Ambassador to France Lu Shaye: China's civil war is not over yet, and there is a rebel regime in Taiwan at present

【Ambassador Lu Shaye】

According to the website of the Chinese Embassy in France, on June 26, Ambassador Lu Shaye attended the symposium on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France of the French Association for Foreign Affairs and the United Nations (FDNU) and delivered a keynote speech. The full text is as follows:

Mr. Laurent Braugam, Trustee of ISTEC Business School,

Mr. Eric Ludley, Dean of ISTEC Business School,

Mr. Pierre Lale, Director of International Division, ISTEC,

Members of the Association for the Diplomatic and United Nations,

Dear Students,

Hello everyone! It is a great pleasure to be here at the École Supérieure des Pets Supérieure des Les Trades (ISTEC) to attend a seminar organized by the Association for the Diplomacy and the United Nations in Paris. As you know, not long ago, President Xi Jinping paid another successful state visit to France. First of all, I would like to relive President Xi Jinping's visit to France with you through a video.

I believe that through this video, everyone has a more comprehensive understanding of President Xi Jinping's important visit. The theme of today's seminar is the development achievements of Sino-French relations in the past 60 years and the prospects for the next 60 years. I would like to focus on the following three questions: What does the 60-year development of China-France relations tell us? How can China-France relations be stable and successful in the next 60 years? How do you view the global significance of the Sino-French spirit?

First question: What historical experience has the 60-year development of Sino-French relations taught us?

To answer this question, it is necessary to review the history of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. At the beginning of 1964, when the Cold War was in full swing, under the mediation of President de Gaulle's special envoy Edgar Faure, the French government planned to establish diplomatic relations with New China, but this annoyed the United States, the "boss" of the Western camp. On January 9, 1964, the U.S. State Department issued a statement criticizing France's imminent recognition of New China. On January 16, the U.S. government sent a note to the French government strongly protesting France's decision to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, claiming that it was detrimental to the "interests of the free world." However, General de Gaulle, who was full of the spirit of independence and self-determination, proceeded from the long-term interests of his country and the general trend of historical development, withstood the pressure of the United States, and adhered to the strategic decision of establishing diplomatic relations with New China. For this reason, when China and France established diplomatic relations in January 1964, Le Monde published an editorial saying that "two independent countries have come together".

It can be seen from this that the historical experience of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France is independence and self-determination. Independence is the spiritual background of Sino-French relations. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France in 2014, President Xi Jinping summarized the spirit of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France as "independence, mutual understanding, foresight, mutual benefit and win-win results", putting independence in the first place. It is precisely by virtue of the spirit of independent diplomacy that China and France have created one "first" in the history of Sino-Western relations from the first comprehensive partnership to the beginning of strategic dialogue, from the first to set up cultural centers to hold cultural years in each other, and from the opening of the first civil aviation route between China and the West to the earliest civil nuclear energy cooperation, which has not only created benefits for the two countries and peoples, but also played an important role in maintaining world peace and stability, promoting world multipolarization and democratization of international relations.

The second lesson is mutual benefit and win-win results. Mutual benefit and win-win results are a powerful driving force for Sino-French cooperation. Over the past 60 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, the trade volume between the two countries has increased by nearly 800 times and has been continuously upgraded in quality, benefiting the people of both sides. Today, traditional Sino-French cooperation in aerospace and civil nuclear energy continues to consolidate, and cooperation in new fields such as agriculture and food, green industry, and digital economy is in the ascendant. I believe that many of the students here have purchased goods online on platforms such as AliExpress, Shein and Temu. Relying on a sound industrial chain and supply chain, China's high-quality and low-cost goods bring real convenience to everyone's life. Three weeks ago, the European flagship store of Chinese electric vehicle brand BYD opened on the Champs-Élysées. On the other hand, more and more French products are entering thousands of households in China, and high-quality French products such as Bordeaux red wine, Charolais beef, and a wide variety of cheeses are coming from French farms to Chinese tables. Last year, China imported about 6 billion euros of agricultural products from France, an increase of 50.5% compared to 2019. A number of Chinese new energy companies are investing in France, injecting Chinese momentum into France's green transformation.

