At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark Lars Løkke Rasmussen will pay an official visit to China from May 17 to 20.

Shenzhen TV: On Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen’s visit to China, how does China view its current relations with Denmark? What’s China’s expectation of the visit?

Lin Jian: Denmark was among the first countries to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. This year marks the 75th anniversary of China-Denmark diplomatic ties. The two countries have sound bilateral relations and close cooperation in economy and trade, green development and innovation. Both sides support multilateralism and free trade, and share views in climate change and other important topics. Through this visit, China stands ready to work with Denmark to consolidate political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, and promote the sustained, sound and steady development of the China-Denmark comprehensive strategic partnership.

Xinhua News Agency: The 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) will open on May 19. Taiwan has not yet been invited to attend. Does the Chinese government have any comment on that?

Lin Jian: China’s position on the Taiwan region’s participation in the activities of international organizations, including the WHO, is consistent and clear. That is, this must be handled in line with the one-China principle, which is also a fundamental principle as demonstrated by the UNGA Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1. China’s Taiwan region, unless given approval by the Central Government, has no basis, reason or right to participate in the WHA. Due to the DPP authorities’ persistent separatist stance, the political foundation for the Taiwan region to participate in the WHA no longer exists. To uphold the one-China principle as well as the sanctity and authority of relevant UNGA and WHA resolutions, China has decided not to approve the Taiwan region’s participation in this year’s WHA.

For quite some time, the DPP authorities and certain countries have been blatantly turning back the wheel of history by deliberately distorting and challenging UNGA Resolution 2758 to challenge the one-China principle. They are essentially trying to challenge not only China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also international justice and prevailing consensus as well as the post-war international order. China’s decision of not approving the Taiwan region’s participation in this year’s WHA has wide support and understanding from the international community. It shows that commitment to the one-China principle is where global opinion trends and the arc of history bends, and what the greater national interests entail. The international community’s commitment to the one-China principle is not to be challenged or shaken. No matter what the DPP authorities say or do, it does not change the fact that the two sides of the Strait belong to one and the same China and Taiwan is part of China, nor can it stop the trend towards China’s ultimate and inevitable reunification. “Taiwan independence” leads nowhere and provocations for this agenda are doomed to failure. 

Beijing Daily: It is learned that China and Mongolia held a ceremony to mark the groundbreaking of the Gantsmod-Gashuunsukhait cross-border railway on May 14. What is China’s comment?

Lin Jian: On May 14, China and Mongolia held a ceremony to mark the official groundbreaking of the Gantsmod-Gashuunsukhait cross-border railway, which is the second cross-border railway between the two countries. Expanding cooperation in key areas such as economy and trade, energy, mining and connectivity is an important common understanding between President Xi Jinping and Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa. In February this year, Premier Li Qiang and Mongolian Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai jointly witnessed the exhibiting of the cooperation agreement on the Gantsmod-Gashuunsukhait railway and coal trade. To launch this cross-border railway is not only a concrete step of implementing the important common understanding between the presidents of the two countries, but also an important action to synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and Mongolia’s Steppe Road Program. We hope this railway will serve as a new bridge connecting China and Mongolia for more interconnected development, industrial synergy and mutual visits and exchanges between the two sides, and inject new impetus to the building of a China-Mongolia community with a shared future.

China Daily: We have noticed that, during the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum, China announced a trial visa-free policy to five countries including Brazil. Could you share more information with us?

Lin Jian: To further facilitate cross-border travel, China decided to include more countries in its visa waiver program and extend the visa-free policy to ordinary passport holders from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay on a trial basis from June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026. Ordinary passport holders from the above-mentioned five countries can be exempted from visa to enter China and stay for no more than 30 days for business, tourism, family/friends visit, exchange and transit purposes. 

China remains committed to high-level opening up and will take more steps to make travel easier between China and other countries. We welcome more foreign friends to benefit from China’s visa-free and other visa facilitation policies to come to China and experience its diversity, vibrancy and dynamism.

AFP: How does China view U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to lift the sweeping sanctions on Syria, which was welcomed by the transitional Syrian government?

Lin Jian: China has all along opposed illicit unilateral sanctions. We hold sympathy for the Syrian people who suffer from those sanctions and support Syria’s domestic and foreign policy of peace and inclusiveness, and in bringing the country back to stability and development, which is also what the international community hopes to see.

Bloomberg: I wonder if you’d like to make some further remarks about the arrival of the new U.S. Ambassador to China who just released a statement saying, “I am ready to get to work here and make America safer, stronger and more prosperous.”

Lin Jian: I answered the relevant question yesterday. We will work to provide facilitation for Ambassador David Perdue in performing his duty in China. China’s position remains consistent on its relations with the U.S.—we view and handle this relationship by following the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, and hope the U.S. will work with China in the same direction.