Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's press conference during Two Sessions 2024
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's press conference during Two Sessions 2024
China-Russia, China-U.S., China-Europe relations, Taiwan, South China Sea, Gaza, North Korea, AI, Global South, etc.
Good evening! Today, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a press conference on "China's Foreign Policy and External Relations". I selected ten questions raised by the reporters in the press conference and translated Wang Yi's answers to these questions with great contribution from Giustino Jiao and Huiyan Li.
The ten questions and answers I selected for translation include: China-Russia Relations, Russia-Ukraine conflict, China-U.S. relations, China-Europe relations, Taiwan, South China Sea, Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Korean Peninsula issue, Artificial intelligence and Global South.
For those who are curious to learn about the information about the candidate for China's next foreign minister, you can skip this piece because it was not mentioned in today's press release.
As of now, Ginger River Review has published three articles about the on-going Two Sessions, which are expected to conclude on Monday next week:
Agenda, daily schedule of Two Sessions 2024
Full-text & highlights of government work report
Xi Jinping's "new quality productive forces": Meaning, significance, and implementation
Among them, on the new buzzword of 新质生产力 new quality productive forces, Ferenc Banhidi, a Hungarian economist, sent me in his understanding as follows and he allows me to share it here:
In my simplified interpretation 新质生产力 new quality productive forces means defying government stimulus program (see Yu Yongding’s proposal), defying radical reform measures (complete transformation of hukou and land ownership system) concentration on supply side like industrial upgrade or increase Total Factor Productivity (TFP). For Hungarians it would important, that the government supports not only FDI coming to China, but outward FDI coming from China to the outside world. (See the huge investment of CATL and BYD Hungary)
With your permissions, I am happy to share more readers' insightful comments in this newsletter from time to time in the future.
As mentioned above, today's piece is the fourth newsletter focused on the Two Sessions that we've updated in the past three days. Producing this series is quite a hustle, especially considering that it's just me and a few university interns working on these.
If you happened to have read our recent content over the past few days and found it valuable, please consider buying me a coffee or making a donation via PayPal. I promise you that any donations made will go directly to these university interns who have dedicated their time to contribute to our Two Sessions series. Thank you for your support!
1.China-Russia relations
RIA Novosti correspondent: This year is the 75th anniversary of Russia-China relations. Over the years, our bilateral relations have reached an unprecedented level. In your opinion, what is the most effective way the potential of Russia-China cooperation under the current conditions of global transformation in international relations?
Wang Yi: Under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Putin, our comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has maintained sound and steady at a high level. Political mutual trust, mutually beneficial cooperation are deepening and people-to-people exchanges are thriving. Last year, two-way trade reached a record 240 billion U.S. dollars, already meeting the target of 200 billion U.S. dollars ahead of schedule. Russian natural gas is available to thousands of Chinese households and Chinese cars are driving on the streets of Russia, which fully demonstrates the strong resilience and broad prospects of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.
Safeguarding and advancing China-Russia relations is the strategic choice made by two country base on our people’s fundamental interests and is the natural requirement to follow the underlying global trends. As major countries in the world, permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and Russia have fostered a new model of major-country relations completely different from the old cold war era. We stay committed to good neighborliness and amity and deepened comprehensive strategic coordination on the basis of non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party. In today’s world, hegemony gains no support, division has no future, major-countries should not confront and the Cold War must not be repeated. The China-Russia relations follows the trend of of global multi-polarity and the democratization of international relations, which is of great value to uphold international strategic stability, to promote sound interactions between the world’s major countries and cooperation among emerging major countries.
This year is the 75th anniversary of China-Russia relations, and the two sides will jointly hold the Year of China-Russia Culture, presenting new opportunities for the development of bilateral relations. China is ready to work with Russia to further foster new drivers for expanding mutually beneficial cooperation and consolidate the the friendship between our peoples. Russia is in the chair of BRICS this year, and China will assume the presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the second half of this year. The two sides will strengthen international multilateral coordination, practice true multilateralism, safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core, and safeguard regional and global security and stability.
