China News Service: We noted that the Chinese New Year is bringing joy to people around the world as millions embrace the traditional festival with various celebrations. During the holiday, foreign tourists to China have doubled and inbound flight bookings have more than quintupled year-on-year. Any comment on that?

Mao Ning: The Year of the Horse opens with a nine-day holiday. Across China, people are in a joyous and festive mood. Many foreign friends have come to China for an immersive Spring Festival experience, going to temple fairs, making dumplings and writing Spring Festival couplets. Digital innovation adds a whole new touch to traditional festivities. The festival showcases to the world the Chinese lifestyle and the harmony, togetherness and diversity embodied in Chinese culture.

More than a tradition in China, the Spring Festival has become a cultural feast shared by the world. The joyful start of the Year of the Horse augurs well for China and promises enormous vitality for the world.

China-Arab TV: It’s revealed that the U.S. is considering a limited strike against Iran before nuclear negotiations, and Iran has vowed to retaliate ferociously. What is China’s comment on this?

Mao Ning: China is closely watching the developments. We hope various parties will exercise restraint and resolve differences through dialogue. Escalation of tensions in the Middle East does not serve any party’s interest.

CCTV: The Foreign Ministry announced yesterday German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to China. Could you share with us the program of the visit? How does China view its relations with Germany? What does China expect to achieve through the visit?

Mao Ning: This is German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s first visit to China since he took office. During the visit, President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang will meet and have talks with him respectively for exchanges of views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.

China and Germany are all-round strategic partners for win-win cooperation. The two countries have close high-level exchanges and deepening practical cooperation. The mutually beneficial cooperation has delivered tangibly for the two peoples.

China and Germany are the second and third largest economies in the world. The sound development of China-Germany relations is in the interest of the two countries and is what the world expects to see. Through the visit, China stands ready to work with Germany to enhance understanding and mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, uphold the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, achieve greater progress in bilateral relations, and contribute more to world peace and prosperity. 

AFP: Panama’s authorities have taken control of two ports on the Panama Canal from CK Hutchison, which along with the Hong Kong government has protested the seizure. Does the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs have any comment to add on this?

Mao Ning: China’s position on relevant Panamanian ports is clear. I believe you have noticed that the company concerned has issued a statement, saying that it will reserve all rights including to proceed legally. China will firmly protect the company’s legitimate and lawful rights and interests.

JoongAng Ilbo: It was reported that Chinese military aircraft took off and engaged in a stand-off with U.S. military aircraft stationed in the ROK as the U.S. jets were having a drill over the Yellow Sea. China has had contacts with the ROK and the U.S. regarding this matter. What is China’s comment?

Mao Ning: Regarding the U.S. aircraft’s activities in relevant air space of the Yellow Sea, the Chinese military tracked and monitored the activities and stayed on alert throughout the process and effectively responded to and handled the situation in accordance with laws and regulations.

NHK: China’s Ministry of Commerce announced today that 20 Japanese entities are put on an export control list and 20 others on a watch list. What’s China’s comment on these measures? Why does China take these measures now?

Mao Ning: For anything specific, I’d refer you to competent authorities. To safeguard national security and interests and fulfill international obligations such as nuclear nonproliferation, China took these measures in accordance with laws and regulations. The purpose is to stop Japan’s attempts to remilitarize itself and possess nuclear weapons. What China does is completely legitimate, justified and lawful.

Antara: Indonesia and the U.S. agree on a reciprocal trade last week and one of the article agreement mentioned that Indonesia shall adopt or maintain a measure with equivalent restrictive effect as the measure adopted by the United States such as a customs duty, quota, prohibition, fee, charge, or other import restriction. Does the Ministry have any comment on this?

Mao Ning: China always advocates that economic and trade cooperation between countries should be mutually beneficial and relevant cooperation should not target any third party or harm the interests of any third party.

Reuters: According to a senior Trump administration official, DeepSeek’s latest AI model is said to have been trained on Nvidia’s most advanced AI chip called the Blackwell. This could represent a violation of U.S. export controls. The U.S. believes that DeepSeek will remove the technical indicators that might reveal its use of American AI chips. Is this accurate? Are there methods for any Chinese firms to use these Blackwell chips that do not violate the export controls?

Mao Ning: I’m not familiar with what you mentioned. China has made clear its principled position on U.S. chip export to China.

Ukrinform News Agency: Today marks the fourth anniversary of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and four years of Ukrainians defending their families and their state. Would the Foreign Ministry like to make a statement or comment on Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine?

Mao Ning: China’s position on the Ukraine crisis is consistent and clear. We support all efforts for peace. Recently, the door to dialogue on the Ukraine crisis is finally open, and there’s ongoing momentum of dialogue. Dialogue and negotiation is the only viable way out of the Ukraine crisis. It’s hoped that parties can seize the opportunity and reach a comprehensive, durable and binding peace agreement. China stands ready to work with the international community to continue playing a constructive role for the political settlement of the crisis.

Bloomberg: Can you confirm that President Trump will be visiting China from March 31 to April 2?

Mao Ning: Heads-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable role in providing strategic guidance for China-U.S. relations. China and the U.S. are in communication regarding President Trump’s visit to China. As for the specifics you mentioned, I have no information to share at the moment.

EFE: China’s Embassy in Mexico has issued a security alert following the recent violence in several Mexican states. Does the Foreign Ministry have any further comment on the situation, and are there any reports of Chinese nationals being affected?

Mao Ning: China is following what’s happening in Mexico. So far, no injuries of Chinese nationals were reported. It’s hoped that Mexico can take effective measures to keep Chinese nationals and institutions there safe.

Reuters: The Russia-Ukraine conflict enters its fifth year today. While European governments and the U.S. have repeatedly urged China to stop its support for Russia and push for an end to the conflict, China has maintained that it is not a party to the conflict. Some analysts say that given the minimal economic impact the conflict has had on China, having Europe focused on the conflict rather than on Asia has then benefited China or basically worked in China’s favor. Has China indirectly benefited from the conflict?

Mao Ning: China’s position on the Ukraine crisis is object and just, which is for all to see. We have worked actively to promote talks for peace and end of the fighting. China has never fueled the flame or sought profit from the crisis, and does not accept any blame-shifting.

AFP: The U.S. AI company Anthropic has accused three Chinese AI firms, DeepSeek, Moonshot AI and MiniMax of illegally extracting capabilities from its Claude chatbot, which it called a national security risk. Does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wish to comment on this?

Mao Ning: I’m not familiar with that.

Bloomberg: Right now in Geneva, the U.S. and Russian officials are having the arms control talks. It is said that China will have talks with the U.S. on Tuesday. Can you confirm that and tell us any details of what you hope to accomplish?

Mao Ning: While the Conference on Disarmament High Level Segment takes place in Geneva, the Chinese delegation stands ready to maintain communication with delegations from all participating countries and exchange views on issues including the work of the Conference on Disarmament and the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Sitting on an enormous nuclear arsenal, the U.S. should fulfill its special and primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament. This is the international consensus. We hope the U.S. will resume dialogue with Russia on strategic stability to discuss the arrangements beyond New START’s expiration, which is what the world would hope to see.