Not long ago, the European Commission issued a statement that it intends to impose temporary countervailing duties on Chinese-made electric vehicles from July 4, with tax rates ranging from 17.4% to 38.1%. China firmly opposes this and will take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises. The rhetoric of the European side cannot conceal the protectionist nature of this move. Since the launch of the so-called countervailing investigation, many people of insight have repeatedly pointed out that protectionist practices are not conducive to improving the competitiveness of Europe's new energy vehicle industry, nor are they conducive to Europe's green transformation and consumer interests, let alone in line with the free trade rules advocated by Europe. Mercedes-Benz, BMW and other European car companies have spoken out against the above-mentioned tax hike decision for the first time. In fact, the real reason for the rise of China's electric vehicles lies in the core competitiveness formed by more than 20 years of technology accumulation, rather than relying on government subsidies. As we all know, in the era of fuel vehicles, the Chinese market is open to American, European, Japanese and South Korean car companies, and the proportion of foreign brands in the Chinese market once reached 100%. However, China has never accused foreign brands of their monopoly position, nor has it criticized relevant countries for "overcapacity" and "dumping", but has "turned to itself" and fought hard to catch up, and finally seized the opportunity on the electric vehicle track.

When China began to develop electric vehicles and power batteries in the late 90s of the last century, European and American countries were still sleeping in the comfort of fuel vehicles. When you wake up and find yourself lagging behind, you blame China for running early, heavily subsidy, and "unfair competition". Speaking of subsidies, in fact, since 2016, China's electric vehicle subsidy policy has been gradually declining, and at the end of 2022, the new energy vehicle purchase subsidy policy has been completely withdrawn. On the contrary, the United States and the European Union, while blaming China, continue to provide huge subsidies to the electric vehicle industry, especially in the production and consumption sectors. The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act alone provides $430 billion in subsidies for related industries, almost seven times the total subsidies for China's electric vehicle industry from 2009 to 2019. The French government gives subsidies of 5,000 to 7,000 euros per car for locally-made electric vehicles, and subsidies for power battery gigafactories are often hundreds of millions or billions of euros. The EU's attempt to weaken China's electric vehicle advantage by imposing tariffs is itself unfair competition.

The third lesson is mutual learning among civilizations. As early as more than 300 years ago, the Qing Dynasty Emperor Kangxi of China and the French King Louis XIV exchanged letters, promoting the two countries to start a far-reaching exchange of science and technology, commerce and intellectual culture. The scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries has given birth to China's first scientifically significant "Imperial Opinion Panorama"; The commercial and trade exchanges between the two countries have repeatedly set off a "China fever" after Chinese goods entered France; The ideological and cultural exchanges between the two countries brought a large number of ancient Chinese classics, including the Analects, to France, and exerted a profound influence on the French intellectual and academic circles, especially on the Enlightenment Movement on the eve of the French Revolution. In recent years, people-to-people exchanges between China and France have become increasingly frequent, and more and more French stars have become "top streamers" in China. Two years ago, French soccer star Kylian Mbappe and Chinese Olympic diving champion Zhang Jiaqi jointly named two giant panda cubs at Beauval Zoo. The giant panda has now become the signature of the Beauval Zoo. On the occasion of President Xi Jinping's recent visit to France, the two heads of state presented Olympic torches to each other, demonstrating their common desire to live up to the Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger – More United".

During his visit to France, President Xi Jinping announced that China's visa-free policy for France will be extended until December 31, 2025. This means that French friends can go on a "walk-and-go" trip to China at any time if they wish. China is a country with a vast land area of 9.6 million square kilometers, you can feel the rows of modern skyscrapers in Shanghai and Shenzhen, you can also experience the long history of 5,000 years of culture in the ancient city of Xi'an and the Sanxingdui archaeological site in Sichuan, and you may also wish to go to the landscape towns of Guangxi, Guizhou and Hunan to enjoy the beautiful and wonderful natural scenery. The Chinese say that "hearing is better than seeing". I believe that friends from all walks of life in France will be able to establish an objective and accurate "view of China" by experiencing the real and three-dimensional China firsthand.

The second question: Looking forward to the next 60 years, how will China-France relations be stable and long-term?

I think there are three key points:

First of all, it is necessary to establish a correct understanding. Needless to say, the vast majority of reports about China that you see and hear in the mainstream Western media such as radio, television, newspapers and magazines are probably negative. Taking China's economy as an example, some Western media have recently hyped up China's "threat theory" and "impact theory" while propagating China's "threat theory" and "impact theory" while promoting China's "threat theory" and "impact theory".

