Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's regular press conference on February 25, 2021
CCTV reporter: We have seen that China's vaccine assistance and exports to Mongolia, Egypt, Thailand, Singapore, Dominica, Bolivia and other countries have all arrived locally. We have also noticed that the health departments of many countries that have vaccine cooperation with China have affirmed the safety and effectiveness of Chinese vaccines. What is your comment on this?
Zhao Lijian: China has provided or is currently providing vaccine assistance to 53 countries and exporting vaccines to 27 countries.
This is China's active implementation of President Xi Jinping's specific measures to declare vaccines as a global public product.
The Chinese government has always been responsible for life, putting the safety and effectiveness of vaccines in the first place, and guiding companies to conduct vaccine research and development in strict accordance with scientific laws and regulatory requirements.
You mentioned that relevant national health departments have made positive comments on the safety and effectiveness of Chinese vaccines. At the same time, dozens of countries have approved Chinese vaccines for local use. This is a high degree of recognition of the quality of Chinese vaccines.
We will continue to work with all parties to promote the equitable distribution of vaccines on a global scale and join hands with all countries to defeat the epidemic.
Phoenix TV reporter: According to reports, US President Biden
signed an executive order on the
24th
to review the global supply chain
of
four key products, including semiconductors, in
order to get rid of dependence on overseas suppliers, especially Chinese suppliers.
If “significant risks” are found in key industries, the United States will actively promote supply chain transfer.
What is China's comment?
Is the risk of China-US technology decoupling increasing?
Zhao Lijian: In the era of globalization, the interests of various countries are deeply integrated.
The formation and development of the global industrial chain supply chain is the result of the joint effect of market laws and corporate choices.
China believes that it is unrealistic to artificially promote the "transfer" and "decoupling" of industries and forcibly change economic laws with political forces. It cannot solve the problems faced by its own country and will also damage the global industrial chain supply chain.
We hope that the US will truly respect the laws of market economy and free trade, and maintain the safety, reliability and stability of the global industrial chain and supply chain.
"Global Times" reporter: Recently, some Western countries used
Xinjiang-related issues to accuse China of human rights violations at the 46th High-level Meeting of the Human Rights Council. The
Chinese representative also refuted it.
Does the spokesperson have any further comments on this?
Zhao Lijian: Spread rumors and move your mouth, dispel rumors and run off your legs.
The so-called "genocide" and "forced labor" in Xinjiang are vulnerable to the facts.
Let me give you a few figures and examples: Over the past 60 years, the average life expectancy in Xinjiang has increased from 30 to 72 years, which has more than doubled.
The Uyghur population in Xinjiang has more than doubled in the past 40 years.
From 2010 to 2018 alone, the Uyghur population in Xinjiang increased by 25%, more than 12 times the increase in the Han population.
I would like to ask friends from the press, who of you have seen such "genocide"?
In addition, China has repeatedly clarified the Xinjiang-related lies concocted by anti-China scholar Zheng Guoen and the Australian Institute of Strategic Policy.
For example, Zheng Guoen's so-called "report" quoted a photo of "two elderly people in rural Xinjiang underwent medical examination in May 2017", and commented on this that "China has spared no effort to implement population control."
However, looking at the original source of the photo, you will find that this is a photo of Xinjiang providing free medical examination and treatment to local rural residents.
Regarding the so-called 380 "detention centers" mentioned in the report of the Australian Institute of Strategic Policy, you will find that they are all institutions like schools, government agencies, etc., and they are not so-called "detention centers" at all.
If you want to add a crime, there is no reason to worry.
What I want to emphasize is that some Western countries are by no means really concerned about the well-being of the Chinese people in Xinjiang, but are trying to use human rights as an excuse to interfere in China’s internal affairs and disrupt China’s Xinjiang and even China’s development process.
This kind of conspiracy will never succeed.
These countries must not forget their history of massacre of indigenous people, nor should they ignore the serious racial discrimination and infringements on the rights of indigenous peoples that still exist in their countries.
Keep the hat of "genocide" for them to wear.
Agence France-Presse correspondent: French Foreign Minister said in a statement on the UN Human Rights Council
,
have witness statements and documents from the Xinjiang region show that Uighurs by the Chinese government treated rudely, China implemented a large-scale monitoring of them and
"institutional oppression ".
What is China's response to the above remarks?
Zhao Lijian: China has repeatedly stated its position on Xinjiang-related issues.
The essence of Xinjiang-related issues is anti-violence, terrorism and anti-separatism.
Xinjiang’s de-radicalization work carried out in accordance with the law is not fundamentally different from the practices of many countries in the world. It is in full compliance with the principles and spirit of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and is a concrete implementation of the United Nations’ Action Plan to Prevent Violent Extremism.
There is no so-called "oppression" and "suppression" in Xinjiang.
Today's Xinjiang is in the best period of prosperity and development in history. People of all ethnic groups live in harmony, live and work in peace, and their personal freedom is not subject to any restrictions.
The door to Xinjiang is always open, and people from all countries who have visited Xinjiang can learn the facts and truths on the spot.
