Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on July 8, 2020
Surging reporter: WHO announced that it will send experts to China to cooperate with Chinese experts to carry out scientific planning on the traceability of the new crown virus. What is China's comment?
Zhao Lijian: Virus tracing is a serious and complex scientific problem, which should be studied and explored by scientists and medical experts. President Xi Jinping emphasized in his opening speech at the 73rd WHO Congress that China continues to support scientists from all over the world to carry out global scientific research on the source and spread of viruses. China has participated in the presentation of the resolution on the new coronary pneumonia in the World Health Assembly, and supports the member states under the leadership of WHO to cooperate on the origin of viral animals and other fields.
Since the outbreak, WHO and China have maintained communication and cooperation. The WHO has released news that WHO experts will go to China to cooperate with Chinese experts to carry out scientific planning on the traceability of the new coronavirus. Experts from both sides will work out the scope and mandate of the international expert group led by WHO. In the past, infectious epidemics in many countries have shown that the tracing of new toxic diseases is very complicated. Planning and implementing a series of scientific research will promote the understanding of viral animal hosts and transmission routes. Traceability is a process of continuous development. The next step may be to conduct further international scientific research and cooperation on a global scale. Ryan, the executive director of WHO's emergency planning, said that virus tracing is very complicated. As the process advances, it is necessary to be open to the many possibilities of the virus source.
After consultations between the two sides, the Chinese government agreed that WHO should send experts to Beijing to conduct cooperation and exchanges with Chinese scientists and medical experts on scientific cooperation on traceability of the new coronavirus. We have a basic consensus with WHO. Traceability is a scientific issue, and it is up to scientists to conduct international scientific research and cooperation on a global scale. WHO also believes that source tracing is a continuous development process, which may involve multiple countries and regions. WHO will conduct similar inspections in other countries and regions as needed.
CCTV reporter: According to reports, recently, US Secretary of State Pompeo announced the implementation of the "equivalent entry into Tibet Law", saying that the Chinese government and related officials will be subject to visa restrictions. What's China's response?
Zhao Lijian: China expresses its firm opposition to the relevant US measures. In response to the wrong actions of the US, China decided to impose visa restrictions on US personnel who behaved badly in relation to Tibet. We urge the United States to immediately stop interfering in China’s internal affairs through Tibet-related issues and not to go further and further on the wrong path, so as not to cause further damage to Sino-US relations and exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.
Regarding the so-called "equivalent entry into Tibet law" of the US, China has stated its solemn position on many occasions. Tibet affairs are purely China's internal affairs, and no external forces are allowed to interfere. China pursues a policy of opening up. Tibet is an open Tibet, and no regulations have been made to restrict foreigners from entering Tibet. Every year, Tibet receives a large number of foreign tourists and people from all walks of life. According to incomplete statistics, from 2015 to 2018, Tibet has received nearly 176,000 foreign friends for official business, tourism, and business activities, including nearly 175,000 tourists, about 500 diplomats, and 343 journalists. Last year, Tibet received more than 40 million visitors throughout the year. U.S. Ambassador to China Branstad also visited Tibet last year and held discussions with various departments of the people's government of the autonomous region. Relevant reports can be seen in the media. This fully shows that there are no problems for foreigners entering Tibet.
What I want to explain is that, taking into account the special geographical and climatic conditions of Tibet, the Chinese government has taken certain management and protection measures for foreigners entering Tibet in accordance with law and regulations. This is absolutely necessary and beyond reproach. China welcomes more foreigners to visit, travel, and do business in China's Tibet region. This policy will not change, but the premise is that China's laws and relevant regulations must be followed and necessary procedures must be performed.
Phoenix Satellite TV reporter: The US Deputy Secretary of State and Special Representative for North Korea Policy arrived in South Korea today and have met South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Jinghe. The DPRK Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday that the DPRK has no intention to restart the dialogue with the US and refused to use the ROK to mediate between the DPRK and the US. What is China's comment? What role does China plan to play on this issue?