2.Russia-Ukraine conflict
Reporter from CGTN: Currently the Ukraine crisis has been going on for more than two years, and at the Munich Security Conference last month you talked about what China has done is to promote peace, but at the same time, saying that the conditions are not right to move forward with a peace on the negotiate table. When do you think the conditions will be right and what are you looking for to continue this pursuit of peace? Thank you.
Wang Yi: On the Ukraine issue, China has always maintained an objective and impartial position and has called for talks to achieve peace. President Xi Jinping has personally engaged in in-depth communication with the leaders of various countries, including Russia and Ukraine. China has issued a position paper on this issue and sent special envoys to promote shuttle diplomacy; and everything we have done has been directed towards a single goal, namely, to pave the way for peace talks to end the conflict.
During the recent visit to the Munich Security Conference, we strongly felt that more and more people were beginning to worry about the "lose-lose" consequences of the Ukraine Crisis and were willing to create the conditions for exploring a credible way out of the conflict.
Historical experience has proved that conflicts, if prolonged, tend to deteriorate and escalate even beyond what the parties envisioned. If peace talks fail to start, misunderstandings and miscalculations will accumulate and multiply, thus creating an even greater crisis. There are lessons to be learned in this regard.
The end of any conflict is the negotiating table. The sooner they can negotiate, the sooner peace will come. As long as all parties observe the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and properly take into account the legitimate concerns of all parties, Europe can truly establish a balanced, effective and sustainable security framework.
President Xi Jinping's "four points about what must be done" are the fundamental guidance for China in promoting a political solution to the Ukraine Crisis. China supports the timely convening of an international peace conference endorsed both by Russia and Ukraine, with the equal participation of all parties and fair discussion of all peace proposals. China looks forward to restoring peace and stability on the European continent and is ready to continue to play a constructive role to that end.
3. China-U.S. relations
Bloomberg reporter: After last year's meeting in San Francisco, China and the U.S. agree to jointly manage differences and promote mutually beneficial cooperation. Since U.S. has continued to increase its trade and technological restrictions, my question is how does China think this trend will change in the next one to two years, and how does China plan to respond to this? Thank you.
Wang Yi: China-U.S. relations concern the well-being of our two peoples and the future of mankind and the world. No matter how the international situation changes, China has always maintained the stability and continuity in its policy toward the United States, and always handled China-U.S. relations with a sense of responsibility for history, for the people and for the world.
Our position is the three principles put forward by President Xi Jinping: mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation. This is not only a summary of the experience gained and lessons learned of over half a century of China-U.S. relations, but also a grasp of the law of major-country interactions. It should become the direction that China and the United States should both follow and strive for.
To be specific, mutual respect is the prerequisite. Because the social and political systems of the two countries are different, and only when the differences are respected and recognized can bilateral exchanges be sustainable. Peaceful coexistence is the bottom line. The consequences of conflict and confrontation between two major countries like China and the United States would be unimaginable. Win-win cooperation is the goal. Together, China and the United States can accomplish many great things that benefit both countries and the world.
In last November, the presidents of China and the United States held a historic meeting in San Francisco, during which the two sides reached consensus and set a clear direction for China-U.S. relations to stabilize and steer the relations back to the track of healthy development. President Xi Jinping has profoundly elucidated China's basic policy and principled position on China-U.S. relations. President Biden reiterated that the United States does not seek a new Cold War, does not seek to change the China's system, does not seek to strengthen alliance against China, does not support "Taiwan independence", and said that the United States is happy to see China's development and prosperity, does not seek to suppress China's development, does not seek to decouple from China.
