On June 5, 2024, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning held a regular press conference.
China News Service: It is understood that a series of senior officials' meetings on East Asia cooperation will be held in Vientiane, Laos. Can you tell us more about China's attendance?
Mao Ning: Laos, the rotating chair of ASEAN, will hold the ASEAN-China-Japan-ROK Senior Officials' Meeting, the East Asia Summit Senior Officials' Meeting and the ASEAN Regional Forum Senior Officials' Meeting in Vientiane from June 7 to 8. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong will lead a delegation to attend.
During the meeting, all parties will review the achievements of East Asian cooperation under the theme of "ASEAN: Strengthening Connectivity and Resilience", focus on how to grasp the direction of regional cooperation and promote cooperation among various mechanisms under the current situation, and exchange views on international and regional issues of common concern, so as to prepare for this year's East Asia Cooperation Leaders' Meeting and Foreign Ministers' Meeting. China looks forward to in-depth exchanges with all parties participating in the meeting, promoting new progress in East Asian cooperation, and making greater contributions to peace, stability and common development in the region.
CCTV: According to reports, on June 4, South Korean Prime Minister Han Deok-so chaired a state meeting and decided to suspend the September 19 military agreement until mutual trust between the two Koreas is restored. The ROK military later said that it had drawn up a plan for resuming training exercises in the ROK's land, sea, and air buffer zone, and would resume artillery bombardment and regiment-level maneuver exercises at a training ground 5 kilometers south of the military line, artillery firing training for troops stationed on the northwest islands, and maneuver and artillery training for naval vessels near the northern limit line. Do you have any comment?
Mao Ning: We have noted relevant reports. Maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula is in the common interests of all parties. Recently, the situation on the peninsula has continued to be tense, and the confrontation between the parties concerned has intensified. We are concerned about current developments. China has always been committed to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, supports relevant parties in improving relations through dialogue, and opposes any words and deeds that aggravate tensions. It is hoped that the parties concerned will remain calm and restrained, be cautious in their words and deeds, and play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula.
TASS: US President Joe Biden said in an interview with Time magazine that he did not rule out the possibility of US military intervention if there was a military conflict between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. Do you have any comment?
Mao Ning: Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the Taiwan issue is purely China's internal affair that brooks no foreign interference. No amount of pressure or threat can shake the strong determination, firm will, and strong ability of the Chinese Government and people to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The real status quo in the Taiwan Strait is that both sides of the strait belong to one China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. How to solve the Taiwan issue is a matter for the Chinese themselves. We urge the US side to clearly understand the nature and ambitions of the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, abide by its commitment not to support "Taiwan independence", stop arming Taiwan, and stop sending any wrong signals to the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces in any way.
Reuters: Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao is currently on a visit to Europe. It is widely expected that the European Commission's investigation into China's electric vehicle industry will lead to additional tariffs on Chinese products. Can China's lobbying of EU member states change the findings?
Mao Ning: Regarding the details of Minister Wang Wentao's visit to Europe, I suggest you ask the Ministry of Commerce of China for details. With regard to the EU's countervailing investigations and tariffs, China has repeatedly stated its position. Trade protectionism is not in the interests of either side, and the EU should abide by its commitment to free trade and openness and cooperation. If the EU introduces any measures that undermine China-EU economic and trade cooperation, China will not sit idly by and will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.
Xinhua News Agency: The results of the 18th Lok Sabha elections have been announced, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its National League for Democracy (NLD) winning. Do you have any comment?
Mao Ning: We have noted that the results of India's general election have been announced, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP and its National League for Democracy have won the election. China congratulates him on this.
A healthy and stable China-India relationship conforms to the common interests of both sides and is conducive to peace and development in the region and the world at large. China is willing to work with the Indian side to proceed from the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples, keep the overall situation in mind, face the future, and push forward the development of bilateral relations along a sound and stable track.
Dragon TV: Today is the 53rd World Environment Day. We have noted that for some time, some countries have been indiscriminately applying protectionism and imposing tariffs on China's green products, creating obstacles to the global low-carbon transition. Do you have any comment?
Mao Ning: Today is not only World Environment Day, but also the Environment Day established by China's Environmental Protection Law, and the theme of this year's Mainland Environment Day is "Comprehensively Promoting the Construction of a Beautiful China". Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, a beautiful picture of harmonious coexistence between man and nature is spreading across the land of China. China has become the fastest country in the world to improve air quality, with more blue skies. China has achieved 40 consecutive years of double growth in forest area and forest stock, and the land has become greener. In 2023, China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP will drop by more than 35% compared with 2012, and the country's installed renewable energy capacity will account for 52.9% of the total installed capacity.
China has also actively promoted the global green transition and contributed to the world's environmental and climate governance. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, in the past 10 years, the average LCOE of wind and photovoltaic power projects has fallen by more than 60% and 80% respectively, thanks in large part to Chinese innovation, Chinese manufacturing and Chinese engineering. Mankind has only one earth, and the world needs to take care of it. We need to protect green, but we don't need green protectionism. Green protectionism will not create a green future. We look forward to the international community's cooperation and joint efforts to keep the blue sky of the earth, the green mountains and the green waters forever.
PTI: The spokesperson just congratulated Modi on his re-election as Prime Minister of India. Does China see the election as an opportunity to restore the relationship between China and India that has been frozen since May 2020? Will China take new steps to break the impasse and reshape China-India relations?
Mao Ning: China's position on China-India relations is consistent and clear. We always believe that a healthy and stable China-India relationship is in the common interests of both sides. We congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP and its National League for Democracy on their election victory, and look forward to the two sides working in the same direction in the fundamental interests of the two peoples to jointly promote the healthy and stable development of China-India relations.
(The content is synthesized from: the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China)
Published in: Beijing
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