CCTV: A few days ago, the Privacy and Technology Center of Georgetown University in the United States released an investigation report, saying that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency has established a surveillance system to bypass the law and almost holographically monitor American citizens. What is China's comment on this?
Zhao Lijian: The relevant departments of the US government have been using advanced network monitoring technology to monitor the people for a long time, without discrimination and without a bottom line. The report to which you have referred reveals in detail this egregious act. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement established a surveillance system that cost nearly $3 billion to cover 75 percent of U.S. adults and more than 218 million users in 50 states and territories. In addition, the bureau arrested at least 400 family members of unaccompanied refugee children on the U.S. border under the guise of so-called "care" for unaccompanied refugee children on the U.S. border.
I have noticed that the relevant US government departments are unscrupulously and pervasively collecting people's personal information, but they are not effectively bound by US law. Many American and international media have expressed anger at this. Relevant media are also worried that the reason why the huge surveillance network operated by the bureau for many years has been difficult to effectively regulate for a long time is that there are loopholes in the US legal system. Driven by commercial interests and so-called "national security," how many similar institutions are there in the United States? What the report reveals is probably only the tip of the iceberg.
The United States is the number one matrix, the eavesdropping empire, and the stealing empire. This report proves once again that the relevant departments of the United States government have not only turned ordinary citizens into suspects, but also tried to exhaust allies and partners around the world, including the United States. This is an irrefutable fact and a wonderful irony of the US side's insistence on boasting about human rights, the rule of law, and the rules. The US actions are bound to be met with increasing resistance from the American people and the international community.
Reuters: Myanmar's military junta said today that it executed four democracy activists accused of aiding in terrorist acts. What is China's comment on this?
Zhao Lijian: China has always adhered to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, and we have always advocated that all parties and factions in Myanmar proceed from the long-term interests of the country and the nation and properly handle differences and contradictions under the constitutional and legal framework.
Phoenix TV: According to reports, on the 25th, the British prime minister candidate and former chancellor of the exchequer Sunak said that China poses the most serious long-term threat to the UK and the global economy and security, saying that if elected prime minister, it will take a series of tough measures against China. What is China's comment on this?
Zhao Lijian: The British Conservative Party leadership election is a British internal affair, and I will not comment on it. I would like to advise some British politicians that irresponsible remarks such as talking about China and clamoring for the so-called "China threat theory" will not solve their own problems.
Australia-Asia Satellite TV: On The 24th, Australian Prime Minister Albanes said in an interview that China's sanctions on Australian goods lack justifiable reasons, and it is in the interests of China and Australia to cancel all sanctions on Australian goods, and hopes to cooperate with China within an acceptable range. What is China's response to this?
Zhao Lijian: A healthy and stable China-Australia relationship conforms to the fundamental interests and common aspirations of the two peoples. According to Chinese statistics, the bilateral trade volume between China and Australia in 2021 was about US$231.2 billion, an increase of 35.1% year-on-year. Among them, China imported US$164.82 billion from Australia, an increase of 40.6% year-on-year. At the same time, the competent Chinese authorities take relevant measures against foreign products exported to China in accordance with laws and regulations, which is in line with Chinese laws and regulations and international practices, and is also a responsible behavior for China's domestic industries and consumers.
I would like to reiterate that China's position on pragmatic cooperation with other countries, including Australia, is consistent. We hope that the Australian side will seize the opportunity of the emergence of opportunities in the relations between the two countries, put into practical action, reshape its understanding of China, and handle China-Australia economic and trade relations in the principle of mutual respect, mutual benefit and win-win results. The Australian side should move in the same direction as the Chinese side, reduce negative assets and accumulate positive energy to improve China-Australia relations, so as to create a favorable environment for the healthy and stable development of China-Australia economic and trade relations.
TASS: According to reports, last Thursday, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Pelosi said that she was urging the US State Department to list Russia as a country that supports terrorism. What is the Foreign Ministry's comment on this?
Zhao Lijian: China has always believed that on the Ukraine issue, dialogue and negotiation are the only way to resolve the dispute. The US side should create positive conditions for the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations and do more things conducive to political settlement.
Pakistan News Agency: On July 21, the third meeting of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Working Group for International Cooperation and Coordination was held online. What is your assessment of this?
Zhao Lijian: Thank you for your attention to the relevant meetings of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
On July 21, the third meeting of the Working Group on Coordination of International Cooperation under the Framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was held by video. The meeting was co-chaired by Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao and Pakistani Foreign Minister Mahmoud.
China and Pakistan agreed to grasp the general direction of corridor construction, properly cope with risks and challenges, and accumulate positive energy, inject new momentum and provide strong guarantees for corridor construction.
The two sides exchanged views and reached consensus on third-party participation in corridor cooperation, media, think tank exchanges, etc., including promoting third-party cooperation in accordance with existing consensus and promoting the extension of corridor projects to Afghanistan; Continue to deepen media cooperation and tell the "corridor story"; Innovate and expand think tank cooperation to provide more public opinion and intellectual support for the development of the corridor.
The Chinese side is willing to work with the Pakistani side to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, jointly build the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in a safe, smooth and high-quality manner, and better benefit the two countries and the people of the region.
Kyodo News Agency: Can the spokesperson introduce the latest news of Indonesian President Joko Widodo's visit to China?
