The Ministry of Foreign Affairs answers questions on the video meeting between the leaders of China, Germany and Europe, the situation on the border between China and India

　　Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's regular press conference on September 15, 2020

CCTV reporter: What is China's comment on the video meeting between the leaders of China, Germany and Europe last night?

What are the results of this meeting?

What are the implications for the development of China-EU relations in the next phase?

　　Wang Wenbin: On the evening of September 14, President Xi Jinping held a video meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of the European Council, and President of the European Commission von der Lein.

This is an important meeting at the highest level between China and Europe during the year. It is also an important strategic communication between China and Europe in the context of a century of change and a century of epidemics.

During the meeting, the leaders of China, Germany and Europe exchanged in-depth views on China-EU relations and bilateral dialogue and cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, green, digital, and anti-epidemic. They planned the direction for the next stage of China-EU relations, determined key areas, and agreed to strengthen communication, coordination and cooperation, and ensure In the future, a series of major political agendas between China and Europe will succeed, deepen mutual trust, achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, and push China-EU relations to a higher level.

President Xi Jinping proposed that China and the EU should implement the "four persistences", adhere to peaceful coexistence, adhere to open cooperation, adhere to multilateralism, and adhere to dialogue and consultation. European leaders responded positively to this.

　　This meeting achieved a series of important results.

The first is that China and the EU formally signed the China-EU Geographical Indications Agreement, which fully reflects the commitment of China and the EU to adhere to free and open trade and support the rules-based multilateral trading system, which will provide new impetus for the development of China-EU economic and trade cooperation; Significant progress has been made in the investment agreement negotiations, reaffirming the political determination to complete the negotiations within the year, providing strategic guidance for the next stage of negotiations, and jointly releasing firm confidence and positive signals; third, China and the EU agree to establish a high-level dialogue mechanism on the environment and climate and a high-level digital dialogue to build China-EU Green partnerships and digital partnerships release positive signals that China and the EU work together to address climate change and jointly advance digital cooperation; the fourth is to support and practice multilateralism, strengthen global anti-epidemic cooperation, jointly promote global economic recovery, and jointly respond to global challenges , To jointly promote political solutions to international and regional hotspot issues.

　　Due to differences in history, culture, social systems, and stages of development, China and the EU have different views on some issues. This is normal and will not and should not affect China-EU dialogue and cooperation.

The two sides agreed to strengthen communication in the spirit of equality and mutual respect, enhance objective understanding and understanding, gather common grounds and dissimilarities, constructively manage differences, adhere to the positioning of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, and grasp the dominant aspect of China-EU relations and mutual benefit. Main tone.

　　In the next stage, China will implement the important consensus and results of this meeting. On the basis of adhering to peaceful coexistence, open cooperation, multilateralism, dialogue and consultation, we will continue to promote the healthy and stable development of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, and help the international community fight the epidemic. Restoring the economy and maintaining justice inject more positive energy.

"Global Times" reporter: The EU announced that the EU

-China summit

　　Wang Wenbin: Since the beginning of this year, China and the EU have maintained a momentum of close high-level exchanges. The two sides are maintaining communication and consultation on the time, place and format of important exchange activities in the next phase.

Reuters reporter: On the first question, Indian officials told Reuters that the Chinese army is laying underground optical cables in the Bangong Lake area on the Sino-Indian border.

Can you confirm?

On the second question, Indian officials said that since the meeting between the Chinese and Indian foreign ministers last week, the two armies have not made any substantial retreat.

What is China's comment?

　　Wang Wenbin: Regarding the first question, as far as I know, the relevant report is not true.

　　Regarding your second question, during the meeting in Moscow, the foreign ministers of the two countries reached a positive consensus on jointly promoting the easing and cooling of the border situation, and will continue to maintain close communication through military and diplomatic channels to promote the resolution of local issues.

We hope that the Indian side will earnestly implement the consensus reached by the foreign ministers of the two countries, meet the Chinese side halfway, and make real efforts to ease the situation.

Agence France-Presse reporter: The first question is that the United States

announced a ban on the import of cotton products from relevant Chinese companies on the grounds of

　　Wang Wenbin: Regarding the first question, the U.S. uses the so-called "forced labor" issue as an excuse to impose restrictive measures on relevant Chinese companies, violating international trade rules, destroying global industrial chains, supply chains, and value chains. This is a naked bullying act. China firmly opposes this.

　　The so-called "forced labor" issue is completely fabricated out of thin air by some US and Western institutions and personnel, which seriously violates the facts.

