AFP: U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the U.S. will impose 100 percent tariffs on Canadian imports if Canada finalizes a new trade deal with China. This follows a similar warning from President Trump on Saturday. What is the Foreign Ministry’s comment on this?

Guo Jiakun: China believes countries need to approach state-to-state relations in the spirit of win-win rather than the mentality of zero-sum, and through cooperation rather than confrontation.

China and Canada have established a new type of strategic partnership, and made some specific arrangements on properly handling the economic and trade issues between the two countries. This reflects the spirit of equality, openness and inclusiveness, peaceful cooperation, and shared benefit. It does not target any third party, serves the common interests of the people of both countries, and is conducive to world peace, stability, development and prosperity.

Xinhua News Agency: China announced Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi’s visit to China. What does China expect to achieve through the visit?

Guo Jiakun: This is President Yamandú Orsi’s first state visit to China. During the visit, President Xi Jinping will have talks with him. The two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on deepening the China-Uruguay comprehensive strategic partnership, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and international and regional issues of mutual interest. We hope and believe that under the strategic guidance of the two presidents, the visit will play a positive role in further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership.

CCTV: It was reported that voting for the third phase of Myanmar’s general election concluded yesterday, completing the whole voting process of the general election. What is China’s comment?

Guo Jiakun: The whole voting process for Myanmar’s new round of general election concluded yesterday. China, Russia, India, ASEAN countries and international organizations sent representatives to observe the general election. China congratulates Myanmar on a steady and orderly general election with active turnout.

Over the decades, China has been committed to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and never interfered in Myanmar’s internal affairs. As a friendly neighbor, we support various parties of Myanmar in realizing more broad-based, robust and sustainable peace and reconciliation through the general election, deescalate at an early date and jointly keep the political situation stable. China stands ready to work with the international community to respect the choice of the people of Myanmar, and provide constructive assistance for restoring peace, stability and development in Myanmar.

Bloomberg: Just to follow up on that. Will the elections in Myanmar give China cause for deeper engagement with the country and if so, what might be the priorities of the relationship going forward?

Guo Jiakun: China and Myanmar are traditional friends and close neighbors. China follows a policy of friendship towards all the people of Myanmar. Over recent years, China-Myanmar cooperation in various fields has achieved positive outcomes, which effectively supported the improvement of people’s livelihood and economic development of Myanmar. China stands ready to continue deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperation with Myanmar.

China News Service: We noted that since the release of the National Security Strategy last month, the U.S. has significantly increased its input in the Western Hemisphere. Days ago, a delegation led by Chairman John Moolenaar of the House Select Committee on China visited Panama and other Central American countries. They claimed the visit aims to address China’s coercion, pressuring and intervention there and counter China’s influence, and that the U.S. will outcompete China in trade and security, such as the operation of ports in the Panama Canal. What’s China’s response?

Guo Jiakun: China firmly opposes certain U.S. politicians pointing their fingers at the normal exchanges between Central American countries and China. Relevant remarks are merely disinformation, which are nothing but a mirror image of their own ideological bias and Cold-War mentality.

During the friendly cooperation with Central American countries, China has all along upheld the principle of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit, openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation and delivered tangibly for the local people. This is well received by relevant countries. We urge U.S. politicians to stop manipulating China-related issues and make more contributions to development and prosperity in the region.

Anadolu Agency: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reported to visit China this week. Could you confirm that?

Guo Jiakun: In a turbulent and volatile world, China and the UK as permanent members of the UN Security Council will benefit the world and the two countries themselves by stepping up exchanges and cooperation. On the visit you mentioned, information will be released in due course.

Beijing Daily: On January 25, the ROK’s former prime minister Lee Hae-chan died in Viet Nam. What’s China’s comment?

Guo Jiakun: As a senior statesman in the ROK, Mr. Lee Hae-chan led multiple delegations to China and made active contribution to strengthening China-ROK ties. China mourns for his passing and extends sincere sympathies to his family.

Shenzhen TV: On January 23, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced in a joint statement the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO). The Department of Health and Human Services said that during the early stages of COVID-19, China underreported and refused to provide to WHO genetic sequences from individuals infected early in the pandemic. What’s China’s comment?

Guo Jiakun: After the outbreak of COVID-19, China has put people and their lives front and center, worked with other countries to fight the pandemic together, and made important contributions to international cooperation against COVID-19. China’s record of COVID-19 response has a clear timeline and solid data. It’s widely recognized by the international community and brooks no distortion or smearing. China firmly opposes politicizing the virus. To use COVID-19 as a pretext for political manipulation and shift blame to China will find no support and will not succeed.

WHO is the authoritative and professional international agency on global public health. We noted that WHO regrets the U.S.’s notification of withdrawal. Multilateralism is the cornerstone of the current international order and is the prevailing trend and what the people want. China has all along supported WHO in fulfilling its duty, deepened international cooperation on public health, strengthened global governance on public health, and promoted the building of a global community of health for all.