At the invitation of Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the current ASEAN chair, from October 9 to 12, Premier of the State Council Li Qiang will attend the 27th China-ASEAN Summit, the 27th ASEAN Plus Three Summit and the 19th East Asia Summit to be held in Vientiane, Laos, and pay an official visit to Laos. 

At the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, Premier of the State Council Li Qiang will pay an official visit to Viet Nam from October 12 to 14. 

At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Gilberto Murillo will visit China from October 9 to 12.

CCTV: You announced Premier Li Qiang will attend the leaders’ meetings on East Asian cooperation. How does China view the current East Asian cooperation? What’s China’s expectation of the leaders’ meetings?

Mao Ning: The world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. In general, East Asia has maintained the sound momentum of peace and development but instability, uncertainty and unforeseeable factors are on the rise. In the face of new circumstances, countries and people in the region cherish more the hard-won peace and stability, aspire more for common development, and find it more important to respond to challenges through solidarity and cooperation.

China supports the theme of 2024 leaders’ meetings on East Asian cooperation, “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience,” supports the work of Laos as the rotating chair of ASEAN, and supports ASEAN community in making progress. China looks to working with ASEAN and regional countries to build consensus, deepen mutual trust, strengthen cooperation, and inject fresh impetus to peace, stability, development and prosperity of the region and the world beyond. First, we need to jointly promote regional economic integration, level up trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, build connectivity at a higher level, and beef up the integrated development of industrial and supply chains in the region. Second, we need to jointly cultivate new drivers of regional development, seize the opportunities of emerging industries, and turbocharge the mutually beneficial cooperation in such areas as digital economy, green development, scientific and technological innovation and artificial intelligence. Third, we need to jointly promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges, step up practical cooperation in areas such as tourism, culture, youth and media, and advocate dialogue and mutual learning between civilizations. Fourth, we need to jointly uphold regional order, consolidate the ASEAN-centered, open and inclusive regional cooperation architecture, practice true multilateralism, and reject bloc confrontation, tear down the small yard with high fences, and make East Asia a platform for mutually beneficial cooperation. 

Xinhua News Agency: You announced Premier Li Qiang’s official visits to Laos and Viet Nam. How does China view its current relations with the two countries? What’s China’s expectation of the visits?

Mao Ning: Laos and Viet Nam are China’s socialist friends and neighbors. Our traditional friendship with the two parties and countries has stood the test of time. In the new era, under the strategic guidance of the top leaders of the three parties and countries, China-Laos and China-Viet Nam communities with a shared future have made solid progress, giving a strong boost to the modernization of the three countries.

This is Premier Li Qiang’s first visit to Laos and Viet Nam after he took office. It is of significance to advancing comprehensive strategic cooperation and deepening the building of the community with a shared future. During the visit to Laos, Premier Li Qiang will meet with General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, have talks with Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, and meet with President of the National Assembly Xaysomphone Phomvihane. During the visit to Viet Nam, Premier Li Qiang will meet with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and State President To Lam, have talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and meet with Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man.

Through the visits, China looks to working with Laos and Viet Nam to carry forward the traditional friendship, strengthen strategic communication, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, bring our peoples closer, promote the steady and sustained development of China-Laos and China-Viet Nam communities with a shared future, and make greater contribution to peace, stability and development of the region and the wider world.

Reuters: Tsai Ing-wen will visit the Czech Republic this month, officials said on Monday. Will the Foreign Ministry like to comment on this?

Mao Ning: China’s position on the Taiwan question is consistent and clear. We firmly oppose anyone who seeks “Taiwan independence” visiting countries with diplomatic ties with China under any pretext. We urge the Czech Republic and relevant countries to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and not to provide facilitation for “Taiwan independence” separatist forces in any form or do things that harm bilateral relations with China. We also have a clear message for the DPP authorities: seeking “Taiwan independence” is bound to fail, and any political manipulation and attempt to solicit foreign support for that agenda will prove futile.

China News Service: Yesterday or October 7 marks the first anniversary of the conflict in Gaza. What’s China’s comment on the protracted fighting and what will China do next to promote ceasefire?

Mao Ning: The Gaza conflict has been dragging on for a whole year, and has caused the loss of many innocent lives and unprecedented humanitarian disaster. The spillover of the conflict affects the region and tensions in the region have continued to escalate. China is deeply concerned that the fighting is still going on and peace remains elusive.

The harsh reality fully proves that military operations and violence are not the way out, and will only accumulate grievance and push peace and stability further out of reach. Not long ago, China proposed the three-step initiative regarding the conflict in Gaza, which identifies ceasefire and humanitarian aid as the pressing priority, “the Palestinians governing Palestine” as the fundamental principle of post-conflict reconstruction in Gaza and the two-State solution as the fundamental way forward. The legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people need to be realized and the reasonable security concerns of Israel need to be paid attention to. The international community needs to, on the basis of promoting deescalation, hold a more broad-based, authoritative and effective international peace conference and formulate a timetable and roadmap for the implementation of the two-State solution, so as to eventually realize peaceful coexistence between the two states of Palestine and Israel as well as harmony between the Arab and Jewish peoples.

CCTV: It was reported that China has evacuated Chinese nationals in Lebanon in two batches. Has the evacuation work basically completed? Can you share more details?

Mao Ning: Since the abrupt escalation of tensions between Lebanon and Israel, we have acted in the spirit of the important guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping. The Foreign Ministry worked closely and round the clock with the Ministry of Transport, the Civil Aviation Administration and Chinese embassies in Lebanon, Cyprus and other countries to protect the safety of Chinese nationals with utmost effort and swiftly transfer and evacuate them. With the concerted efforts of all sides, we have enabled the safe evacuation from Lebanon of 215 Chinese nationals, including three Hong Kong residents and one Taiwan compatriot, in two batches by ship and chartered plane respectively. We would like to express our thanks to Air China, China COSCO Shipping and Ningbo Zhongmeng Hanglian, which have actively supported and participated in the transfer and evacuation operation.

