Source: Global Times
"China is willing to mediate on the Ukrainian issue", "China says that its friendship with Russia is 'rock solid'" "In the face of a turbulent and changing world, China has always represented stability and positive energy"... On March 7, at a press conference at the Fifth Session of the 13th National People's Congress, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi answered questions from 27 Chinese and foreign journalists in about 100 minutes. The annual press conference on the theme of "China's Foreign Policy and Foreign Relations" not only covered the current hot spot Ukraine crisis - 6 issues related to the situation in Russia and Ukraine, but also covered China's relations with Russia, the United States and other countries, as well as the European Union, ASEAN, Central Asia, Africa and other regions. "Why hasn't China described Russia's actions as an invasion?" In the face of such acute questions, the Chinese foreign minister did not shy away from it, but reiterated China's consistent objective and fair position and put forward pragmatic suggestions. When asked by foreign media reporters how the Taiwan issue differs from the Ukrainian issue, Wang Yi's answer is simple and clear: there is an essential difference between the two, "there is no comparison." As for the "unavoidable" Sino-US relations, Wang Yi ruthlessly criticized the series of commitment statements made by the US side as "always floating in the air." Of course, in addition to the clear expression of position, China's advocacy of the spirit of "unity" and "cooperation" also ran through the press conference. "This press conference is a very comprehensive expression of 'China's diplomatic plan.'" A Chinese scholar told the Global Times reporter.
On March 7, the Fifth Session of the 13th National People's Congress held a press conference in the press conference hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, inviting State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to answer questions from Chinese and foreign journalists on issues related to "China's foreign policy and foreign relations". In order to effectively prevent and control the epidemic and jointly safeguard public health and health, the press conference was conducted in the form of online video. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Xin
Foreign media are concerned about China's new statements related to Ukraine
As the Conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues, China's position has become the focus of attention at this press conference. The second question at the meeting (the first question raised by foreign media reporters) was about the situation in Ukraine. Wang Yi replied that the Chinese side has stated its position many times, "We have always made judgments and made statements independently and autonomously in an objective and impartial attitude, according to the merits of the matter itself." It should be seen that freezing three feet is not a day's cold. The situation in Ukraine has developed to this day for complex reasons. To solve complex problems, we need calmness and rationality, not to add fuel to the fire and intensify contradictions."
Wang Yi put forward a four-point proposal for resolving the Crisis in Ukraine, including the need to uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, respect and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, adhere to the principle of indivisibility of security, and take into account the reasonable security concerns of the parties. Wang Yi said that China is willing to continue to play a constructive role in persuading peace and promoting talks, and is also willing to work with the international community to carry out necessary good offices when needed. He also proposed a six-point initiative on preventing a large-scale humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
"China is willing to mediate on the Ukraine issue." Agence France-Presse quickly reported that The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Borrell, said in an interview with the media last week that China should mediate in future peace talks between Russia and Ukraine because Western powers are not up to the task. Wang Yi said on the 7th that China is willing to work with the international community to carry out necessary good offices when needed, and China will also provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal said: "The Chinese foreign minister said that Russia and Ukraine should continue to resolve the dispute through negotiations. ”
Cui Hongjian, director of the European Institute of the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times that State Councilor Wang Yi's response is a complete expression of China's attitude and position. The statement went further than before, stressing that China will play a greater role of mediation at the right time and make practical humanitarian commitments, "which shows that China is rushing to solve the problem in this crisis, not adding fuel to the fire, nor is it empty talk."
Due to the Crisis in Ukraine, Sino-Russian relations have also attracted attention. Wang Yi said at a news conference that Sino-Russian relations have independent and autonomous values, and are built on the basis of non-alignment, non-confrontation, and non-targeting of third parties, and are still less subject to interference and provocation by third parties. This is not only a summary of historical experience, but also an innovation in international relations. The development of Sino-Russian relations has a clear historical logic and a strong endogenous driving force, the friendship between the two peoples is as solid as a rock, and the prospects for cooperation between the two sides are broad.
In response, Reuters reported under the headline "China says its friendship with Russia is 'rock solid.'" Germany's Der Spiegel magazine commented that China's foreign minister reiterated his partnership with Moscow – "no matter how sinister the international situation is", the two countries are close neighbors and strategic partners, and their relationship is "one of the most critical bilateral relations in the world".
The "Five-Four-Three-Two" formation in the United States is a curse
"There is no comparison between the Taiwan issue and the Ukrainian issue," the "German Editorial Network" said on the 7th, in the view of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the conflict in Ukraine cannot be compared with the tension around Taiwan. He said at a news conference on Monday that there is an essential difference between the two, that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, that the Taiwan issue is entirely China's internal affair, and that the Ukrainian issue is a dispute between Russia and Ukraine. Some people emphasize the principle of sovereignty on the Ukrainian issue, but on the Taiwan issue they have constantly undermined China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, which is a naked double standard.
In the past period, many people in the outside world have linked the situation in Ukraine with Taiwan, and Wang Yi's statement has also attracted reports from Taiwan media. The headline of the report on Taiwan's Zhongshi News Network was: "Tension in the Taiwan Strait Wang Yi: There Is No Way Out by Relying on Foreigners to Seek Independence, and Using Taiwan to Control China is Doomed to Failure." According to Lianhe Pao, Wang Yi stressed that the root cause of the tension in the Taiwan Strait lies in the DPP authorities' refusal to agree with the one-China principle in an attempt to change the status quo in which both sides of the strait belong to the same China.
