CCTV: The 48th WorldSkills Competition is being held in Shanghai. President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the event. This morning, Premier Li Qiang attended and addressed the opening ceremony of the WorldSkills Conference. The WorldSkills Expo is also being held at the same time. Can you provide more information on these events?

Guo Jiakun: The 48th WorldSkills Competition has kicked off in Shanghai, bringing together a record number of nearly 1,400 competitors from 68 countries and regions.

President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the WorldSkills Competition. He noted that a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is advancing rapidly, exerting a profound impact on global skills development. China will take the opportunity of hosting this year’s competition to encourage and guide more workers, especially young people, to pursue a path to success through skills. China is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with all parties, promote the development of the WorldSkills movement, and better contribute to global economic growth and the improvement of people’s well-being.

Premier Li Qiang attended and addressed the opening ceremony of the WorldSkills Conference. He noted that skills have always been an important force driving the progress of human civilization, and that skills have made significant contributions to China’s development. As China is now building a modern industrial system, the mutual reinforcement of talents and skills is providing an inexhaustible source of energy for the country’s high-quality development. Traditional Chinese skills and craftsmanship have been passed down from generation to generation, with many reaching the rest of the world. They have not only contributed to talent development and industrial growth in various countries, but also helped build close ties among civilizations. China has always been committed to strengthening the skills of the workforce, with a focus on integration between industries and skills, lifelong vocational education and training, and a culture that encourages people to pursue success through skills. All parties should work together to create a bright future for skills development. It is important to develop skills that are more responsive to people’s needs and invest more in people; to develop skills with greater innovative vitality and take a forward-looking approach to cultivating highly skilled talents; and to develop more open and inclusive skills by establishing closer mechanisms for international exchanges and cooperation on skills and building an open ecosystem for skills. China is ready to join all parties to build the global skills innovation center, and strengthen skills development under the Belt and Road Initiative and through South-South cooperation. Premier Li Qiang also toured the WorldSkills Expo. 

Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim and President of WorldSkills International Francis Hourant attended the opening ceremony of the WorldSkills Conference. In their remarks, they spoke highly of China’s important contributions to global skills development and youth development, and expressed readiness to enhance exchanges and mutual learning with China to make skills an important bond for win-win cooperation. 

Amid the volatile international situation, China will stay committed to skills and talent development to empower economic and social progress, and continue to make China’s contributions to global skills development.

The WorldSkills Competition will last until September 27. Journalists are welcome to cover the event.

Reuters: Are you able to confirm whether President Xi will be accompanied by a delegation of Chinese executives when he travels to Washington later this week? There have been mixed reports in the media.

Guo Jiakun: I have no information to share.

CCTV: On September 22 local time, Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi said at the UN General Assembly that Japan has consistently contributed to the peace and prosperity of the international community as a peace-loving nation, under its exclusively defense-oriented policy. It is Japan’s mission to lead the efforts of the international community towards a “world without nuclear weapons.” The “Enemy State Clauses” must be deleted. What’s your comment?

Guo Jiakun: Rather than what Japan says, the world cares more about what Japan does. The postwar “country for peace” image that Japan seeks to establish can only be realized by repenting its history and making a clean break with militarism. The reality with the current Japanese administration, however, is a constant denial of the history of aggression, glorification of Japan’s wartime crimes, and a series of moves to rearm Japan, accelerate remilitarization, seek to ditch the three non-nuclear principles, and revise the pacifist Constitution. The moves constitute a blatant challenge to the postwar international order, and a major factor threatening peace and stability in the region.

This year marks the 81st anniversary of the founding of the UN, and the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trials. Decades ago, Japan joined the UN after recognizing its militarist crimes and accepting the UN Charter in its entirety. The “Enemy State Clauses” in the UN Charter are a vital institutional arrangement aimed at preventing fascism and militarism from threatening international peace and security ever again. The clauses provide important institutional safeguards for defending postwar international order and remain extremely relevant today. We urge Japan to take history as a mirror, deeply repent, and earn the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community through concrete actions.

AFP: The U.S. has threatened to punish countries that allow Iranian flights to land on their territory from today. Can I ask if China will keep receiving and accommodating flights from Tehran?

Guo Jiakun: China’s position has been consistent. We firmly oppose illicit unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law and lack UN Security Council mandate.