It must be pointed out that China's political system, historical and cultural traditions are indeed different from those of the West, but this does not mean that the path and system chosen by the Chinese people are "undemocratic" or even "authoritarian". China has always believed that every country has the right to independently choose its own path. The key to judging whether a country's political system and development model are good or bad lies in whether it conforms to its national conditions, whether it can maintain national stability, promote economic development, improve people's livelihood, and protect people's rights. China practices whole-process people's democracy, the essence of which is the whole-process process. The people not only have the right to be elected democratically, but also participate in the whole process of democratic decision-making, democratic management, and democratic supervision, instead of being awakened at the time of voting and entering a dormant period after voting. The second is consultation. In the entire process of governance, the government makes decisions, implements and manages through consultation and dialogue, rather than through games and confrontations between different political parties. Consultations in China are diverse and almost ubiquitous, including consultations between political parties, governments, people's congresses, and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, as well as grassroots democratic consultations. This ensures that the Chinese government's decision-making is scientific, long-term, and people-oriented, and ensures the stability of the governance process. This is where China's national competitiveness lies. Only by recognizing and accepting this can the West truly abandon its ideological prejudice against China and view China and its development objectively and rationally.

In 2019, the EU proposed a triple positioning of China as a "partner, competitor and systemic adversary", which seriously disrupted the development of China-EU relations. It's like a car driving to an intersection and the red, yellow, and green lights come on at the same time. In recent years, a series of problems, including the blockage of the China-EU investment agreement and trade frictions with electric vehicles, wind power and photovoltaic products, are ultimately due to the EU's perception of China. China and the EU have no fundamental conflicts of interest, let alone geopolitical contradictions, and do not necessarily become systemic rivals. China does not export ideology and political systems to the outside world, does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, has no intention of challenging or threatening any country, and is happy to see a united, strong, self-confident and open Europe. China's development is therefore an opportunity rather than a risk for Europe. At a press conference on January 31, 1964, General de Gaulle said: "By establishing diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, France is at the service of the cause of human ingenuity, progress and peace, which will help to bridge the divisions of the world and weaken the great antagonism between the two camps". I hope that France and European friends will revisit General de Gaulle's deafening speech 60 years ago, proceed from the long-term interests of France and Europe, uphold strategic autonomy with concrete actions, resist infiltration, manipulation and even coercion by other countries, and leverage the healthy and stable development of China-France-China-EU relations to promote Europe to truly become an important pole in a multipolar world.

Second, we must adhere to openness and cooperation. At the bilateral level, China and France still have huge potential for cooperation to be explored: China, with its super-large consumer market of 1.4 billion people and the world's most complete industrial and supply chain, is focusing on accelerating the cultivation and development of new quality productivity to promote high-quality development, which can provide valuable opportunities for France to achieve "re-industrialization"; With a strong industrial and basic scientific research accumulation and a sufficient reserve of innovative talents, France is a priority partner for China to expand high-level opening-up and achieve high-quality development. Four days ago, the Sino-French astronomical satellite was successfully launched. Yesterday, the Chang'e-6 lunar probe successfully returned to Earth, successfully completing the world's first sample return trip to the far side of the moon. During this mission, the Chang'e-6 probe carried a number of international payloads, such as the French lunar radon detector and the ESA lunar negative ion analyzer, is a vivid embodiment of the high-quality and pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in the field of innovation.

At the global level, some countries cling to the Cold War mentality, gather "exclusive circles", and engage in trade protectionism under the banner of "de-risking" and "reducing dependence", undermining the international economic order. During the Cold War, the two camps led by the United States and the Soviet Union isolated each other, engaged in all-out confrontation, and even engaged in a "nuclear balance of terror," which terrified the whole world. Nowadays, in the name of "reducing dependence" and "de-risking", some people are actually "decoupling and breaking the chain" with China, trying to obstruct and contain China's development, and some people even fantasize about going against the trend of the times, engaging in a "two parallel worlds" system, and launching a "new Cold War" against China. Think about it, if neither the West nor China depends on each other, and no one needs anyone, will the risk of confrontation, conflict, and even war between the two sides rise significantly? We need to strengthen our analysis of the arguments of "reducing dependence" and "de-risking", and do not be easily fooled. As the "main engine" of European integration and an important beneficiary of the multilateral trading system, France should work with China to oppose bloc confrontation and political manipulation, adhere to openness and cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win results, and use the resilience of China-France cooperation to enhance the strategic stability of China-France and China-EU relations.

Third, we must uphold mutual respect. In 2014, President Xi Jinping quoted the French writer Victor Hugo in a speech at UNESCO Headquarters: "Wider than the sky is the heart of man". Hugo himself has always respected and appreciated Chinese culture. During President Xi Jinping's visit to France in May this year, President Macron prepared an important gift for President Xi Jinping, which was Victor Hugo's book "Meditations" published in 1856, which fully reflects the precious characteristics of mutual respect and appreciation between China and France.