Zhao Lijian: Regarding the situation on the peninsula, I would like to reiterate that the DPRK and the United States are the parties to the main contradiction on the peninsula issue, and the United States holds the key to breaking the current impasse. As China has emphasized many times, to resolve the peninsula issue, it is necessary to "sit and talk" and "get to work". The US should show sincerity, take concrete actions, and respond to the DPRK’s legitimate and reasonable concerns. China is willing to continue to play a constructive role in the political settlement of the Peninsula issue.
China Daily reporter: On July 5, local time, Dominica held an election. According to preliminary statistics from the Central Election Commission, Abinader, the candidate of the Modern Revolutionary Party, was elected president. What is China's comment?
Zhao Lijian: China sincerely congratulates Mr. Abinader on his election as President of Dominica and believes that under his leadership, Dominican national development will continue to achieve new achievements.
On May 1, 2018, the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Dominica opened a new chapter in bilateral relations. For more than two years, China and Duo have promoted the rapid development of bilateral relations in the spirit of mutual respect, equality and mutual trust, mutually beneficial cooperation and common development. Practical cooperation in various fields has achieved fruitful results and benefited both countries and their peoples. China attaches great importance to developing China-Dominica relations and is willing to work with many parties to continue to maintain the good momentum of bilateral relations, increase mutual trust, deepen cooperation, and jointly promote China-Dominica relations to a new level.
CNN reporter: On Tuesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray said in his speech that China is the biggest long-term threat to US information security, intellectual property and the economy. Nearly half of all FBI cases currently under investigation are related to China. The "fox hunt" implemented by China is an improper law enforcement action that threatens and intimidates some Chinese people in the United States. What's China's response?
Zhao Lijian: Can you believe what the FBI said? !
I regret that US foreign policy has been swayed and kidnapped by FBI officials like Lei and other anti-China forces. You mentioned some US cases just now. I also noticed that Lei blatantly claimed that the FBI handled a Chinese-related case every 10 hours. They should not think that the Chinese security department is vegetarian!
Relevant remarks by individual US officials ignore basic facts and are full of political lies, which fully exposes their deep-rooted Cold War thinking and ideological prejudice. China firmly opposes this. I want to emphasize that recently some US politicians have made unjustified accusations against China many times, flaunting the so-called "China threat" in an attempt to divert attention and cover up their own problems. Their plots are clearly seen by the world, and they are destined not to succeed.
As for the remarks made by the US on "fox hunting", I want to emphasize that combating transnational crime is a broad consensus of the international community. China’s launch of the "fox hunt" overseas to capture the suspects who fled abroad is to safeguard legal dignity and social justice. In recent years, many countries have actively carried out relevant law enforcement cooperation with China. Do US officials make such a statement, is it to hope that the United States will become a "crime avoidance paradise" for criminals?
We urge individual US officials to correct mistakes immediately, stop making erroneous Chinese-related remarks, stop making political lies day after day, and stop practices that undermine the mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries.
Shenzhen Satellite TV reporter: Yesterday, the first China-Shanghai Cooperation Coronary Virus Pneumonia Prevention and Control theme exchange video meeting was successfully held. Can you further introduce the video conference?
Zhao Lijian: It is understood that the theme of this conference is "watching each other to help overcome the difficulties", using a combination of online and offline live broadcast to the world. Experts from a number of Chinese medical institutions and more than 200 experts from nearly 40 medical institutions in SCO member states, observer states and dialogue partner countries conducted in-depth discussions on topics such as clinical diagnosis and treatment of new coronary pneumonia. In the coming weeks, related video conferences will be held one after another. I believe this will help medical staff from all countries to improve their professional skills and help countries save more lives in the fight against the new coronavirus.
In his opening speech, Norov, the Secretary-General of the SCO, spoke highly of China's fight against epidemic disease and the responsibility of a responsible major country that is actively developing international cooperation. Zheng Wei, Secretary-General of the SCO Good Neighborly Friendship and Cooperation Committee, said that under the guidance of the "Shanghai Spirit", SCO countries have contributed to international cooperation in the fight against epidemic disease through practical actions. In the next step, China will strengthen cooperation with all parties and promote the SCO to make greater contributions to maintaining regional and global public health security.
