CCTV: What is the special significance of Chinese Foreign Minister’s visit to Africa on the first overseas trip of this year? What does China hope to achieve through this trip?

Mao Ning: This year marks the 70th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between China and African countries. President Xi Jinping and African leaders agreed to designate 2026 as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit four African countries and attend the launching ceremony of the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges at the headquarters of the African Union. This is a continuation of Chinese foreign ministers’ 36-year tradition to begin each year with a trip to Africa. Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Lesotho are China’s strategic cooperative partners. Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit aims to deepen political mutual trust between various parties, implement the follow-up actions of FOCAC Beijing Summit, facilitate the exchange and mutual learning between the two great civilizations, and inject fresh impetus into the building of an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

China-Arab TV: The U.S. Department of State said “This is our hemisphere and President Trump will not allow our security to be threatened.” What is the Foreign Ministry’s view on this?

Mao Ning: Carving out a sphere of influence or creating geopolitical confrontation will not make a country safer, still less bring peace to the world. It’s common and cooperative security that sustains.

Telesur: Washington has used the alleged existence of the “Cartel of the Suns” as a pretext to justify unilateral actions against the Bolivarian revolution, including a terrorist attack involving bombings against military and civilian population that left dozens dead and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. However, recent documents and statements from the U.S. Department of Justice indicate that the cartel does not exist. How does China view the use of this narrative as a political pretext, and what impact does it have on respect for international law and state sovereignty? Does China plan to take any actions to help secure the release of the presidential couple?

Mao Ning: China opposes unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law or authorization of the UN Security Council, and opposes interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs by external forces under any pretext. The U.S. move of forcibly seizing President Maduro and his wife is in clear violation of international law, basic norms in international relations, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. China once again calls on the U.S. to release President Maduro and his wife at once, and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation.

Bloomberg: The Trump administration has told Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez that the country must sever economic ties with China, Russia, Iran and Cuba, and partner exclusively with the U.S. on oil production. This is according to reports from ABC. Does the Chinese Foreign Ministry have any comment on this?

Mao Ning: Venezuela is a sovereign state and has full permanent sovereignty over all its natural resources and economic activities. The U.S. blatantly used force against Venezuela and asked the country to “favor” America with regard to its oil reserves. Such bullying seriously breaches international law, infringes on Venezuela’s sovereignty, and violates the rights of the Venezuelan people. China strongly condemns this. Let me stress that the lawful rights and interests of China and other countries in Venezuela must be protected.

NHK: China’s Ministry of Commerce yesterday made an announcement to strengthen export controls on dual-use items destined for Japan. The 2026 Catalogue of Dual-Use Items and Technologies Subject to Export Licensing Administration released by the Chinese government includes rare earths-related items. Are rare earths products covered by yesterday’s announcement of tightening export control measures on Japan? The Japanese government last night said China’s measures “differ significantly from international practice,” and it has protested China’s export control measures and demanded immediate withdrawal. What’s China’s comment?

Mao Ning: I’d refer you to competent authorities for anything specific. Let me stress that Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi’s erroneous remarks on Taiwan violated China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, blatantly interfered in China’s internal affairs, and threatened the use of force against China. With the aim of defending national security and interests and fulfilling non-proliferation and other international obligations, China took measures in accordance with laws and regulations, which is fully legitimate, justified and lawful. We urge Japan to face up to the root cause of the issue, do soul-searching, rectify its wrongdoings and retract the erroneous remarks by Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi.

Financial Times: President Trump said he will take 50 million barrels of sanctioned crude from Venezuela and the U.S. will sell it on Venezuela’s behalf. What’s China’s reaction to this? Particularly, some of these oil normally would have been sold to China itself.

Mao Ning: As I just said, Venezuela is a sovereign state and has full permanent sovereignty over all its natural resources and economic activities. The U.S.’s request violates international law, infringes on Venezuela’s sovereignty and undermines the right of the Venezuelan people. The cooperation between China and Venezuela is the cooperation between two sovereign states and is under protection of international law and relevant laws. The lawful rights and interests of China in Venezuela must be protected.

Global Times: ROK President Lee Jae Myung’s first state visit to China has received extensive attention. How does China see the significance of the visit to China-ROK relations, and what is China’s expectation for the development of the relations in the future?