Since the San Francisco summit, the China-U.S. relations has indeed made some progress, which is in line with the interests and aspirations of the people of the two countries and the world. But I have to point out that the United States still has wrong perceptions of China, and the promises it made have not been delivered. The means to suppress China are constantly updated, the list of unilateral sanctions is constantly extended, and the desire to inflict punishment on China has reached an unimaginable level. If the United States always says one thing and does another, where will its credibility as a major country be? If the United States is nervous and anxious whenever it hears the word "China," where is the self-confidence of a major country? If the United States only allows itself to maintain prosperity and does not allow other countries to develop properly, where is international justice? If the United States insists on monopolizing the high end of the value chain and only lets China stay at the low end, where is fair competition? America's challenges lie within itself, not in China. If the United States focuses on suppressing China, it will end up hurting itself. We urge the United States to recognize the historical trends, view China's development in an objective and rational way, actively and pragmatically engage with China, and fulfill its commitments with words and deeds. We will work with China to put China-U.S. relations on the track of stable, healthy and sustainable development.
This year is the 45th anniversary of China-U.S. relations. President Xi Jinping has pointed out that the hope of the China-U.S. relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in our societies, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from exchanges at subnational levels. We are always ready to strengthen dialogue and communication with the United States, promote friendly exchanges between people of all sectors, build bridges for more mutual understanding, and clear up unnecessary misunderstanding and prejudice. We believe that we can find a correct way for two major countries to get along in this world.
[To learn prominent Chinese experts' opinions on last November's Xi-Biden Summit, check a GRR piece including six Chinese experts' interpretations of this meeting.]
4. China-Europe relations
Spanish news agency EFE: China's relations with Europe have improved over the past year, what does China expect from Europe? What does China think about the European countries not joining the Belt and Road Initiative?
Wang Yi: Last year was the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, and exchanges and dialogues between the two sides at all levels were fully restarted. 17,000 China-Europe freight trains connect 219 cities in 25 countries in Europe, and construct a safe and smooth lifeline of production and supply chain in the turbulent world. China has granted visa-free treatment to many European countries, which has facilitated people and economic and trade exchanges between the two sides. You mentioned the Belt and Road Initiative, in fact, there are many successful examples of China-EU cooperation in building the Belt and Road, such as the Hungary-Serbia railway, the Piraeus port in Greece, and the Peljesac Bridge in Croatia, all of which are representative of this.
A few years ago, an EU policy paper labeled China as a partner, a competitor and a systemic rival at the same time, but it has been proved that this triple positioning is not in line with the facts, nor is it feasible, but rather it has brought unnecessary disturbances and obstacles to the development of China-Europe relationship. It is just like a car driving to an intersection, red, yellow and green lights are on at the same time. How can the car drive?
As a matter of fact, China and Europe do not have any conflict of fundamental interests or geo-strategic contradictions, and our common interests far overweight differences. The correct positioning of China-Europe relationship should be partnership, the mainstream tone should be cooperation, the key value should be autonomy, and the development prospect should be mutual benefit. We hope that China-EU relations will move ahead smoothly with green lights at every crossing.
A strong Europe is in China's long-term interests, and likewise, a strong China is in line with Europe's fundamental interests. China and Europe should work together to be practitioners of multilateralism, advocates of open development and promoters of dialogue between civilizations. Looking around the world, as long as China and Europe cooperate in a mutually beneficial way, bloc-based confrontation will not work and the "anti-globalization" will never prevail. Thank you!
[Weeks before, I shared my opinions on the trade relations between China and Europe in a piece published by Dagens industri, a Swedish media.]
5. Taiwan
Lianhe Zaobao: Following the Taiwan elections, there have been concerns that tensions will further rise across the Taiwan Strait and take a toll on peace and stability in the region. Do you think that the prospect of peaceful reunification is diminishing? What is your take on the current situation across the Taiwan Strait? And what measures should be taken to avoid further escalation?
