CCTV: Premier Li Qiang paid an official visit to the UAE. Could you share more details with us?
Mao Ning: At the invitation of the UAE’s Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Premier Li Qiang paid an official visit to the UAE from September 11 to 13.
During the visit, Premier Li Qiang met with the UAE’s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, had talks with the UAE’s Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and attended the China-UAE Business Forum. Premier Li Qiang said that China and the UAE are good partners on the path to common development, and strengthening cooperation and helping each other succeed is in the fundamental interest of both countries. China has long put the UAE front and center in its Middle East diplomacy. China stands ready to continue working with the UAE to firmly support each other, consolidate the political foundation of bilateral relations, further enhance cooperation in various fields, and make bilateral relations grow with vigor and vitality, and achieve greater progress. Both sides need to further tap into cooperation potential, expand bilateral trade, foster more new drivers of economic growth, and contribute to each other’s sustainable development. Premier Li Qiang encouraged the companies from both sides to ride on the trend of the times and seize new opportunities of cooperation from both sides’ sustained and determined efforts to work with each other. Companies need to seize the new opportunities from, first, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, second, increasing synergy between the two countries’ development strategies, and third, burgeoning technological and industrial innovation. We welcome more UAE companies to invest in China.
Reuters: A German Defense Ministry official today said ships from the country transiting through the Taiwan Strait were not directed to anyone, and they are, in fact, supporting the international principle of freedom of navigation. Would the Foreign Ministry like to comment?
Mao Ning: The one-China principle is a basic norm in international relations and prevailing international consensus. The Taiwan question is not about freedom of navigation but about China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We respect countries’ right to navigation in relevant waters in accordance with China’s laws and international law, including UNCLOS. But we firmly oppose any act of provocation under the pretext of freedom of navigation that harms China’s sovereignty and security.
Shenzhen TV: Director Wang Yi attended the 14th Meeting of BRICS High-Ranking Officials responsible for security matters/National Security Advisors in St. Petersburg this week. Can you give us more details?
Mao Ning: On September 11, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi attended the 14th Meeting of BRICS High-Ranking Officials responsible for security matters/National Security Advisors in St. Petersburg.
Director Wang Yi spoke highly of the role of BRICS as a positive and stable force for good in international affairs. He said that BRICS countries have increasingly become a constructive force in maintaining world peace, promoting common development, improving global governance, and advancing democracy in international relations. BRICS took a historic step of expansion last year, fully demonstrating the strong vitality and appeal of the BRICS mechanism. It is important to fully leverage the strategic significance and political effects of greater BRICS, uphold independence, solidarity, collaboration and common development, protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, and expand the development space for emerging markets, so as to send out a clearer and more consistent voice of BRICS countries in the global governance system.
Director Wang Yi noted the BRICS NSAs meeting is the core mechanism for BRICS political and security cooperation and should be fully utilized to enhance strategic coordination, take into account each other’s core interests and major concerns, safeguard our respective sovereignty, security, and development interests, and make the international order more just and equitable. China will fully support Russia’s chairmanship and work for fruitful deliverables of the Kazan Summit.
During the meeting, Director Wang Yi also attended a dialogue session between BRICS and Global South countries where he made a four-point proposal of upholding dialogue and cooperation, cementing the foundation of development, carrying forward the spirit of solidarity and mutual assistance and demonstrating openness and inclusiveness. Director Wang stressed that China, as a natural member of the Global South, will always stand firmly with Global South countries and jointly defend international fairness and justice and promote world peace and development.
AFP: A Swiss prosecutor issued a report yesterday, saying that WADA had not shown bias toward China in the case of 23 Chinese swimmers cleared for the Games. Later on, the Chief Executive Officer of the US Anti-Doping Agency criticized the report and called for new investigations. Has the Foreign Ministry seen the report? What is your comment on it?
Mao Ning: We noted the report. I’d refer you to competent authorities for the specifics. Let me say more broadly that China strictly abides by the World Anti-Doping Code and has a zero-tolerance attitude toward doping. I’d also like to stress that sports issues should not be politicized, athletes from all countries should be treated equally, and effective efforts should be made to keep competitions fair.
NBC: The future of TikTok in the US will be the focus of legal arguments in the US appeals court next week. The US government is concerned that the app may pose a national security risk because it is owned by a Chinese company ByteDance. What is China’s position on this? And should Americans be concerned about their privacy because TikTok is owned by a Chinese company?
Mao Ning: Previously, my colleagues and I and the spokesperson of China’s Ministry of Commerce made clear China’s principled position on this issue on multiple occasions, which you may refer to.
Global Times: On September 12, the UK government issued the so-called “Six-monthly report on Hong Kong: January to June 2024.” What is China’s comment?
Mao Ning: China has always opposed the UK’s so-called “six-monthly report” which makes irresponsible comments on Hong Kong affairs. Since the return of Hong Kong, One Country, Two Systems has been a success in Hong Kong, which is widely recognized. The national security law and ordinance and the improved electoral system have enabled Hong Kong to enter a new stage in which it has restored order and is set to thrive, its security, democracy and people’s freedoms and rights are under better protection, and it enjoys more promising prospects for development.
Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs. It’s been 27 years since Hong Kong’s return and the UK must respect that fact and stop pointing fingers at Hong Kong affairs.
Reuters: We would be interested to know whether the Chinese government or state lenders are talking to the Maldivian government about its debt situation. If so, are you discussing measures to provide debt relief? Could China provide a currency swap line? And China and the Maldives signed 20 new agreements during the Maldivian President’s state visit in January. What financial assistance could China provide through those?
Mao Ning: During Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s visit to China this January, the two presidents agreed to elevate China-Maldives relations to comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. The two sides reached consensus on cooperation in such areas as Belt and Road cooperation, economic and technological cooperation, blue economy, digital economy, green development, infrastructure, livelihood assistance, among others. Relevant departments in the two countries are speeding up the implementation. China will, as always, do its best to support and assist Maldives’ socioeconomic development. On Maldives’ debt to China and bilateral financial cooperation that you mentioned, financial departments in the two countries maintain communication and consultation.
Ukrinform News Agency: The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with Brazilian outlet called Chinese-Brazilian six-point peace initiative for the war in Ukraine as “destructive,” because, firstly, this plan was not discussed with Kyiv, and secondly, it is unacceptable to call for a compromise with the enemy who occupied Ukraine’s sovereign territory. How would you comment on that, and in the same context, are the Chinese leaders planning contacts with their Ukrainian counterparts regarding the mentioned peace initiative in the near future?
Mao Ning: What you referred to is not in the six common understandings. Let me reiterate that China and Brazil put forward the six common understandings to address one urgent priority, which is to deescalate the situation. The common understandings stress that all relevant parties need to observe three principles for deescalating the situation, namely no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting and no provocation by any party. It also calls on all parties to be committed to dialogue and negotiation, increase humanitarian assistance, oppose the use of nuclear weapons, oppose attacks on nuclear power plants, and protect the stability of global industrial and supply chains. The common understandings have received positive response from over 110 countries, and meets the common aspiration of the international community.
On the Ukraine crisis, including on the six common understandings, China has maintained close communication with Ukraine. China will continue promoting talks for peace and playing a constructive role for the political settlement of the crisis.
AFP: The DPRK today released images of its uranium enrichment facility for the first time and official media reported that the DPRK leader Kim Jong Un stressed the need to exponentially increase nuclear weapons. As a neighboring country having good ties with the DPRK, how does China view the images and the DPRK’s plan of expanding its nuclear arsenal?
Mao Ning: China’s position on the Korean Peninsula issue remains unchanged. We always believe that upholding peace and stability on the Peninsula and advancing the political settlement of the Peninsula issue serve the common interests of all parties. We hope that all parties will make an effort to this end and China will continue to play a constructive role.
PTI: My question is regarding the bilateral meeting between Indian national security adviser Mr. Doval and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at St. Petersburg yesterday discussing about particular bilateral issues between the two countries. I think the Indian readout has said that both sides agreed to work with urgency and redouble their efforts to realize complete disengagement in the remaining areas in the eastern Ladakh region. And separately, the Indian Foreign Minister Mr. Jaishankar in Geneva said yesterday that roughly 75 percent of the disengagement problems between India and China at this particular sector have been sorted out. Are we close to a breakthrough between the two countries in the bilateral relations, which has been bogged down for over four years?
Mao Ning: On September 12, Director Wang Yi met with India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in St. Petersburg. The two sides discussed progress made in recent consultation on border issues and agreed to deliver on the common understandings reached by leaders of the two countries, enhance mutual understanding and trust, create conditions for improving bilateral ties and maintain communication to this end.
In recent years, front-line armies of the two countries have realized disengagement in four areas in the Western sector of the China-India border, including the Galwan Valley. The China-India border situation is generally stable and under control.
CCTV: We’ve learned that in response to Typhoon Yagi, China and Viet Nam worked together to share information and mitigate the flood. Their meteorological departments also collaborated on disaster prevention and control. Could you share more details with us?
Mao Ning: Relevant provinces and cities in both China and Viet Nam were hit by Typhoon Yagi. The meteorological departments in the two countries cooperated on disaster prevention and control. The hydrological and meteorological station in Viet Nam’s Lao Cai Province provided rainfall data to Hekou Yao Autonomous County of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture in China’s Yunan Province. China Meteorological Administration also raced against time to collect and provide hydrological and meteorological information of the border areas to Viet Nam. All of those provided useful support to the flood relief efforts in both China and Viet Nam. The cooperation vividly demonstrated that the two countries are friendly neighbors who help and support each other. This is what building a China-Viet Nam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance is all about.
Bloomberg: Yesterday in Russia, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Chinese leader would be visiting Russia for the BRICS Summit Kazan. Can you confirm those comments by the Foreign Minister?
Mao Ning: China and Russia maintain close communication at all levels. We stand ready to work with Russia and other BRICS partners to make the Kazan Summit a success.
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During the Mid-Autumn Festival, there will be no regular press conference on September 16 and 17. The press conference will resume on September 18. During this period of time, questions can be sent to the Spokesperson’s Office via fax, email or WeChat.
Wish you all a happy Mid-Autumn Festival.
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