China News Service: We’ve learned that the senior officials’ meetings on East Asian cooperation will be held in Malaysia. Is there anything you could share about China’s participation and expectation for the meetings?

Lin Jian: Malaysia will host the ASEAN Plus Three Senior Officials’ Meeting, East Asia Summit Senior Officials’ Meeting and ASEAN Regional Forum Senior Officials’ Meeting from June 10 to 11 in Penang as ASEAN’s rotating chair. Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong will lead a delegation to the meetings.

At the meetings, parties are expected to exchange views on advancing cooperation under those mechanisms and international and regional issues of mutual interest with a focus on the meetings’ theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability.” The discussions will prepare the ground for this year’s leaders’ meetings and foreign ministers’ meetings on East Asian cooperation. China looks forward to having in-depth communication at the SOM meetings to further build consensus, focus on cooperation, and inject more stability and positive energy into regional development.

Reuters: Vice Premier He Lifeng and top U.S. officials are meeting today in London. Is there more information about the meeting and what will China focus on at this meeting? Are there any expectations or outcome that China hopes to achieve through this?

Lin Jian: China made the announcement on the first meeting of the China-U.S. economic and trade consultation mechanism. You may stay tuned for specific information about the consultation.

Kyodo News: The Japanese government confirmed that China’s aircraft carrier Liaoning sailed in the Pacific near Japan. What’s China’s comment? 

Lin Jian: China’s military vessels’ activities in relevant waters are fully consistent with international law and international practices. China pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. We hope Japan will view those activities objectively and rationally.

AFP: The New York Times wrote in an article published on Saturday that they had obtained an internal planning document from Russia’s domestic security agency, the FSB. In this document, China is a threat to Russian security. It also says that Beijing is trying to obtain sensitive military technology. What’s the Foreign Ministry’s comment on this?

Lin Jian: I’m not familiar with what you said. Let me stress that China-Russia relations do not target any third party and are not affected by any third party.

Reuters: China on Saturday said it was willing to speed up an approval process for rare earth magnets to Europe with a “green channel.” Are there plans to open this green channel or more green channels for other countries or regions as well? Will a similar channel be opened for the U.S.?

Lin Jian: The Ministry of Commerce has responded to questions about China’s export control measures on rare earth, which you may refer to. I’d refer you to competent authorities for the specific question you raised.