Wang Yi: The Taiwan elections are a local election in China and the results will not change the fact that Taiwan is part of China, nor will they change the historical trend that Taiwan will return to the motherland. After the elections, over 180 countries and international organization have openly reiterated their commitment to the one-China principle, supporting China's efforts to uphold national sovereignty and territorial integrity. This fully exemplifies that the one-China principle has become the consensus in the international community.
Those who still connive at and support "Taiwan independence" are challenging China's sovereignty and those countries insisting on maintaining official relations with Taiwan are interfering in China's internal affairs. I believe that there will be a family photo of the whole international community in which all members uphold the one-China principle. It is only a matter of time.
Separatist activities seeking "Taiwan independence" remain the most destructive factor to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. To really maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait, it is imperative to unequivocally oppose "Taiwan independence." The stronger the commitment to the one-China principle is, the greater the guarantee for peace across the Strait will be.
China's policy on the Taiwan question is clear, which is to continue striving for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity. Our bottom line is also quite clear: We will never allow Taiwan to be separated from the motherland. Whoever engages in "Taiwan independence" on the island will be held accountable by history and whoever in the world connives at and supports "Taiwan independence" will get burned for playing with fire and taste the bitter fruit of their own doing.
The kinship of people on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and the roots of the Chinese nation are inseparable. All descendants of the Chinese nation, all heirs of the loong, should uphold the overall interests of the Chinese nation, jointly oppose "Taiwan independence," and support peaceful reunification.
[In January, I published the electronic version of a journal published by the Taiwan Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) on Ginger River Review. I also made a podcast interview on the Taiwan elections with Prof. Wu Yongping 巫永平, the dean of the Institute of Taiwan at Tsinghua University and a renowned expert on Taiwan affairs and cross-Strait relations.]
6. South China Sea
Antara News correspondent: In Jul. 2023, China and ASEAN member countries agreed to advance the negotiation for a binding Code of Conduct (COC) for the South China Sea. For a more harmonious and peaceful South China Sea, what will China put forward to promote the conclusion of the Code of Conduct (COC) for the South China Sea?
Wang Yi: The Chinese people have lived and worked in the South China Sea for generations, and the Nanhai Zhudao (islands in the South China Sea) have long been under the jurisdiction of the Chinese government in accordance with law. Today, the South China Sea is the busiest, safest, and freest shipping route in the world.
Over the past few decades, 50 percent of global commercial ships and one-third of maritime trade have passed through this area without complaining about any interference or obstruction. In the midst of a turbulent world, the peace and stability of the South China Sea are the result of the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, a feat that is truly remarkable and should be cherished.
The most important experience China and ASEAN countries have drawn in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea is adhering to the following two principles. First, differences should be properly managed and resolved through dialogue, consultation, or negotiation between states directly involved. Second, peace at the sea should be upheld by China and ASEAN countries working together. These principles are also the central tenet of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) signed in 2002.
Regarding maritime disputes, China has consistently exercised utmost restraint, advocating a spirit of good-neighborliness, respecting historical and legal facts, and seeking mutually acceptable solutions. However, we do not tolerate the misuse of goodwill and reject the distortion of the Law of the Sea. In the face of intentional infringements, we will legitimately defend our rights; in response to unreasonable provocations, we will promptly and justifiably counteract. We also advise certain non-regional countries not to provoke trouble, take sides, or become disruptors and troublemakers in the South China Sea.
To maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, China and ASEAN countries should continue to implement the DOC, accelerate the negotiation of the COC, and establish more effective and substantive regional rules in accordance with international law, including the Law of the Sea. With strong support from China, the second reading of the draft text of the COC has been completed, and the third reading has been initiated. China is willing to work together with ASEAN countries to strive for the early conclusion of the COC, effectively turning the South China Sea into a sea of peace and cooperation.
[This topic reminds me that Zhao Lijian, former spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China (MoFA), reposted a tweet on March 6 about China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning's elaboration on China's position on the "Maritime Zones Act" approved by the Senate of the Philippines.]
Zhao currently serves as deputy director of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs at the foreign ministry. The department develops policies concerning land and maritime boundaries, guides and coordinates external work concerning oceans and seas, manages land boundary delimitation and demarcation, and joint inspections with neighboring countries, handles external boundary matters and cases concerning territories, maps, and place names, and engages in diplomatic negotiations on maritime delimitation and joint development.
7. Palestinian-Israeli conflict
Nile News Television: From my observation on the ground when covering Palestinian-Israeli conflict, I found that people are suffering from hunger, stress and the loss of all the savings. Another scene is that every day, a large amount of humanitarian aid is waiting to enter Gaza. So, how can the international community provide protection necessary for Palestinian people? China's just position on the Palestinian question has been recommended by Arab countries. What will be the way out of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict? What role will China play to this end?
Wang Yi: You raised this question on behalf of the Arab countries, and I find it to be extremely important and necessary. The ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict has resulted in the death and injury of 100,000 civilians, with countless innocent people buried under the rubble. Life knows no distinctions of value and should not be divided based on race or religion. It is a tragedy for humanity and a disgrace to civilization that in the 21st century, this humanitarian disaster cannot be stopped. No reason can justify the continuation of the conflict, and no excuses can absolve the killing of civilians.
The international community must urgently take action, making an immediate ceasefire the overriding priority and ensuring humanitarian relief as an urgent moral responsibility. The people of Gaza have the right to survive in this world, and women and children should receive the care of their loved ones. All individuals held captive should be released, and any actions causing harm to civilians must be halted.
The catastrophe in Gaza serves as a stark reminder that the long-standing occupation of Palestinian territories cannot be ignored any longer. The Palestinians' legitimate aspiration for an independent state must no longer be evaded, and the historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people must not persist for generations without correction. Only by granting justice to the Palestinian people and fully implementing the "two-state solution" can we break the vicious cycle of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, eliminate the breeding ground for various extremist ideologies, and truly achieve lasting peace in the Middle East.
China firmly supports Palestinian people's just cause to restore their legitimate national rights and has always been committed to a comprehensive, fair, and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue. We support Palestine's full membership in the UN, and urge certain UN Security Council member to stop laying obstacles to that end. China calls for a more broad-based, more authoritative, and more effective international peace conference to work out a timetable and road map for the "two-state solution."
We advocate for the prompt resumption of negotiations between Palestine and Israel to ultimately achieve peaceful coexistence between the two countries and realize harmony between the Arab and Jewish nations. China will continue to work with the international community, striving for peace restoration, making efforts to save lives, and upholding the cause of justice.
[To learn more about China's specific stance on the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza, here is a piece including an oral statement by China in the International Court of Justice on Feb. 22 regarding the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. The article was published on the WeChat official account of the Department of Treaty and Law at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, and this oral statement was made by Ma Xinmin, Director General of the Department of Treaty and Law. ]
8. Korean Peninsula issue
Korean Broadcasting System (KBS): On the Korean Peninsula issue, China has stated the three principles of "promoting peace and stability, denuclearization and settlement through dialogue and consultation." Are these still the positions of the Chinese government? Recently, tensions have been rising on the Korean Peninsula. Where does China see a way out of it?
Wang Yi: The Korean Peninsula issue has been lingering for years. It has a clear root cause. That is, Cold War vestiges persist, a peace mechanism remains absent, and the security issue is yet to be fundamentally resolved. It also has a ready script. This is what China envisages as the dual-track approach and the principle of phased and synchronized actions.
The current situation on the peninsula is increasingly tense. This is something China does not want to see. The world is already chaotic enough, and the Korean Peninsula should not become a new source of conflict and disorder. Anyone trying to use the Korean Peninsula issue to revive the retrogressive Cold War confrontation will be held accountable by history; anyone undermining regional peace and stability will pay a heavy price.
China's stance on the Korean Peninsula issue remains consistent, with all efforts concentrated on promoting peace, stability, and long-term stability in the region. The imperative now is to desist from acts of deterrence and applying pressure, and move out of the spiral of escalating confrontation. The fundamental solution lies in resuming dialogue and negotiation; addressing the legitimate security concerns of all parties, especially those of the DPRK; and advancing the political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue.
9. Artificial intelligence (AI)
Phoenix TV: The international community closely follows the development of artificial intelligence, and one after another, proposals were introduced for global AI governance. China also proposed its Global AI Governance Initiative. In China's view, what should be done to ensure that AI develops in a way that is truly conducive to the progress of human civilization? And what is China's position on cooperation between major countries on AI?
Wang Yi: We are entering a crucial stage of explosive development in artificial intelligence. We advocate for a balanced approach between development and security to collectively advance global governance on artificial intelligence. New things and new opportunities should be embraced, while brakes should be checked before setting off. In October of last year, President Xi Jinping proposed the "Global AI Governance Initiative," clearly stating China's position and propositions.
Our primary focus revolves around three "ensuring":
1. Ensuring benefits: we should ensure that the development of AI benefits the well-being of humanity, aligns with ethical norms, adheres to rules set by international law, and advances human civilization.
2. Ensuring security: we should ensure that AI is always under the control of humanity, continually enhancing interpretability and predictability. This necessitates the establishment of various risk assessment and control mechanisms.
3. Ensuring fairness: Establishing an international governance institution for artificial intelligence under the framework of the United Nations to ensure that every country can participate in and benefit from the development of AI equally.
Another thing I want to stress is that attempts to create “small yard, high fence” in AI development would result in mistakes with historic consequences. Such attempts cannot block other countries’ technological development. They would only fragment international industrial and supply chains and undercut humanity’s ability to tackle risks and challenges.
China maintains a positive and open attitude toward cooperating with countries worldwide on AI. To date, we have established dialogue mechanisms with several nations. In the field of AI, cooperation between major countries is vital, so is capacity-building for developing countries. We will submit in due course to the U.N. General Assembly a draft resolution on enhancing international cooperation on capacity-building of artificial intelligence in order to encourage technology sharing among parties, bridge the AI divide, and leave no one behind.
10. Global South
Latin American News Agency: Global South grew significantly last year, and Cuba successfully hosted the Summit of the Group of 77 (G-77) and China. However, some western media outlets and scholars believe that the rising Global South is challenging the international order led by the west. As an important member of the Global South, China has played an important role. What is China's comment on these matters? Thank you.
Wang Yi: The development and growth of BRICS countries represent the strengthening of peacekeeping forces and the expansion of the world's just forces, and should not be viewed as a challenge. In a broader sense, the BRICS expansion represents the collective rise of the "Global South" and the acceleration of the world's multipolarization process.
As a collective of emerging market and developing countries, the Global South now accounts for over 40 percent of the world economy, profoundly reshaping the global economic landscape. Independence is the distinct quality of the Global South and seeking strength through unity is its tradition. The Global South is no longer the "silent majority," but a key force for reforming the international order and a source of hope as the world undergoes profound changes unseen in a century.
China was, is and will be a steadfast member of the Global South. We go through thick and thin and head toward a shared future together with countries of the South, and we are always a crucial force for the development and prosperity of the Global South.
This year will be a year of harvest for Global South cooperation and a new starting point for unity among Asian, African and Latin American countries.
The China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF) celebrates its 20th anniversary, the China-CELAC Forum has achieved a decade of success, and the new Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in China this fall.
China looks forward to joining hands with all parties to continuously gather the "Southern strength" of unity and cooperation among developing countries. We also support Russia in hosting the BRICS Summit after the expansion, and endorse Brazil and Peru hosting the G20 Summit and the APEC leaders' informal meeting, respectively, to jointly create a shining "South moment" in global governance.