Mao Ning: At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, ROK President Lee Jae Myung paid a state visit to China from January 4 to 7. During the visit, President Xi Jinping had talks with President Lee Jae Myung. The two presidents exchanged new year greetings, had in-depth exchanges of views on the bilateral relations and international and regional situation, and charted the course for deepening the China-ROK strategic cooperative partnership. The two sides reached important common understandings on respecting each other’s core interests and major concerns, fostering greater synergy between development strategies, strengthening policy coordination, and enhancing coordination on international and multilateral affairs. Premier Li Qiang and Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Zhao Leji met with President Lee respectively. China stands ready to work with the ROK to deliver on the important common understandings between the two presidents, enhance communication and coordination, deepen cooperation in various fields, expand common interests, and achieve more tangible outcomes for the benefit of the two peoples.

AFP: On President Lee’s visit. He said today that he had asked the Chinese leader to help curb North Korea’s nuclear program. I wonder if you could tell us what they discussed about North Korea in particular, and whether China will push the North to pause its nuclear program?

Mao Ning: On the talks between Chinese and ROK presidents, China has released a readout, which you may refer to. Keeping the Korean Peninsula peaceful and stable serves the common interests of all parties. China will continue to play a constructive role in its own way for this end.

Xinhua News Agency: The UK’s Standard Chartered, France’s Société Générale, the Netherlands’ Internationale Nederlanden Group, and some European financial institutions said in their recently released research reports that with the underpinning of technological innovation and green transition, China is on course to maintain steady economic growth this year, showing great resilience among major economies in the world. What’s your comment?

Mao Ning: Over the past year, China has effectively coped with various risks and challenges facing its economy. Despite mounting economic pressure, China has pushed forward with innovation-led and high-quality development. China has been at the forefront in scientific and technological innovation and green energy transition worldwide. The composite national strength reached new heights. China has continually advanced high-standard opening up and become the major trading partner of over 150 countries and regions. China has contributed around 30 percent to global economic growth, and injected impetus to global development.

The year 2026 marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan. Looking forward, the core conditions supporting China’s long-term positive growth remain firmly in place, with the underlying upward trend unchanged. China will be showing greater strengths. Innovation and green development will be the driver and main features of China’s high-quality development. We will give a boost to common development worldwide through openness and shared benefit and keep advancing voluntary and institutional opening up. We will continue to run our own affairs well, write a new chapter in the story of China miracle, and also open our arms wider to embrace development and prosperity together with other countries. On the new journey of Chinese modernization, we will create new driving forces and opportunities for both ourselves and the rest of the world.

AFP: The U.S. has said again it is apparently considering military action to take Greenland. Again, he mentioned that this was needed for national security and to deter China. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment on this?

Mao Ning: China always advocates handling state-to-state relations in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

PTI: One key word that you used in fact is that, if I heard the translation right, China has rights in Venezuela. These particular U.S. actions are expected to happen in a number of other countries in the Western Hemisphere. So is China contemplating other than the diplomatic assertions as well as the statements condemning this? Is there any other options that China is contemplating to protect its interests in that region?

Mao Ning: China and Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries maintain friendly exchanges and cooperation. No matter how the situation may evolve, we will continue to be a friend and partner of LAC countries, give each other support on issues bearing on our core interests and major concerns, including national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, support each other in following development path that suits each country’s national conditions, jointly reject power politics, and jointly uphold peace and stability in the region.

Bloomberg: So far, China seems to be referring primarily to diplomatic support. How would you respond to countries like Cuba and Venezuela who might be expecting financial or economic support from China to translate this support into real financial commitments to help them support their economies at this time?

Mao Ning: We will continue to enhance cooperation with LAC countries and give each other support. As for the specific cooperation, I think this needs to be jointly decided through consultation between China and the countries concerned.

Telesur: Venezuela is a key partner in China’s oil production and supply chain with major investments in exploration and refining. In light of recent illegal military actions, the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, and Trump’s statements that Washington could “govern” Venezuela, how does China plan to safeguard its energy interests and maintain the continuity of these supplies and projects, as you just said that China will defend its interests? Does China believe these actions pose a direct threat to the stability of international energy cooperation and global security?

Mao Ning: The U.S. has long imposed illicit unilateral sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry and blatantly used force against Venezuela recently. This has dealt a severe blow to the economic and social order in Venezuela and threatened the stability of global industrial and supply chains. China has strongly condemned this.

Let me stress that the cooperation between China and Venezuela is cooperation between sovereign states and protected by international law and the laws of the two countries.