Reuters reporter: US President Biden's CIA director nominee said that the key to US national security is to defeat China, an
"authoritarian opponent."
What is your response to this?
Zhao Lijian: In the past few years, out of its own political needs, the former US government made serious misjudgments and distorted interpretations of China's trends and policies, and introduced various containment and suppression measures, which caused incalculable harm to the relations between the two countries.
This is not in the fundamental interests of the two peoples.
We have always believed that Sino-US relations are not a zero-sum game where you lose and I lose.
China and the United States have broad common interests, and it is inevitable that there will be differences. However, differences cannot be used to define Sino-US relations unilaterally.
It is hoped that the US can abandon the zero-sum thinking, view China and China-US relations in an objective and rational manner, adopt a positive and constructive policy toward China, meet China halfway, focus on cooperation, manage differences, and push China-US relations back to the track of healthy and stable development. .
Reporter from the Indian Broadcasting Corporation: India and South Africa
proposed to the WTO in October last year
that they should exempt their intellectual property obligations related to the new crown pneumonia vaccine and drugs.
Will China participate in this proposal?
Zhao Lijian: The question you mentioned is a professional issue, please ask the competent authority.
United States Press: China has always been an important importer of US corn, even last year. Will corn imports remain at this level in the future? What is your forecast for China's imports of US corn?
Zhao Lijian: Yesterday the person in charge of the Ministry of Commerce of China stated his position on the development of China-US economic and trade relations in the next stage. Please refer to it.
Regarding specific questions in the field of Sino-US economic and trade, please refer to the Chinese competent authority.
Agence France-Presse: Some U.S. officials said that they had received anal swabs for the new crown pneumonia virus in China. In response to the Washington Post, a US State Department spokesperson stated that the US is evaluating all reasonable options to ensure that the dignity of US diplomats is ensured as much as possible in keeping with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. There are reports that these diplomats have been mischecked. Does China conduct anal swab tests on diplomats coming to China? Can you confirm?
Zhao Lijian: I checked with my colleagues.
As far as I know, China has never asked US diplomats in China to conduct anal swab tests.
Associated Press reporter: China has said before that China and the United States should manage differences and focus on cooperation. Judging from the relevant remarks made by Biden administration officials so far, do you think they are actively working in this direction? Or do you think it is too early to draw conclusions?
Zhao Lijian: On February 11, President Xi Jinping had a phone call with President Biden. The two heads of state pointed out the direction for the next stage of the development of Sino-US relations.
Relevant departments of the two countries should follow the spirit of the call between the two heads of state and earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state during the call.
Reporter from the Broadcasting Corporation of India: I would like to ask about the relaxation of intellectual property restrictions. I have already asked the Ministry of Commerce, but no response has been received. This question not only involves business, but also has a diplomatic perspective, so I also come here to ask questions. Has China considered this initiative? Any comment on this?
Zhao Lijian: I have clarified China's position just now.
I can help you convey the relevant questions to the relevant departments.
Indian
Broadcasting Corporation reporter: According to reports, Pakistan has requested China to reschedule
the repayment of the US$22 billion debt owed by an energy project funded by China
.
What is your comment?
Zhao Lijian: China has made clear responses to similar issues many times.
I don’t know where the numbers you mentioned come from?
As far as I know, there are many power and energy cooperation projects under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. You may be referring to loans for these projects, right?
I have been resident in Pakistan for many years and I am very familiar with energy projects under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
I can tell you responsibly that these energy projects are commercial investment or foreign direct investment projects.
These projects are investments made by Chinese companies in Pakistan. The Pakistani government does not need to pay back a penny, so it will not cause a debt burden to Pakistan.
I can also tell you that the construction and operation of the relevant projects are generally smooth, providing Pakistan with a large amount of stable and cheap electricity, increasing tax revenue for the Pakistani government, and exerting tangible economic and social benefits.
We are confident that China-Pakistan energy cooperation will continue to make greater contributions to Pakistan’s national development and improvement of people’s livelihood.
Bloomberg reporter: Bloomberg noticed the written submission prepared by Dai Qi, the nominator of the US Trade Representative, for the nomination hearing. She said that China is both a rival and a partner of the United States, and that China will be held responsible for its unfair trade practices. What's your opinion?
Zhao Lijian: The essence of China-US economic and trade cooperation is mutual benefit and win-win results.
The two sides should properly resolve some issues arising in the economic and trade relations between the two countries in the spirit of mutual respect and equal consultation.
We firmly oppose any groundless accusations or even stigmatization of China's normal economic and trade practices.
If there are no more problems, I want to report to you: On February 22, the Spokesperson’s Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs opened an account at Station B, and the number of fans on this account exceeded one million in one day.
I am also pleased to see that the number of followers of the Spokesperson’s Office Weibo account has approached 2 million, that of Kuaishou account has approached 5 million, and that of Douyin account has approached 15 million.
Here, I would like to thank you all for your strong support for the new media accounts of the Spokesperson’s Office, and I hope you will continue to pay attention to the relevant accounts and gather with the spokesperson in the Blue Hall.