TASS reporter: On the 7th, the three defense ministers of the United States, Japan, and Australia held a meeting to reiterate their opposition to the actions taken by China in the East China Sea and South China Sea to undermine the regional situation, and emphasized the importance of maintaining regional freedom of navigation and overflight. The United States, Japan and Australia also expressed concern about the implementation of Hong Kong's National Security Law. What is China's comment?
Zhao Lijian: At present, with the joint efforts of regional countries, the situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea has remained generally stable and developing well. In this situation, individual countries outside the region started to speculate on issues related to the East China Sea and the South China Sea from their own private interests, and even sent large-scale advanced warships and aircraft into the relevant sea areas to promote militarization and threaten regional peace and stability. China firmly opposes this, and urges the relevant countries to clearly understand the mainstream and general trend of regional development and respect the efforts of regional countries to maintain peace and stability in the relevant maritime areas.
Regarding the concerns of the three National Defense Ministers on Hong Kong's National Security Law, China has stated its solemn position on Hong Kong's National Security Law many times. This issue is purely China's internal affairs, and no foreign country has the right to interfere.
"Global Times" reporter: According to reports, a US State Department spokesman said on the 7th that President Trump has officially notified the UN Secretary General Guterres that he has initiated the US withdrawal from the WHO process. On the same day, Gu's spokesperson confirmed the news. What is China's comment?
Zhao Lijian: This is another example of unilateralism in the United States and breach of contract.
As the most authoritative and professional international institution in the field of global public health security, WHO plays an indispensable central coordination role in responding to the global new coronary pneumonia epidemic. At present, international anti-epidemic disease is at a critical stage. Supporting WHO means supporting international anti-epidemic cooperation and saving lives. This is a broad consensus of the international community. This practice of the United States undermines the international anti-epidemic efforts, and in particular has a serious negative impact on developing countries in urgent need of international support. We urge the US to fulfill its due international responsibilities and obligations, and demonstrate the responsibility that a large country should assume. We also call on the international community to further consolidate multilateralist consensus, increase support and input to WHO, and jointly maintain global public health security.
TASS reporter: Yesterday, Russia and China vetoed the draft resolution on the extension of the Syrian cross-border humanitarian rescue authorization proposed by Germany and Belgium at the UN Security Council. What's China's comment?
Zhao Lijian: China and Russia voted against the relevant draft resolution. Ambassador Zhang Jun, China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has fully explained China’s position in the Council’s explanatory statement.
China has always attached great importance to the humanitarian situation in Syria. For many years, it has provided Syria with a large amount of humanitarian assistance. At the same time, China has always believed that humanitarian relief to Syria should fully respect Syria’s sovereignty, independence, reunification and territorial integrity, and fully listen to the opinions of the Syrian government. China encourages relevant parties to work hard to promote cross-border humanitarian relief in Syria and make corresponding adjustments to the cross-border humanitarian relief mechanism. All parties should continue to strengthen dialogue, increase mutual trust, actively respond to the UN Secretary-General’s Global Ceasefire Initiative, and make efforts to resolve the Syrian issue politically.
Journalist Trust of India: On the issue of WHO sending an expert group to visit China. Can you disclose more details? For example, where will the expert group go and does it include Wuhan?
Zhao Lijian: Regarding the specific issues you mentioned, I have no information to release at the moment, and I suggest you stay tuned. We will release relevant news in due course.
Bloomberg reporter: US President Trump said the US is considering banning TikTok from operating in the US. Earlier, some US officials said that the application has been providing user data to the Chinese government. What's China's comment?
Zhao Lijian: The remarks of individual individuals in the United States are completely out of nothing and maliciously discredited. The Chinese government has always required Chinese companies to conduct foreign economic cooperation on the basis of legal compliance. If, according to the logic of the US, many social media companies in the US have huge user groups around the world, is it not a huge security threat for countries around the world? They should be subject to common supervision and evaluation by the international community.
We urge some people in the United States to correct their minds, abandon prejudice, stop using their own lives, stop using state machinery to suppress Chinese enterprises, and do more things that are conducive to promoting Sino-US relations.