CCTV: We noted that the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. Youth Choir Festival was held in China recently, and Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, on Thursday attended the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. youth friendship event and delivered a speech. Can you share more information on these events?

Lin Jian: From July 9 to 18, the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. Youth Choir Festival was jointly held by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Fujian Provincial People’s Government. Themed on “Singing for Peace”, the event saw the participation of over 1,000 youth from close to 30 choirs from China and the U.S.

On the afternoon of July 17, Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. youth friendship event and delivered a speech at the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. In her speech, Peng said that the story of Kuliang that began a century ago and President Xi’s deep friendship with his old friends in Iowa spanning over 40 years epitomize the China-U.S. people-to-people friendship. Since President Xi put forward over a year ago China’s initiative to welcome 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs over a five-year period, many young people from the United States have been invited to visit China. Peng called on young people to be the inheritors of the China-U.S. friendship, and promoters of peace and amity. She also expressed the hope of seeing more bridges of friendship through the youngsters and a youthful energy being added to a better future for both nations.

At the event, Initiator of the “Kuliang Friends” Elyn MacInnis and Luca Berrone from Iowa told the story of Kuliang and their experience of taking part in China-U.S. people-to-people exchange and subnational cooperation. Young representatives from the U.S. shared their personal experience of the visit and expressed the will to be a new generation of emissaries of China-U.S. friendship and carry forward this tradition.

As President Xi Jinping noted, the hope of the China-U.S. relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in our societies, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from exchanges at subnational levels. We hope that the youths of the two countries will carry the baton, jointly pass forward the century-old “bond with Kuliang”, and contribute to the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations.

RIA Novosti: The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that China threatens to block the sale of dozens of ports to Western companies if Cosco, a Chinese shipping company, doesn’t get a stake. Do you have any comment?

Lin Jian: I’m not aware of what you mentioned. On CK Hutchison’s sales of its assets overseas, the State Administration for Market Regulation said that they would conduct a review in accordance with the law to protect fair market competition and safeguard public interests.

Let me reiterate that China firmly opposes using economic coercion, intimidation and bullying to violate and undermine other countries’ legitimate rights and interests.

Shenzhen TV: This morning, China’s Ministry of Education issued an alert concerning studying in the Philippines. What’s China’s consideration behind the announcement?

Lin Jian: Over the past few months, there have been rising safety risks in the Philippines with an increase in crimes, stop-and-search and harassment targeting Chinese nationals. The alert is a responsible and legitimate measure taken by the Chinese government to protect the safety and rights and interests of Chinese students overseas. We once again remind Chinese students studying in the Philippines to make a careful assessment of the safety risks. At the same time, we urge the Philippines to take concrete actions to protect the safety, dignity and lawful rights and interests of Chinese students studying in the Philippines.

PTI: The United States State Department today designated The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is also blamed for the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization. What is China’s reaction to today’s designation by the U.S.?

Lin Jian: China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism and strongly condemns the terrorist attack that occurred on April 22. China calls on regional countries to enhance counterterrorism cooperation and jointly maintain regional security and stability.

Global Times: Recently, Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee released a report detailing how the Trump Administration’s first six months have significantly undermined the United States’ ability to compete with China. It said that China poses a strategic challenge to the U.S. and is taking a long-term strategy to replace the U.S. as the global superpower. China is enhancing its relations with Global South countries and expanding its global influence. The report calls for the whole-of-government restoration and reconstruction of the tools America needs to compete with China. What’s China’s comment?   

Lin Jian: The report is filled with Cold War thinking and peddles major country confrontation and the false narrative of “China threat”. The real aim of the report is to go after and suppress China. China firmly opposes that. Let me stress that China follows an independent foreign policy of peace and always acts as a positive and stable force for good. China has no intention to and will not engage in a contest with any country for influence. China follows the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation in viewing and handling its relations with the U.S. We never engage in malicious competition or major country confrontation, and have no intention to supplant or challenge others. China urges relevant U.S. personnel to foster a right perception of China, view China and China-U.S. relations in an objective and rational way, stop attacking, smearing, containing and going after China, and contribute to a steady, sound and sustainable bilateral relationship.  

Bloomberg: A few minutes ago, the EU announced sanctions on some Chinese banks as part of the latest round of sanctions on Russia. Does the Ministry have a comment on this and how might China respond?

Lin Jian: Like you said, this happened just now and I do not have the full details yet. Let me say that China opposes unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law or authorization of the UN Security Council. On the Ukraine crisis, China is committed to promoting talks for peace. China has never provided lethal weapons to the parties to the conflict and strictly controls the export of dual-use articles. The normal exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Russian companies should not be disrupted or affected. We call on the EU to stop hurting the lawful interests of Chinese companies in the absence of any evidence supporting its claims. China will do what is necessary to firmly defend the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies.

Reuters: Taiwan’s deputy leader Hsiao Bi-khim said in a press conference today that “aggressive military posturing by China is counterproductive” and that “defending the status quo with China is consistent with the interests of the entire region.” Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment on the remarks?

Lin Jian: Taiwan is part of China’s territory, and the Taiwan question is China’s internal affair. Resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese people and Chinese people only. The real status quo across the Taiwan Strait is that both sides of the Strait belong to one and the same China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The biggest threat to peace in the Taiwan Strait is the separatist activities of “Taiwan independence” forces and the external connivance and support they receive. No matter what the DPP authorities say or do, they cannot change the fact that the two sides of the Strait belong to one and the same China and the prevailing international commitment to the one-China principle, nor can they change the trend towards China’s ultimate and inevitable reunification.

AFP: The U.S. Commerce Department has said it would pose preliminary anti-dumping taxes of over 90 percent on a kind of graphite imported from China, which is widely used for a key part for electric vehicles. Would the Foreign Ministry like to comment?

Lin Jian: I’d refer you to competent authorities for your specific question. Let me say that China-U.S. economic ties benefit both sides. We hope the U.S. side will abide by the rules of the market economy and keep our trade and economic ties sound and stable.

PTI: In the backdrop of the recent visit of the Indian External Affairs Minister Mr. Jaishankar and his talks with Foreign Minister Mr. Wang Yi, issues about the rare earth metals supplies to India appear to have been figured in the talks, because of the blockade or probably not issuing licenses to Indian companies. There are concerns back home in India about the lack of supplies of rare metals required, especially for the automobile industry. Can you give us some details following the talks? Is there any follow-up action that China can contemplate?

Lin Jian: We’ve released readouts on Foreign Minister Jaishankar’s visit to China, which you may refer to. 

On export controls on rare earth, China’s policy is consistent with international practice. We also stand ready to continue enhancing dialogue and cooperation on export controls with relevant countries and regions in an effort to jointly keep the global industrial and supply chains stable, safe and secure.