CCTV: In a joint letter to President Xi Jinping, 63 scholars from 50 African countries highly commended the historic achievements of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and said they keenly look forward to the upcoming FOCAC Summit. In his reply letter, President Xi Jinping expressed the hope that they will continue to offer important intellectual support for building a high-quality China-Africa community with a shared future and upholding the common interests of the Global South. Some of those African scholars said that President Xi Jinping’s reply letter shows the importance China attaches to academic exchanges with Africa, and that people-to-people exchanges have contributed to Africa-China dialogue and cooperation. How does China view the role of people-to-people exchanges in the development of China-Africa relations?

Mao Ning: China and Africa share a long-standing friendship and our two peoples enjoy natural affinity. As President Xi Jinping said in the reply letter, China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future.

People-to-people exchange is part and parcel of China-Africa cooperation in the new era. Thanks to joint efforts, the two sides have had fruitful education cooperation, expanded the variety and range of cultural exchanges and continued the long tradition of exchanges between the Chinese and African civilizations. Mutual understanding and friendship between our two peoples have further deepened. Inspiring events such as the China-Africa Youth Festival and “Shared space, China-Africa dreams” provide fresh impetus to China-Africa friendship.

China believes the upcoming FOCAC Summit will further strengthen the cultural bond, write a new chapter of understanding and affinity between the Chinese and African people, and give a strong boost to the relations and building of a community with a shared future between China and Africa.

AFP: Chinese authorities repeatedly said that the recent collisions between Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships in the South China Sea are entirely the Philippines’ fault. And both sides have released video footage now of the relevant collisions in the last few days, but these videos do clearly seem to show the front of the Chinese coast guard ship colliding with the side or back of a Filipino coast guard ship. So is this truly unintentional? Is this not intentional ramming on the part of the Chinese side? Can the Foreign Ministry explain the actions of the Chinese coast guard boats in these situations? And does China still hold the Philippines entirely responsible for these collisions?

Mao Ning: Xianbin Jiao is part of China’s Nansha Qundao. On August 31, the Philippine Coast Guard vessel, which has been illegally anchoring in the lagoon of Xianbin Jiao for weeks now, acted unprofessionally and dangerously by deliberately ramming China Coast Guard vessel which was there to safeguard China’s sovereignty and lawful rights, resulting in the collision of the vessels. The Chinese side responded with necessary measures in accordance with the law, which was fully justified, lawful and beyond reproach. 

The Philippines’ moves gravely infringe upon China’s sovereignty and violate international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). China asks the Philippines to immediately withdraw the vessel illegally anchored in the lagoon, and stop infringement activities and provocations at once. China will continue to take resolute measures in accordance with law to safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and uphold the sanctity and effectiveness of the DOC. Meanwhile, we are ready to maintain dialogue and communication with the Philippines through diplomatic channels to properly address relevant issues and put the maritime situation under control.

AFP: I just want to follow up because it sounds as though the Chinese side’s position is unchanged. So I’m just curious how would the Philippine ship deliberately ram the front of the Chinese boat from the back or from the side. Why would the Philippine sailors expose themselves to that sort of danger? The Foreign Ministry must be aware of the footage itself. So how do you explain what you say is the Philippines’ actions in this regard?

Mao Ning: Xianbin Jiao is part of China’s Nansha Qundao. The Philippines sent its Coast Guard vessel to the lagoon of Xianbin Jiao which has been illegally anchored there for many days now in an attempt to permanently occupy the area. This is the root cause of the current escalatory situation at Xianbin Jiao. The measures China took at Xianbin Jiao are aimed at protecting its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. They are fully legitimate and lawful.

Reuters: Bloomberg reported that China has threatened severe economic retaliation against Japan if Tokyo further restricts sales and servicing of chip-making equipment to Chinese firms. Senior Chinese officials have repeatedly outlined that position according to the report. Could the Ministry comment on this? Will these discussions target Japan’s access to critical minerals used in automotive production?