Mutual respect should be reflected in mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, in particular. Both China and France have a strong sense of national pride and cherish their sovereignty. China is the only country among the five permanent members of the Security Council that has not achieved complete reunification, and the Taiwan issue is the core of China's core interests and is of special significance. Some French netizens have left messages under the social media account of the Chinese Embassy, believing that Taiwan is to China what Corsica is to France and Catalonia is to Spain.

I want to emphasize that Taiwan has never been a country, but a part of China. Now it wants to make a fuss about "independence," that is, it is to separate the territory of a sovereign state, which is a violation of international law. The current state of partition in which Taiwan is located is a leftover issue of China's civil war in the 40s of the last century, and does not affect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. In a sense, China's civil war is not over yet, and the current regime in Taiwan is a rebel regime in China's territory. The Chinese government has the right to expel this regime at any time and to take back the right to govern Taiwan. However, in consideration of the well-being of the people of Taiwan, we do not want to use force to achieve this goal, and we do not want the people of Taiwan to suffer the scourge of war, but hope to realize the return of Taiwan's rule of power through peaceful means. Therefore, we have put forward the principle of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems." However, for the purpose of maintaining its world hegemony and maintaining its "first island chain" to contain China, the United States has connived at and supported Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in pursuing "Taiwan independence," continuously increased arms sales to Taiwan, and instigated "Taiwan independence" forces to "seek independence by force," thus undermining the prospects for peaceful reunification between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, thus causing the current tense situation in cross-strait relations. Taiwan has only one future, and that is to return to the embrace of the motherland. If it can't be done peacefully, then it's not peaceful; If some people do not want "one country, two systems", then "one country, one system" should be implemented. In short, we will never allow Taiwan to split from the motherland.

The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-France relations and an untouchable red line. China has always respected France's sovereignty and territorial integrity, never interfered in France's internal affairs, and hoped that France would take concrete actions to pursue the one-China policy reaffirmed by successive French governments since General de Gaulle, take a clear-cut stand against "Taiwan independence," and support China's peaceful reunification.

The last question is: how do you view the world significance of the Sino-French spirit?

Understanding the deep-seated spiritual core of the development of Sino-French relations over the past 60 years, this question is not difficult to answer. In my opinion, China and France have a lot to offer in at least four areas:

China and France can be key forces in safeguarding peace. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. Today, 70 years later, the five principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence still shine brightly with the light of the times. Today's world is far from peaceful, and the two crises are intertwined and superimposed, testing the historical wisdom of our generation. I would like to focus on these two crises and share some of China's views on current international issues.

The first is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. This tragedy, which continues to this day, is a test of human conscience, and the international community must do something. I have noticed that in recent years, teachers and students of universities in many Western countries, including France and the United States, have spontaneously organized activities in solidarity with Palestine, which shows that the development of this tragedy has touched the bottom line of the emotional morality of every ordinary person. During President Xi Jinping's visit to France, the two sides issued a joint statement condemning all violations of international humanitarian law and calling for a decisive and irreversible resumption of the political process, the implementation of the two-state solution, and the realization of lasting peace in the Middle East. We are well aware that the road to peace is bound to be bumpy. But as long as there is a glimmer of hope for peace, we must not give up lightly.

The second is the Ukrainian crisis. The Ukraine crisis has had a serious impact on European security, relations between major countries, international trade, and the stability of global industrial and supply chains. Some people advocate the so-called "Sino-Russian alliance theory" and "China responsibility theory," not only wantonly criticizing Sino-Russian relations and normal trade between the two countries, but also blaming China's support for Putin's hardline stance of not succumbing to Western pressure to stop the special military operation. I want to stress that Russia is an independent power, and China cannot and will not dictate Russia's decisions within its sovereignty. Russia and Europe are all friends of China. China understands and attaches importance to the feelings, concerns and aspirations of its European friends, and will continue to uphold an objective and fair position. We oppose any attempt to use the Ukraine crisis to smear and blame China and incite a "new Cold War". We will abide by our commitment not to provide weapons to the belligerents, strictly control dual-use items, and continue to promote peace talks in our own way to play a constructive role in the political settlement of the crisis.

The spillover effects of these two crises are ample proof that in the turbulent waves of the global crisis, all countries are on the same boat with a common destiny. We are ready to work with France in the same direction, jointly implement the Global Security Initiative, the Global Development Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, jointly shoulder the international responsibilities of the permanent members of the UN Security Council, and be a staunch defender of world peace.