As a part of China's laborers, all rights and interests of Xinjiang ethnic minority workers are protected by law.

Their personal freedom has never been restricted in any way, and their customs, religious beliefs, and language are also protected in accordance with the law. Where does "forced labor" come from?

On the one hand, some people in the U.S. claim that they "care about" ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, and on the other hand, they have taken various measures to suppress Xinjiang enterprises. This fully exposes the hypocritical faces and sinister intentions of these U.S. people to curb Xinjiang's development and progress and provoke China's ethnic relations.

　　We urge the US to respect facts, put aside its prejudices, stop engaging in political manipulation, and stop using Xinjiang-related issues to disrupt normal economic and trade cooperation between Chinese and US companies.

China will continue to take all necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

　　Regarding your second question, China has issued a detailed press release on the China-Germany-European Leaders’ Meeting held yesterday.

On the issue of human rights, President Xi Jinping emphasized that there is no universal human rights development path in the world. There is no best protection of human rights, only better.

Countries should do their own thing first.

It is believed that the European side can resolve its own human rights issues.

China does not accept human rights as a "teacher" and opposes "double standards".

China is willing to strengthen exchanges and make common progress with the European side based on the principle of mutual respect.

Human rights issues within the EU were also discussed at the meeting, such as the unresolved refugee issue, repeated humanitarian crises, the rise of racism, extremism, and minority issues in some EU member states, anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim, and anti-blacks. Such remarks and vicious incidents occur frequently and so on.

The European side also admits its own problems and hopes to conduct dialogue with China based on the principles of equality and respect, enhance mutual understanding, and properly handle differences and differences.

　　President Xi Jinping also clarified China's principled position on Hong Kong-related and Xinjiang-related issues, and pointed out that the essence of Hong Kong-related and Xinjiang-related issues is to safeguard China's national sovereignty, security and unity, and to protect the rights of people of all ethnic groups to live and work in peace.

China firmly opposes any person or force creating instability, division and turmoil in China, and firmly opposes any country's interference in China's internal affairs.

　　On Xinjiang-related issues, we have always welcome friends from all countries, including the European side, to take a walk and take a look at Xinjiang to get an on-the-spot understanding of the real situation in Xinjiang, instead of hearsay and believe in deliberately fabricated lies.

The EU and its member states' envoys in China have expressed their hope to visit Xinjiang, and China has agreed and is willing to make arrangements.

The ball is now on the European side.

　　At the same time, I would also like to point out that we are opposed to the so-called "presumption of guilt" investigation.

"Beijing Youth Daily" reporter: Climate change is an important area of ​​China-EU cooperation. Please tell us more about the discussions on climate change and other issues during the joint meeting between President Xi Jinping and the leaders of Germany and the EU.

　　Wang Wenbin: At the meeting between President Xi Jinping and the leaders of Germany and the European Union on September 14, President Xi pointed out that it is necessary to build a green partnership between China and Europe and constructively participate in the process of global response to climate change and protection of global biodiversity.

Climate change is a common challenge facing the world.

As the largest developing country, China has implemented a national strategy to actively respond to climate change, and through arduous efforts, it has completed the 2020 climate action goals ahead of schedule, making a major contribution to the global response to climate change.

China is willing to do its best to make greater contributions. We are studying the long-term vision for addressing climate change in the middle of this century, including the issue of carbon dioxide peaking and carbon neutrality.

Bloomberg News: The United States has

lowered the

　　Wang Wenbin: After the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia, China has adopted the most comprehensive, strict and thorough prevention and control measures, and has achieved major strategic results in the national fight against the epidemic.

As of September 14, there have been no new confirmed cases in China for 30 consecutive days.

　　China has always protected the safety and legal rights of foreigners in China in accordance with the law. China is one of the safest countries in the world. Of course, foreigners in China are also obliged to abide by Chinese laws.

When formulating travel warnings, the United States should fully respect the facts and should not engage in unprovoked political manipulation.

Reuters reporter: According to Reuters, Pope Francis has agreed to extend the

　　Wang Wenbin: With the joint efforts of both sides in recent years, Sino-Vatican relations have continued to improve.

The China-Vatican interim agreement on the appointment of bishops is an important achievement, and the agreement has been successfully implemented in the past two years.

The two sides support each other in the fight against the new crown pneumonia epidemic and are jointly committed to maintaining global public health security, and mutual trust and consensus have been further deepened.

China is willing to maintain close communication with the Vatican, to promote the continued good implementation of the agreement, and to promote more progress in the process of improving relations.