Mao Ning: I am not sure where that report came from. China is committed to keeping the global industrial and supply chains secure and stable, and has kept our export control measures just, reasonable and non-discriminatory. Certain country, in order to perpetuate its supremacy, has been turning normal economic cooperation and trade into political and security issues, co-opting other countries to join the tech blockade against China and deliberately disrupting global industrial and supply chains. China firmly rejects this. We hope relevant countries will uphold market principles and the spirit of contract, say no to economic coercion, and jointly uphold the stability of the global industrial and supply chains.

China News Service: The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell recently said that the West needs to recognize the success of the Chinese system and that the different European and Chinese political systems and the differences in many issues “should not push us into a systematic confrontation,” and the two sides must be partners. Borrell noted China’s rise is a fact and “to oppose ourselves to the rise of China as a power is impossible.” Borrell stressed as China and the US are competing with each other, the EU must bear in mind its own interest and act in its own way. What’s China’s comment? 

Mao Ning: China commends High Representative Josep Borrell for his objective understanding of China’s development and his positive remarks on China-EU relations.

China will stay committed to the development path it has chosen, which is a path completely different from that of traditional powers. China’s development adds to the force for global peace, stability and progress. China’s development is integral to the growth of developing countries as a whole and a just endeavor for better human development. On this particular front, China needs the world, and the world needs China.

China attaches great importance to China-EU relations, and believes that in the context of China-EU relations, the two sides should be characterized rightly as partners, not rivals. Cooperation, rather than competition, should be the defining feature of the relationship, autonomy, rather than reliance, its key value, and win-win, rather than confrontation, its future. The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China recently held its third plenary session with a focus on further deepening reform across the board, building a high-standard socialist market economy, and improving the institutions and mechanisms for high-standard opening up. This will provide more opportunities for Europe’s prosperity and China-EU cooperation. China is ready to be the EU’s key partner in economic and trade cooperation, priority partner in scientific and technological cooperation, and reliable partner in industrial and supply chain cooperation. The EU is welcome to share the opportunities provided by China’s mega-sized market and take an active part in China’s high-standard and institutional opening up.

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic relations. China stands ready to work with the EU to remain each other’s partners, deepen strategic communication, carry out dialogue and cooperation, properly settle differences and frictions, in particular deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges—we expect to find people who will follow Marco Polo’s steps in the new era, and make sure the China-EU relations will become more stable and constructive, deliver more mutual benefit and contribute more globally. By working together, China and the EU can and will contribute more to the wellbeing of the two peoples and a stable and prosperous world.

Yonhap News Agency: Senior official from the office of the ROK President said yesterday that after the ROK-China-Japan trilateral summit meeting and the ROK-China leaders’ meeting in May in Seoul, there has been ongoing high-level exchanges between the ROK and China. The official added that China also intends to restore its ties with the ROK and if the relationship is restored, it is believed that Chinese leader will perhaps visit the ROK. What’s China’s response?

Mao Ning: I noted the media reports. China and the ROK are close neighbors and each other’s important cooperation partners. Advancing the sound and steady growth of China-ROK relations serves the common interests of the two countries. High-level exchanges play an important role in growing relations between countries. They require sound preparation, a favorable atmosphere, and sufficient potential deliverables. On future high-level exchanges between the two sides, I have nothing specific to share.

Ukrinform News Agency: Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Ryabkov yesterday in a comment to the TASS News Agency stated that Russia will make changes to its nuclear doctrine in response to the so-called “escalation course” of the West. This has no doubt that it’s about intention to further expand the possibilities for the use of nuclear weapons. How do you comment on such a statement with threats of nuclear weapons?

