On April 22, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin presided over a regular press conference.
A reporter asked. Recently, the Australian government announced its rejection of the "Belt and Road" cooperation agreement signed by the Victorian Government and the Chinese Development and Reform Commission. What is China's comment on this?
Wang Wenbin said that the “Belt and Road” initiative is an international economic cooperation initiative that always adheres to the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and advocates the spirit of openness, tolerance and transparency.
The decision by the State of Victoria in Australia to cooperate with China under the framework of the “Belt and Road” to enhance the well-being of the people of both sides was originally a good thing for mutual benefit and win-win results.
The Australian Federal Government unreasonably vetoed the "Belt and Road" cooperation agreement signed by the Victorian Government and China, wantonly disrupting the normal exchanges and cooperation between the two countries, and seriously undermining China-Australia relations and mutual trust between the two countries. China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this. The Australian side made solemn representations.
China reserves the right to make further responses to this.
We urge Australia to abandon the Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice, look at China-Australia cooperation objectively and rationally, immediately correct mistakes, change course, and refrain from going further and further down the wrong path, which will make China-Australia relations that are already facing serious difficulties worse.
(Producing Lu Huiqian)
Editor in charge: [Wang Kai]