On the afternoon of 12 April, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, director of the Information Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense and spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, issued a message on recent military-related issues.
On the afternoon of 12 April, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, director of the Information Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense and spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, issued a message on recent military-related issues. Photo by Lu Zhe
First, I post a message.
In accordance with the annual work arrangement, on 12 April, China's Ministry of National Defense held a seminar on international security cooperation among military attachés stationed in China at the International Defense College of the National Defense University. The seminar was carried out in the form of special presentations, seminars and exchanges, inviting leading experts from relevant military and local units to take the initiative to promote the major concept of a community with a shared future for mankind and the Global Security Initiative, and to introduce the spirit of this year's National "Two Sessions", China's national defense policy, and the protection of the rights and interests of Chinese retired soldiers, and to discuss and exchange views on topics such as "International Strategic Situation and Global Security Initiative", "Sino-foreign military training, education and other fields", "ways and means to strengthen international military cooperation to respond to global security challenges".
On the afternoon of 12 April, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, director of the Information Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense and spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, issued a message on recent military-related issues. Photo by Lu Zhe
Reporter: In early April, President Xi Jinping had a phone call with US President Joe Biden at the request, and the two sides agreed to advance the consultation mechanism in areas such as diplomacy and communication between the two militaries. China and the United States recently held a working group meeting of the Maritime Military Security Consultative Mechanism, and US media analysis said that this marked the resumption of maritime military dialogue between the two sides. Do you have any comment, and what activities will the two militaries hold in the next step?
Wu Qian: Recently, President Xi Jinping had a telephone conversation with US President Joe Biden at the invitation of the United States, during which they had a frank and in-depth exchange of views on China-US relations and issues of common concern, charting the course for the development of relations between the two countries and the two militaries. Since the beginning of the year, China and the United States have successfully held the 17th China-US Defense Defense Meeting to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, and have steadily advanced the work related to the search for the remains of US military personnel who disappeared in China during World War II. On April 3 and 4, the Chinese and US militaries held the 2024 China-US Maritime Military Security Consultative Mechanism Working Group Meeting in Hawaii, USA. On the basis of equality and respect, the two sides had positive and constructive exchanges on the current China-US maritime and air security situation, assessed the implementation of the China-US Code of Conduct for the Safety of Maritime and Air Encounters since the 2021 China-US Maritime Military Security Consultative Mechanism Meeting, and discussed measures to improve China-US maritime military security issues.
In the next step, we hope that the US and China will work in the same direction, strengthen dialogue in a respectful manner, manage differences in a prudent manner, promote cooperation in a spirit of mutual benefit, promote the stable development of the relations between the two militaries, and continuously raise positive expectations for the relations between the two countries and the two militaries. Regarding other specific exchange projects, the defense departments of the two countries are maintaining communication and coordination, and we will release information in due course.
Reporter: Recently, Indonesia's President-elect, President Prabowo, President of DAP and Minister of Defence of Indonesia was invited to visit China and meet with Chinese state leaders and military leaders. Indonesia's defense ministry said expanding defense cooperation was one of the important purposes of the visit. Please provide further information on this visit and comment on the current relations between the Chinese and Indonesian militaries.
Wu Qian: Recently, Indonesia's President-elect, President of Greater Indonesia, President of DAP and Minister of National Defense Prabowo visited China upon invitation. President Xi Jinping held talks with him and pointed out that he is willing to deepen all-round strategic cooperation with Indonesia and build a China-Indonesia community with a shared future with regional and global influence. Defense Minister Dong Jun met with Prabowo. Prabowo's first visit to China after his election as president reflects the great importance he attaches to China-Indonesia friendship and his sincere willingness to develop relations between the two militaries.
In recent years, under the strategic guidance of the heads of state of China and Indonesia, the two militaries have had close high-level interactions, and have shown a good momentum of vigorous development in joint exercises and training, exchange of visits by ships, personnel training, and multilateral cooperation. In the next step, we are ready to work with the Indonesian side to continue to consolidate strategic mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, and push the relationship between the two militaries to a new level.
On the afternoon of 12 April, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, director of the Information Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense and spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, issued a message on recent military-related issues. Photo by Lu Zhe
Reporter: Recently, the US, Japan, Australia and the Philippines held their first joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea. In a joint statement, the four defense ministers declared the move aimed at demonstrating a "collective commitment" to strengthen cooperation. It is also reported that the leaders of the United States, Japan and the Philippines recently held a trilateral summit, and the United States said that any attack on Philippine aircraft, ships or armed forces would trigger the "US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty." Some commentators believe that this is aimed at counteracting China's growing economic, diplomatic and military influence in the region. Do you have any comment?