Mao Ning: We noted the media report. China has been very clear that nuclear weapons should not be used and nuclear war must not be fought. In January 2022, the leaders of the five nuclear-weapon states released the Joint Statement on Preventing Nuclear War and Avoiding Arms Races, which stated that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. Under the current circumstances, all parties must exercise calm and restraint, and jointly seek to cool down the situation through dialogue and consultation to reduce strategic risks.

Global Times: The US State Department issued days ago a statement marking the second anniversary of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Assessment on the Human Rights Situation in Xinjiang and attacked the human rights situation in Xinjiang. What’s China’s comments?

Mao Ning: The US statement lacks factual basis and its accusations are wrong and false. The statement is a blatant interference in China’s internal affairs, and a malicious attack on China’s Xinjiang policy. China deplores and opposes it, and has protested to the US. The so-called assessment report is a patchwork of disinformation invented by the US and some in the West as a political tool to strategically use Xinjiang to contain China, and is illegal, null and void. The 51st session of the Human Rights Council voted down a Xinjiang-related draft decision tabled by the US and a few other Western countries. That says a lot about the world’s attitude on the assessment report. The US keeps using the assessment report to make an issue. That fully reveals their calculation of using Xinjiang-related disinformation to contain and suppress China and makes it clear enough that they themselves are the ones behind this false report.

Of all people, the people in Xinjiang, whatever their ethnic backgrounds, are in the best position to tell the world what the human rights conditions are like in Xinjiang. Xinjiang today enjoys social stability and economic growth and the people there live a happy life. It is enjoying development progress like never before, and China’s Xinjiang policy is widely supported by the people. The US’s attempt to undermine Xinjiang is bound to fail. We urge the US to stop such attempts at once, stop using Xinjiang-related issues to interfere in China’s internal affairs and harm China’s interests, and stop propagating lies about Xinjiang.

AFP: Japan has said that a Chinese naval ship sailed through its territorial waters on Saturday. This incident has been just a few days after a Chinese surveillance aircraft is alleged to have briefly entered Japanese airspace. How does China explain the latest incidents with the alleged ship incursion? Was that incident also unintentional on the Chinese side’s part? And are these incidents part of a more deliberate pattern by China? Whether we’re talking about contested parts of the East China Sea, or contested parts of the South China Sea, there seems to be an increasing amount of alleged violations by the Chinese side in these areas. I’m wondering if that means that the Chinese side is trying to step up the pressure a little bit in these areas?

Mao Ning: Pursuant to relevant UNCLOS articles, the Tokara Strait can be sured for international navigation, and by sailing through the strait, the Chinese vessel was exercising its right of transit passage, which is fully lawful and legitimate. Regarding Japan’s claim about the entry of a Chinese military airplane into Japanese airspace, the Chinese side responded to the question and made its position clear last week. There is no need to arbitrarily link or interpret them. China remains firmly committed to the peace and stability in this region. 

Bloomberg: Just on the FOCAC. I just wanted to see if you could help me with the size and scope. Previously it was said by MOFA official that the upcoming FOCAC is the largest diplomatic event in recent years. I was just wondering if you could maybe add some specifics to that? Is this largest in terms of the number of foreign leaders? And also can you specify since what year? This kind of details is helpful for us to put it into context.

Mao Ning: Thank you for your interest in the FOCAC Beijing Summit. FOCAC is a platform for China-Africa friendly cooperation and consists of China, 53 African countries and the African Union Commission. African leaders attach great importance to the cooperation under the framework of the forum. The FOCAC Summit has always been a large gathering of African leaders. Please stay tuned to find out what exactly this year’s attendance will be and other specifics of this year’s summit.

Bloomberg: I’d just like to ask about the news of the killing over the weekend of the six hostages in Gaza, including one American national. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment on this development?

Mao Ning: China expresses deep regret for the death of the six captives. The pressing imperative is to fully implement relevant UN Security Council resolutions, bring about an immediate ceasefire, and create conditions for the early release of those held captive. We will continue working with the international community to play a constructive role in efforts towards deescalation.