Zhao Lijian: We have released relevant information. If there is an update, we will release it in a timely manner.
Reuters: According to the Financial Times, china has stepped up warnings to the US side about the possible visit of US House Speaker Pelosi to Taiwan, and these warnings or threats are stronger than in the past. The newspaper's sources also said that China may make a military response. Is the report accurate? If China is likely to respond militarily, what kind of response will it be?
Zhao Lijian: Recently, the Chinese side has repeatedly expressed to the US side its serious concern and solemn position of resolutely opposing Speaker Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. We are waiting for it. If the US side insists on going its own way, china will certainly take firm and effective measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the US side should be responsible for all the serious consequences caused by it.
RIA Novosti: On Friday, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Nations signed an agreement on the export of grain from Ukraine. Russia's defense minister said that in the next few days, Ukraine may start exporting grain from ports in the Black Sea. What is China's comment on this agreement? When will China start receiving grain stranded in Ukrainian ports affected by the conflict?
Zhao Lijian: China welcomes the conclusion of relevant agreements. China has always attached great importance to the issue of international food security, listed food security as one of the eight key areas of cooperation of the Global Development Initiative, and recently proposed the International Food Security Cooperation Initiative to contribute to the solution of the current world food problem. China supports the United Nations in playing an active role in reaching an agreement on food security transport in Ukraine. Under the current circumstances, the international community should make active efforts to solve the problem of world food security. For specific issues of concern to you, please consult the relevant departments.
Bloomberg: Milai, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that China's military has become more aggressive and dangerous in the past five years. He also said that during this period, the number of Chinese ships and aircraft intercepting the United States and its allies and unsafe interactions in the Pacific region has increased significantly. What is China's response to this?
Zhao Lijian: The relevant us statement is completely inverted black and white. Some people in the United States cling to the Zero-Sum mentality of the Cold War and must call it the "China Challenge", and they are just looking for excuses for their own military expansion. The United States, which has the largest total military spending in the world, recently submitted a draft defense budget of about $813 billion for the new fiscal year. The United States has more than 800 overseas military bases around the world, and has not fought a war in only 16 years since its founding. It is clear at a glance who frequently sends warships and military planes to areas outside their own countries to flaunt their might, who is challenging regional peace, security and stability, and who is more aggressive.
What relevant US officials should do is to abandon the zero-sum thinking of the Cold War, stop hyping up the "China threat theory", stop talking about China at every turn, and find excuses for themselves to increase military spending and expand military strength.
Xinhua News Agency: According to reports, on the 22nd, German Foreign Minister Berberk said in an interview that China no longer accepts "one country, two systems" and Germany must take the Chinese mainland's "attack on Taiwan" declaration seriously as the United States, so Germany and the United States jointly formulated a NATO strategy. Together with partner countries, Germany should reduce its economic dependence on China. What is China's comment on this?
Zhao Lijian: The German official's statements are typical of bias against China. I would like to emphasize four points:
First, China has always advocated respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and has always adhered to the path of peaceful development. On the issue of peace and security, China is the largest country on record. We have never taken the initiative to provoke a war, nor have we ever invaded an inch of the territory of another country, posing no threat to any country.
Second, the Taiwan issue is China's internal affair, and no external forces may interfere. China adheres to the principle of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems", and no one should underestimate the strong determination, firm will and strong ability of Chinese the Chinese people to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Third, security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region do not need NATO to stir up trouble. The 21st century is a multipolar world, no longer an era in which a few Western countries decide everything.
Fourth, economic globalization and trade liberalization are the trend of the times. China is the world's largest trading partner of more than 120 countries and regions, which is the result of the combination of market laws and enterprise choices. Nor can the so-called "democracy" and "values" violate the laws of a free market economy.
I would like to remind individual Western politicians that sticking to the Cold War mentality and enthusiastically embracing the old path of camp confrontation will not work, and will only fall into the trap they have dug. Only by upholding the norms governing international relations, drawing lessons from history and reality, and correcting our understanding of China based on objective facts can we accurately grasp the main tone of mutual benefit and win-win results in bilateral relations and jointly safeguard world peace and security.
Reuters: Just now a reporter asked about the Indonesian president's visit to China, and as far as I know, this is the first foreign head of state to visit China in the past two years, except for the Beijing Winter Olympics. Will the bilateral meetings of this visit be held face-to-face or by video as before the pandemic? What will the specific form look like?
Zhao Lijian: I can't reveal more details to you at this time. What I can tell you is that this visit is the first physical visit hosted by China after the Winter Olympics. Through the Winter Olympics, we have accumulated useful experience in receiving high visits. On the basis of ensuring the safety of epidemic prevention, we will do our best to receive visits. I am sure that this visit will be a success, a smooth one and a success. As for the relevant details, you can continue to pay attention to it. Let us look forward to this visit together.
Bloomberg: You just said that china is waiting for Pelosi's possible visit to Taiwan. Can you provide more details? Will China respond militarily or diplomatically, or in some other way?
Zhao Lijian: I have just made China's position very clear. If the US side insists on going its own way, China will certainly take effective measures to resolutely deal with and counter it.
Reuters: Let me ask you another question about the Financial Times report. I would also like to ask, the report mentions that the Chinese side has issued a harsher warning to US officials, is this true?
Zhao Lijian: I think your understanding is correct.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs website