Xinhua News Agency: MFA released on its website a report entitled The National Endowment for Democracy: What It Is and What It Does. Can you tell us more about it?

Lin Jian: With detailed facts, the report reveals the truth about the NED under its professed banner of democracy and human rights.

The NED is engaged in instigating color revolutions to subvert state power in other countries, colluding with all sorts of elements to meddle in other countries’ internal affair, inciting division and confrontation to undermine the stability of other countries, fabricating false information to mislead public opinion, and using “academic activities” as a cloak for interference and infiltration. That includes targeting China by supporting “Taiwan independence” separatist forces, inciting activities for “Xinjiang independence”, “Hong Kong independence” and “Tibet independence”, and orchestrating subversive and infiltration activities against China’s political security and social stability.

What the NED does has grossly violated other countries’ sovereignty, security and development interests, breached international law and basic norms of international relations, and jeopardized world peace and stability, which is despised by people who stand for fairness and justice in the world.

Peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom are the humanity’s common values. Every country has the right to pursue a development path suited to its national realities and the needs of its people. No country is in a position to lecture others on democracy and human rights, still less using democracy and human rights as excuse to hurt other countries’ interests. Members of the international community need to have exchanges and dialogue on the basis of mutual respect and equality, and work together to contribute to the progress of humanity. 

China News Service: It was reported that Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles said on August 12 that Australia has signed a cooperation agreement with the US and the UK on nuclear-powered submarines that will enable the three countries to exchange nuclear-related material and information. What is China’s comment on this?

Lin Jian: China noted the reports. AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine cooperation harms efforts to keep the region peaceful and secure. The US, the UK and Australia formed AUKUS to advance cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines and other cutting-edge military technologies. Their moves exacerbate the arms race, undermine the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, incite bloc politics and military confrontation and hurt regional peace and stability. China and relevant countries in the region have expressed more than once serious concerns and firm opposition.

AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine cooperation contravenes the object and purpose of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The cooperation involves the transfer of nuclear-powered submarine reactors and a large amount of weapons-grade highly enriched uranium from nuclear-weapon states to a non-nuclear-weapon state, which constitutes grave nuclear proliferation risks. IAEA’s existing safeguards system cannot place effective safeguards on that, and major controversy exists on the interpretation and application of relevant safeguards provisions. Many countries have already expressed their concerns during the recent second session of the Preparatory Committee for the Eleventh Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT.

China calls on the international community to take seriously the impact of AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine cooperation on the authority and effectiveness of the NPT, and its negative effect on the IAEA safeguards regime. The international community needs to continue to advance the intergovernmental process and address the world’s concerns over the legal and technical issues involved in the cooperation through the IAEA, the NPT review process and other platforms. Until the international community reaches consensus on safeguards and other issues, the US, the UK and Australia should not proceed with their nuclear-powered submarine cooperation.

The Paper: It is reported that recently Shigeru Ishiba, former LDP secretary-general and member of the House of Representatives of Japan, along with other Japanese parliamentarians visited the Taiwan region and met with its leader Lai Ching-te and others. What’s China’s comment?

Lin Jian: I noted the report. There is but one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. We firmly oppose any form of official interaction between the Taiwan region and countries having diplomatic ties with China and have lodged serious protests with the Japanese side.

The Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests. It bears on the political foundation of China-Japan relations and is a red line that must not be crossed. Japan committed innumerable crimes during its 50 years of colonial rule over Taiwan, and is responsible for the enormous sins witnessed by history against the Chinese people. We call on certain Japanese politicians not to forget the lessons of history and to recognize the fact that there is but one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. They should adhere to the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan, and stop sending wrong signals to the “Taiwan independence” separatists. The DPP authorities’ separatist position for “Taiwan independence” and attempt to achieve that by collaborating with external forces will not get them anywhere.

RIA Novosti: It is reported that former US President, the Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said that he does not rule out the possibility that China would “catch up, maybe even surpass” the US in terms of nuclear arsenal. In an interview with Elon Musk on the social media platform X, he said: “Russia and us are No.1, and we are sort of tied, and China is far behind, but they are developing at a level that you are not surprised to hear, very fast, they’ll end up catching up, maybe even surpassing.” What’s China’s comment?

Lin Jian: We have no comment on campaign rhetoric during the US presidential election. The nuclear arsenal of the US is way bigger than China’s. Let me just note that China follows a policy of “no first use” of nuclear weapons and a nuclear strategy that focuses on self-defense. China always keeps its nuclear strength at the minimum level required by national security, and never engages in arms race with anyone.

CNN: According to space monitoring agencies and the US Space Command, one of China’s Long March 6A rockets, after being launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on August 6, broke apart in low-Earth orbit last week. Multiple space debris-tracking entities said the breakup created a debris cloud consisting of hundreds of pieces. Can you confirm this and provide the latest monitoring information? What measures is China taking to monitor and deal with the debris? What has China done to prevent similar incidents from happening again in the future? (Similar questions from Bloomberg, DPA and RIA Novosti) 

Lin Jian: The mission of the rocket was a peaceful use of the outer space consistent with international law and universal practice. China has taken necessary measures and is closely monitoring relevant orbit area and conducting data analysis. As a responsible major country, China attaches great importance to space debris mitigation. In conducting outer space activities, China has taken active efforts to fulfill relevant international obligations and regulate its aerospace activities. We’ve made it a rule to always take space debris mitigation measures after satellites and carrier rockets complete their missions, in order to help protect the environment of the outer space and ensure the long-term sustainability of outer space activities.

AP: Has China had any direct or indirect outreach to Iran over its threatened retaliatory strike for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran? Has China urged Iran not to strike? If so, why? And has China had any outreach to Hamas or others over the group’s decision not to take part in new cease-fire talks?

Lin Jian: China has been calling for international efforts to bring an early end to the conflict in Gaza as soon as possible and prevent further spillover. China plays an active role in easing regional tensions. We support all efforts that contribute to permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza, and will work with the international community to deescalate the situation and avoid further escalation of the conflict and confrontation.

TV Asahi: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that he will not run in Liberal Democratic Party’s leadership vote. What is China’s comment on Prime Minister Kishida’s decision? What’s your comment on him as prime minister over the past three years? How will his stepping down affect China-Japan relations? (Similar questions from Kyodo News, Asahi Shimbun and Yomiuri)

Lin Jian: We have noted the announcement. This is Japan’s domestic affair. We have no comment on it. China and Japan are important neighbors. China hopes to work with Japan in the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan to comprehensively advance the strategic relationship of mutual benefit and work to build a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship fit for the new era.