China and France can be a model of harmony and difference. From a political point of view, the present and the next few decades will be a critical period for the transformation of the old and new international order. The democratization of international relations is unstoppable, and the "Global South" is gaining momentum. The vast number of countries in the South are waking up at an accelerated pace and are no longer willing to be the silent majority. China and France were able to cross the gap between their blocs 60 years ago, break through the clouds of the Cold War, and set a precedent for the democratization of international relations.

From the perspective of civilization, China and France, as two outstanding representatives of Eastern and Western civilizations, have profound cultural heritage and brilliant civilization achievements. We should lead exchanges and mutual learning among global civilizations, let different civilizations enjoy their own beauty, oppose any form of "superiority of civilizations" and "clash of civilizations", help all countries and nations inherit and develop their own civilizations, independently choose a development path suited to their national conditions, and provide a platform and opportunity for different countries and civilizations to achieve collective prosperity through mutually beneficial cooperation. Half a month ago, the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by China to designate June 10 as the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, echoing the strong demand of the world today to enhance exchanges and understanding among civilizations. The younger generation is the most inclusive, innovative and diverse group, and I hope that you will break away from the stereotypes of other civilizations in the West and compose a wonderful symphony of the beauty and beauty of different civilizations in the world in the future.

China and France can be the engine of development. Openness and development are the two key words for China to promote international cooperation. Not long ago, President Xi Jinping pointed out at the closing ceremony of the sixth meeting of the Sino-French Business Council: "Reform and opening up is the most significant feature and the most magnificent atmosphere of contemporary China. "China is a beneficiary of opening up to the outside world, and will also be an active promoter and practitioner of an open world economy. This will create more opportunities for companies from all over the world, including French and European companies. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will be held next month, and it is believed that there will be major policy measures to further deepen reform and promote Chinese-style modernization. The fruitful results of practical cooperation have given China and France the confidence and responsibility to take a clear stand against "decoupling and broken chains" and "small courtyards and high walls", build a stronger and more dynamic China-France comprehensive strategic partnership in the new great changes, and jointly promote economic globalization that benefits and inclusiveness.

In recent years, with the escalation of international geopolitical tensions, the growth rate of global development momentum has gradually failed to catch up with the generation of global problems, the North-South gap, the development fault line, and the technological divide have become more prominent, and the deficits in peace, development, security, and governance have been intensifying. I have been engaged in African affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China for more than 25 years, visited more than 40 African countries, and resided in Guinea, Senegal and other African countries. France has deep historical ties with many developing countries, including Africa; China is an important member of the "Global South" and a successful example of developing countries in achieving modernization. China and France can build on their own advantages and strengthen cooperation on global development issues through tripartite market cooperation and other means, so as to jointly bridge the global development gap.

France and China can be partners in shaping the future. Today's era is a stage of exponential iteration of disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing and the energy revolution, as well as a critical period for global governance and rule-making of related technologies. These technological advances will not only rewrite the way we live, but will also have a profound impact on social structures, economic models, and global patterns. At the same time, non-traditional security such as climate change, cyber and information security, public health security, and terrorism are on the rise.

China and France should work in the same direction, enhance understanding, give full play to their complementary advantages, and strengthen the supply of global public goods. Scientific and technological civilization should not become a treasure buried in a cave, still less a "harvester" for a few countries to obtain super-monopoly profits. China and France should strengthen cooperation in the sharing of scientific and technological achievements and global governance of artificial intelligence, and resolutely oppose scientific and technological barriers; Adhere to the framework of goals and principles set out in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement, actively respond to climate change, and implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework; We should answer the new questions of the "questions of the times" with a stronger sense of historical responsibility, and work together to create a better future for mankind by building a closer community with a shared future for mankind.

All of you here today are young students majoring in international politics or who are interested in international issues, and you are the backbone of the future of French diplomacy and the participants in shaping the future international landscape and international order. On the one hand, you are born at the right time, and social media such as Tiktok have broken the "information cocoon" set up by traditional media, allowing you to feel the pulse of the world's development more realistically. On the other hand, there is a huge amount of information on the Internet, and it is difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood. I hope that you will carry forward the advantages of young people who have the courage to explore and study, advocate diversity and inclusiveness, actively explore China, discover the world, inherit the mantle of Gaullism, and contribute wisdom and strength to the long-term, healthy and stable development of China-France-China-EU relations and to building a better world.

Thank you. Now, I'd like to answer your questions.

(Source: Kunlun Ce Network [Authorized], reproduced from "Observer Network")