Wu Qian: China has always maintained that defense cooperation between any country should not be aimed at any specific country or undermine regional peace and stability. China's relevant activities in the South China Sea are reasonable, lawful and beyond reproach. On the contrary, it is irresponsible and extremely dangerous for certain countries outside the region to frequently send warships and aircraft to the South China Sea to flex their forces, enlist their allies to form "small circles" against China, and even threaten and coerce China with the triggering of the so-called mutual defense treaty.
The South China Sea is the common home of all countries in the region. We have always advocated properly handling differences through dialogue and consultation, resolutely opposing the intervention of external forces, and resolutely opposing provocations and disturbances to create tensions in the region. Recently, on the one hand, the Philippines has enlisted the intervention of foreign forces to invade the relevant islands and reefs of China's Nansha Islands, and on the other hand, it has launched a propaganda machine to hype up the so-called "big bullying the small" of China, disguised as a victim, and sold porcelain everywhere, which China firmly opposes. The South China Sea issue should be resolved by reason, not by comparison. China will never bully the small with the big, but it will never allow the Philippines to make trouble. On the issue of defending national sovereignty and security, the Chinese armed forces have always kept their word.
Reporter: According to reports, the commander of the Taiwan Navy recently visited the US Indo-Pacific Headquarters in Hawaii and attended relevant US military activities. Some commentators say that this visit is part of the US implementation of the "Joint Island Defense Concept" and is aimed at coordinating with the Taiwan authorities to counter China's military forces within the "first island chain." Do you have any comment on this?
Wu Qian: China's position is clear and unequivocal that the US firmly opposes any form of official exchanges and military ties with China's Taiwan region. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the settlement of the Taiwan issue is China's internal affair, which brooks no foreign interference.
The so-called "first island chain" is a product of the geopolitics of the Cold War, and any attempt to contain China is nothing more than wishful thinking. The Chinese side urges the US side to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués, truly implement its commitment not to support "Taiwan independence", and immediately stop US-Taiwan military collusion and official exchanges. He is telling the DPP authorities that being willing to be a "pawn" will become an "abandoned son" and that there is only one way to die in a vain attempt to "seek independence by force." The PLA will deal a head-on blow to any form of "Taiwan independence" separatist acts.
On the afternoon of 12 April, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, director of the Information Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense and spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, issued a message on recent military-related issues. Photo by Lu Zhe
Reporter: According to reports, the commander of the US Army Pacific said in a recent interview that the US plans to deploy intermediate-range missiles in the Indo-Pacific region in the near future. Do you have any comment on this?
Wu Qian: The US push to deploy intermediate-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region is a dangerous move that will seriously threaten regional national security and seriously undermine regional peace and stability. We urge the US to earnestly respect the security concerns of other countries and stop undermining regional peace and stability.
Reporter: According to reports, the Chinese military recently conducted a live-fire military exercise on the China-Myanmar border. Foreign media analysis said that the move was seen as a message to the Myanmar military and armed groups to abide by the truce agreement, and also a way to prevent the conflict from spreading to the border. Do you have any comment on this?
Wu Qian: According to the annual training plan, the Southern Theater of the Chinese People's Liberation Army recently organized army and air force units to hold a joint live-fire exercise on the Chinese side of the China-Myanmar border. The purpose of the exercise was to test the combat capabilities of the theater troops, such as rapid mobility, precise paralysis, three-dimensional closure and control, and joint strikes, so as to prepare for all kinds of emergencies at any time.
Recently, the war in northern Myanmar has seriously threatened the security and stability of the China-Myanmar border areas and the safety of the lives and property of the border people on both sides. As a friendly neighbor of Myanmar, China is highly concerned about the current development of the situation in northern Myanmar and urges all parties to immediately cease fire and cease hostilities and de-escalate the situation as soon as possible. The exercise demonstrated the determination, will, and ability of the theater troops to fulfill their missions and tasks. The Chinese armed forces have always maintained a high level of alert and will continue to take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, border stability and the safety of people's lives and property.
Source: Ministry of National Defense Network Editor-in-charge: Wu Mingqi