, and insisted on using Taiwan to contain China, and the Taiwan authorities have sought “independence” under the support and connivance of the U.S. These are the most fundamental changes to the status quo of the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwan question is the most crucial, sensitive and explosive question in the China-U.S. relations. If the U.S. does not hope to trigger confrontation, they must stop crossing or trampling on the red line of the Taiwan question.
Trade and tariff wars have no winner. The U.S.’s attempts to politicize and weaponize trade and economic issues, levy tariff hikes on Chinese imports under the pretext of fentanyl, and create blocks to its normal trade, investment and economic cooperation with China will only harm its own economic interests and international credibility. China stands ready to work with the U.S. to address each other’s concerns through dialogue and consultation on the basis of equality and mutual respect. In the meanwhile, we will take all measures necessary to safeguard our legitimate rights and interests.
Origins-tracing of COVID-19 is a serious science issue. It is “extremely unlikely” that the pandemic was caused by a lab leak—this is the authoritative conclusion reached by the experts of the WHO-China joint mission following their field trips to the lab in Wuhan and in-depth communication with researchers. It is a conclusion based on science, which is widely recognized by the international community and the science community. More and more clues in the international science community point possible COVID origins to various parts of the world, and a global perspective is needed to carry out origins-tracing work in multiple countries and regions, in particular the U.S. The U.S. needs to immediately stop slinging mud on and scapegoating China.
The Asia-Pacific is a pace-setter in cooperation and development, not a chess board for geopolitical rivalry. History and facts show time and again that treating other countries as a chess piece, pawn or even cannon fodder is the U.S.’s go-to tactic. The U.S. should not project its own hegemonic mentality onto China. Attempts to stoke bloc confrontation in the Asia-Pacific run counter to the trend of the times and go against the common aspiration of regional countries. These moves will win no support and be doomed to failure.
Our message to the U.S.: a lie told a thousand times cannot be a fact, the world will not be fooled by such baseless vilification against China, and megaphone diplomacy does no good to China-U.S. relations. We will be committed to viewing and developing our relations with the U.S. on the basis of the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation put forward by President Xi Jinping. Meanwhile, we will firmly defend national sovereignty, security and development interests.
Reuters: The U.S. is nudging Mexico and Canada to match tariffs on China. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment?
Lin Jian: As we have said more than once, trade and tariff wars have no winners. Snuffing out others’ candles does not bring light to oneself. WTO rules and principles of market economy should be observed by all. If there are any concerns, they should be solved through dialogue and consultation with equality and mutual respect. Countries need to come together to address to unilateralism and trade protectionism.
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