On October 11, 2021, Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng accepted an exclusive interview with the "Viewpoint" column of China International Television (CGTN), answering questions from reporters on China's diplomacy, Sino-US relations, and related international and regional hotspots.
Regarding the hasty withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan, Le Yucheng said that the changes in Afghanistan are a microcosm of the changes in the world over a century.
The biggest revelation it gives people is that it is no longer an era of arbitrary superpowers.
The United States and Afghanistan, one is the formidable "Big Mac", the other is a devastated and weak country, but the United States has paid a huge price in Afghanistan for 20 years, and it is clear to everyone who finally evacuated from Afghanistan in a hurry.
We have said in the past that the era when a country can be occupied with a few cannons is gone. The war in Afghanistan once again demonstrated that no matter how advanced military weapons are, no hegemony can be supported.
Le Yucheng emphasized that the outcome of the war in Afghanistan confirms an old Chinese saying that for a while, strength lies in strength, and victory or defeat depends on reason.
Nothing in the world can escape the word "reason".
Deviated from the "reason", no matter how strong the strength is, it won't work.
From Afghanistan, Iraq to Syria, the United States has already stumbled a lot, but every time it seems that it has not learned a lesson from it.
The United States claims that the end of the war in Afghanistan is to better respond to competition among major powers.
In another 20 years, the United States will eventually find that they have found the wrong enemy and made a bigger mistake.
As Chinese netizens have said, if you hold an old ticket from the Cold War era, you will never be able to board the 21st century "Fuxing".
Regarding Sino-US relations, Le Yucheng said that since the beginning of this year, President Xi Jinping and President Biden have spoken twice and reached important consensus, which has pointed out the direction for the development of bilateral relations.
The diplomatic representatives of China and the United States held dialogues in Anchorage, Tianjin, and Zurich last week. A few days ago, Vice Premier Liu He and US Trade Representative Dai Qi held a telephone conversation. The US President’s special envoy for climate issues Kerry visited China twice.
The maintenance of high-level communication and dialogue between China and the United States shows that China has always actively promoted the improvement of Sino-US relations in goodwill and sincerity, and the door to dialogue is open at any time.
Recently, the two sides have also established a joint working group to discuss and make progress on handling specific issues in bilateral relations.
This shows that dialogue and cooperation are indispensable, and there is no way out for conflict and confrontation.
We value the US's recent positive statement on Sino-US relations, and hope that the US will earnestly implement policies and actions, do more practical work, and work together to do a good job of the must-answer question of Sino-US relations and answer this "question of the century."
Regarding Sino-US economic and trade cooperation, Le Yucheng said that we have noticed some positive factors in the recent speech by US Trade Representative Dai Qi, and at the same time, we firmly reject her unfounded accusations.
China and the United States are an inseparable community of interests. Even in the context of the U.S. decoupling and cutting off supplies and the impact of the epidemic, China-U.S. trade volume will grow by 8.8% against the trend in 2020. From January to August this year, China-U.S. trade volume increased by 36.6 year-on-year. %, reaching 470 billion US dollars.
Economic and trade cooperation can be said to be "linked to the bones", and any blow will "break the bones and bones."
A Moody's survey shows that the trade war with China has cost the United States about 300,000 jobs and an average loss of about $600 per family.
More than 90% of the tariffs imposed by the United States on imports from China are borne by American companies and consumers.
According to the latest survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai in September, 78% of the interviewed companies said they are "optimistic or slightly optimistic" about their business prospects in China in the next five years, an increase of nearly 20 percentage points from 2020.
US Trade Representative Dai Qi also admitted that "decoupling" from China's trade is not realistic in the context of the global economy, and the United States should think about how to "relink" to China.
It is hoped that the U.S. can really change its course and make economic and trade cooperation an "icebreaker" to break the deadlock in Sino-U.S. relations through joint efforts of politics and business.
Regarding the US-UK-Australia Tripartite Security Partnership (AUKUS), Le Yucheng stated that AUKUS engages in an Anglo-Saxon coterie to fuel the new Cold War and provoke a zero-sum geopolitical game.
First of all, AUKUS brings the risk of nuclear proliferation, which seriously violates the spirit of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, undermines the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone Treaty, and undermines the construction of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Southeast Asia.
A few days ago, the collision accident of a US nuclear submarine in the South China Sea was a warning.
Although the nuclear leak has not been heard yet, it is very serious in nature.
Nuclear submarines frequently enter and exit the South China Sea, and nuclear proliferation and nuclear safety are very dangerous. If they do not, they will cause nuclear disasters.
While holding high the bar of sanctions and not allowing other countries to develop uranium enrichment technology, the United States and Britain brazenly equip Australia with nuclear submarines.
Concocting the "Chinese hard-line theory" as a "figure leaf" cannot conceal the naked double standard.