The current Lebanon-Israel situation is still complex and severe. The Chinese Embassy in Lebanon remains open and continues to provide guidance and assistance to help a few Chinese nationals who are still there keep themselves safe.

Global Times: It’s reported that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in his article recently published in Foreign Affairs that China is the only country with the intent and the means to reshape the international system. President Biden made clear that the US would treat Beijing as its “pacing challenge”—its most consequential long-term strategic competitor. What’s China’s comment?

Mao Ning: It’s not the first time that US officials made these groundless remarks. We’ve made it clear more than once that major-country competition is not what the world needs and will by no means solve the US’s own problems or address challenges facing the world. The US’s view of the international landscape and its definition of relations with China through the lens of strategic competition show how the US clings to the Cold War mentality. Treating China as its long-term strategic competitor and pacing challenge shows how the US projects its own hegemonic history and mentality onto other countries. This severe misjudgment of China and China-US relations does not serve the fundamental interests of the two peoples or meet the common expectation of the international community. China has all along been an upholder of world peace, contributor to global development and defender of the international order. In fact, it’s the US, not others, that has staged unfair competition, taken aggressive actions, constantly flexed its muscle, and coerced other countries.

PTI: Indian President Madam Droupadi Murmu recently greeted China and Chinese leader on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the country, stressing on the “peaceful and stable relations” between the two countries. I would like to have your response to that particular message that she sent. And also a while ago you spoke about the disengagement process that is going on between the two countries, especially at the Eastern Ladakh region. Can you please give us some kind of update about the progress of the dialogue between the two countries in working out a kind of a solution to resolve this standoff? 

Mao Ning: Recently, leaders of neighboring countries in Asia, including Indian President Droupadi Murmu, sent messages or letters of congratulations to President Xi Jinping on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. We express our appreciation for that. China attaches importance to President Murmu’s remarks on the China-India relations. We stand ready to enhance communication with India, increase mutual trust and jointly promote the sound and steady development of China-India relations.

On your second question, China and India maintain close communication on issues concerning the border areas through diplomatic and military channels, and the two countries have realized disengagement in four areas in the Western sector of the China-India border, including the Galwan Valley. The situation on the China-India border is currently stable on the whole. At the recent 31st meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on China-India Border Affairs (WMCC), the two sides further narrowed down differences, expanded common understandings and agreed to find early resolution to the situation on the border. 

Beijing Daily: According to data released by multiple tourism platforms, during the National Day holiday, the number of travel orders by foreign tourists to China grew by around 60 percent year-on-year, and many Chinese cities have become popular destinations. We also noted that relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recently rolled out facilitation measures for foreign travelers to China. Can I have your comment on that?

Mao Ning: The “China Travel” boom showcases China’s appeal and openness. We now enjoy comprehensive mutual visa exemption with 24 countries, offer visa-free entry policy for 16 countries, and extend 72-hour or 144-hour visa-free transit policy to 54 countries. It’s increasingly easier and more enjoyable for foreign tourists to visit China. As far as I know, Beijing unveiled the brochure titled “Welcome to Beijing: Essential Tips for New Arrivals,” which offers a bird’s-eye view of all kinds of services and information. Shanghai equipped its taxis and subway stations with payment devices that accept foreign bankcards. Eight cities including Chengdu and Xi’an launched new steps on a pilot basis to make payment easier for foreigners in China.

China will open wider to the world and make cross-border travel easier. We welcome more foreign friends to visit China, enjoy the beautiful landscape and experience the charm of the country.

Bloomberg: I just wanted to clarify something you said earlier. I didn’t quite catch it. Did you mention, in your comments about the first anniversary of October 7 and the subsequent Gaza conflict, the legitimate security of Israel needs to be considered? Did I miss here? And also can you expand a little bit on that? Has the Ministry said this before? I just want to get some context on that statement.

Mao Ning: You heard me right. I mentioned that the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people need to be realized and the reasonable security concerns of Israel also need to be paid attention to. It has been China’s consistent position. We believe it is the only way to eventually realize peaceful coexistence between the two states of Palestine and Israel as well as harmony between the Arab and Jewish peoples.

AFP: Today China announced it has decided to provide emergency humanitarian medical assistance to Lebanon at the request of the Lebanese government. Could China give any additional details about what kind of aids or supplies to be sent to Lebanon?

Mao Ning: China closely follows the current tensions between Lebanon and Israel. At the request of the Lebanese government, the Chinese government decided to provide emergency humanitarian medical supplies to Lebanon to help with its medical rescue and treatment effort. The China International Development Cooperation Agency released relevant information, which you may refer to.

PTI: This is a question regarding the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization Heads of Government meeting in Pakistan. May I know who will be attending from China and who will be heading the delegation?

Mao Ning: On the meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to be held in Pakistan, we maintain close communication with Pakistan. We will release timely information. 

Kyodo News: The Japanese government announced today the visit of its new prime minister Shigeru Ishiba to Laos. Will Premier Li Qiang meet with him?

Mao Ning: On Premier Li Qiang’s bilateral meetings on the margins of the leaders’ meetings on East Asian cooperation, we will release timely information. Please stay tuned.

AFP: There were news reports that US intelligence officials yesterday warned that foreign governments are targeting House and Senate races in the US to meddle with democracy this election year. Specifically, the US officials say that countries including China have launched influence operations designed to help or hurt candidates in some congressional races. Does China have a comment on this?

Mao Ning: China has all along stayed committed to the principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs. We take no interest in interfering in the internal affairs of any countries, including the elections in the US.