In fact, during the phone call with US Secretary of State Blinken on the 5th, in addition to talking about the Ukrainian issue, Wang Yi also asked the US side to stop conniving at support for "Taiwan independence" acts, saying that the most important thing in the current Sino-US relations is still to promote and implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state on video, and some recent words and deeds of the US side run counter to the above goals. At this press conference, Wang Yi reiterated this position.
According to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post, Wang Yi criticized Washington for failing to fulfill its promises: not seeking a "new Cold War," not seeking to change China's system, not seeking to strengthen alliances against China, not supporting "Taiwan independence," and having no intention of clashing and confrontationing with China. He said that this "four noes and one unintentional" statement has always floated in the air and has not landed for a long time, and the US side still spares no effort to carry out zero-sum game-style fierce competition against China, and constantly attacks and provokes on issues involving China's core interests.
"Wang Yi criticized the United States for trying to engage in an 'Indo-Pacific version of NATO.'" Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao said that in response to the newspaper's question about "how does China evaluate the concept of the 'Indo-Pacific region and the Indo-Pacific four countries'", Wang Yi said that the US "Indo-Pacific strategy" is becoming synonymous with group politics, and the US side is playing a geopolitical game trick under the banner of promoting regional cooperation. From strengthening the "Five Eyes Alliance" to peddling the "four-sided mechanism," piecing together trilateral security partnerships, and tightening bilateral military alliances, the "May 432" posture discharged by the United States in the Asia-Pacific region has brought no blessing, but has disturbed the scourge of regional peace and stability.
Such U.S. practices are also manifested in the so-called global "democracy summit." The first so-called "democracy summit" at the end of last year was recognized as unsuccessful, but the United States still announced that it would hold an offline "democracy summit" this year. A Global Times reporter raised the issue at the meeting, and Wang Yi replied that it would be unpopular to hold such a summit again. "We believe that the garden of human civilization is rich and colorful, and the democracy of all countries should blossom ... Interfering in the internal affairs of other countries under the guise of 'democracy' can only cause the people to suffer. Solipsism is not only not a democratic righteousness, but also a disaster for democracy. ”
"Unity rather than division, dialogue rather than confrontation"
"We must not only listen to the United States, but also watch its deeds." Qi Kai, associate professor of the Institute of Globalization and Global Issues of the China University of Political Science and Law, told the Global Times that just as Wang Yi mentioned, the US side has been "saying one thing and doing one thing for some time." It has intensified its efforts on Xinjiang-related and Taiwan-related issues, and the international community has seen this for all to see. If the US side continues to act in this way, it is impossible to truly achieve the healthy and stable development of Sino-US relations.
Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times that throughout the press conference, the Chinese foreign minister has always emphasized one theme: opposing geopolitical competition, opposing the Cold War mentality, and opposing group politics. Whether it is the Ukraine issue, the Sino-US relations issue, or the South China Sea issue, China has always advocated handling international relations with "inclusive, cooperative and win-win" rather than a confrontational thinking that harms others and harms itself.
The Global Times reporter noted that Wang Yi said at the beginning of the press conference that this year is another challenging year for the world. At this important juncture, what countries need is unity rather than division, dialogue rather than confrontation. Answering the first question, he said that the success of the Beijing Winter Olympics is not only a success for China, but also a success for the world; it is not only a victory in sports, but also a victory in unity.
At this press conference, 27 opportunities to ask questions were given to foreign media, including 4 times for media in ASEAN countries. "China-ASEAN relations are not the best, they will only be better." Wang Yi said, "ASEAN countries are not 'chess pieces' in geopolitical competition, but important 'chess players' in promoting regional development and prosperity." We will continue to regard ASEAN as a priority direction for China's diplomacy and firmly uphold the ASEAN-centered regional cooperation framework..."
The BBC summed up Mr. Wang's remarks, such as talking about China-Africa relations: "China has built more than 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads, nearly 100 ports, and countless hospitals and schools in Africa." These are not 'debt traps', but monuments of cooperation"; China-Latin America relations - "Latin America is a hot land full of hope and vitality, not anyone's 'backyard'." What the Latin American people need is fairness and justice, win-win cooperation, not power politics, hegemony and bullying"; China-Central Asia relations - "China's relations with the five Central Asian countries are in the golden age of thirty years, showing broad prospects for vigorous development." China is willing to work with the five countries... Firmly support each other on core interests and build a closer China-Central Asia community of common destiny."
Lu Xiang, an expert on the United States issue at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the Chinese foreign minister's press conference on the 7th reflected the diplomatic demeanor of a big country -- it is not humble or arrogant, and it can remain calm and calm in the face of the complex changes in the world, and will neither provoke anyone nor look down on anyone.
[Global Times Special Correspondent in South Korea and Germany Zhang Jing Aoki Global Times Reporter Bai Yunyi, Zhao Jueheng, Wu Zhiwei, Hu Xinyu, Chen Qingqing, Ren Zhong, Liu Zhi]
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![Foreign Minister Wang Yi's special plane landed in Central Asia, and the two countries he selected to visit ensured the stability of the rear area[fig]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAAACAkQBADs=)