In addition, AUKUS attempts to engage in maritime hegemony, intensify the regional arms race, encourage military adventures, and undermine regional peace and stability. China firmly opposes it. Countries in the region and the international community also have thousands of reasons to oppose and resist it together.
In response to some people in the United States who violated the First China's commitments and kept stepping on the red line, "cutting sausages," and playing the "Taiwan card," Le Yucheng stated that the one-China principle is the cornerstone of the establishment of Sino-US diplomatic relations and Sino-US relations.
The foundation is not strong, and the ground shakes.
Playing the cornerstone as a card is as dangerous as playing with fire.
Taiwan should not be willing to be beaten by others.
I think I am a "trump card", but in the end it will only be reduced to "wrapped cards" and "folded cards".
Any attempt to "use Taiwan to control China" and obstruct China's reunification and rejuvenation will eventually fail.
The process of China’s reunification and rejuvenation is unstoppable. As President Xi Jinping pointed out in his speech to commemorate the 110th anniversary of the Revolution of 1911, no one should underestimate the Chinese people’s determination, determination, and ability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. .
The historical task of the complete reunification of the motherland must be fulfilled, and it will definitely be fulfilled.
Regarding the US initiative to convene the so-called "democracy summit," Le Yucheng said that I have noticed that President Biden said in his speech at the UN General Assembly that he will not seek a new Cold War or engage in division in the world.
But as soon as the voice fell, the United States put together "triple security partners," upgraded the "four-sided mechanism," and tightened the "Five Eyes Alliance," and what it did was the Cold War.
The United States’ record on democracy is not glorious, and people still remember the fall of Capitol Hill.
The United States has left a mess of "color revolutions" and "democratic reforms" abroad.
Besides, how democratic can the "democracy summit" attended by only some members of the international community be?
Democracy is the common value of all mankind, not the patent of any country.
The definition of monopoly democracy is to “pull one faction and fight one faction”, and use “democracy versus authoritarian” to provoke ideological confrontation. This is a complete distortion and blasphemy of democracy, which will cause endless harm.
Le Yucheng said that, in contrast to the United States busy pulling various small circles and engaging in geo-zero-sum games, China is more active in maintaining international peace and stability, promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and continuously injecting positive energy into the world.
In his speech at the UN General Assembly this year, President Xi Jinping solemnly put forward global development initiatives to the world, committed to promoting stronger, greener, and healthy global development, and accelerating the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
We have provided more than 1.25 billion doses of vaccines to the world and will provide 2 billion doses within this year. We will actively gather global anti-epidemic forces, oppose the politicization of the origin of the epidemic, and help the world emerge from the shadow of the epidemic as soon as possible.
We actively implemented the climate change cooperation proposals and initiatives proposed by the chairman, announced that no new overseas coal-fired power projects would be built, and prepared to host the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Global Sustainable Transport Conference, etc., to help the world green Low-carbon transition.
We have played a unique and constructive role on issues such as Afghanistan, the Iranian nuclear issue and the North Korean nuclear issue to maintain regional peace and stability.
We adhere to true multilateralism, actively promote the reform of the global governance system, and resolutely oppose the “new cold war”.
China's diplomacy has always followed the development trend of the times, has always stood on the right side of history, and has always upheld international fairness and justice.
We will unswervingly follow this correct path.
Regarding Meng Wanzhou’s return to China, Le Yucheng said that after the unremitting efforts of the Chinese government, Meng Wanzhou finally returned home safely after being illegally detained for more than 1,000 days, especially when Meng Wanzhou returned safely on the eve of China’s National Day, which is dedicated to the birthday of the motherland. best gift.
In the nearly three years since Meng Wanzhou was illegally detained, the party and the government have always been concerned, and President Xi Jinping personally cared about it.
When the heads of state of China and the United States talked on the phone, President Xi made it clear to work on the Meng Wanzhou incident and demanded that the United States resolve it as soon as possible.
Some netizens said well that Meng Wanzhou was detained because of the rise of China and was released precisely because of the rise of China.
The 1.4 billion Chinese people gave Meng Wanzhou firm support and strong solidarity.
Relevant Chinese departments and embassies and consulates in the United States and Canada are fully engaged in their work.
In those days, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received flowers from many young students. These flowers are affectionate praise of our party’s diplomacy for the people.
Le Yucheng said that when Meng Wanzhou returned to China, he removed not only the electronic fetters, but the shackles of hegemony and coercion. It shows that the progress of the Chinese people cannot be stopped, and any fetters will eventually be cleared.
I noticed that former Alstom executive Pierucci said in an interview that the Meng Wanzhou incident is expected to become a historic turning point and will encourage more countries to fight against hegemony and power.
I think what he said is correct.