Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin hosted a regular press conference on August 12, 2022
Dragon TV: China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) recently released the latest research report on the business environment for foreign investors. We have noticed that the report pointed out that the vast majority of foreign-funded enterprises are optimistic about the long-term development prospects in China. What is China's comment?
Wang Wenbin: I have noticed relevant reports.
Here I would like to share some latest data with you.
Data from China's Ministry of Commerce shows that in the first six months of this year, China's actual use of foreign capital increased by 21.8% year-on-year.
According to statistics from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, in the second quarter, foreign-funded enterprises that maintained or expanded their business scale in China accounted for 91% of the total, and nearly 90% of foreign-funded enterprises have entered the Chinese market, reduced taxes and fees, aided enterprises, project implementation, green channels, etc. The policy is more satisfactory.
According to statistics from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, China attracted a record 179 billion US dollars of foreign investment last year, a year-on-year increase of 20%.
Recent reports from the American Chamber of Commerce in China, the German Chamber of Commerce in China, and the Japan Chamber of Commerce in China show that over 60% of US-funded companies and over 70% of German-funded companies plan to increase investment in China. All-time high.
Bloomberg and other foreign media also recently reported that China has been a hot spot for global investment in recent years.
The above data all reflect that the vast majority of foreign companies are confident in investing in the Chinese market.
The reason why foreign-funded enterprises firmly believe that "investing in China is investing in the future" is that on the one hand, they are optimistic about the strong resilience and development prospects of China's economy, optimistic about China's super-large market, and optimistic about China's production supply chain network.
On the other hand, thanks to China's unswerving promotion of high-level opening up, support for the multilateral trading system, and continuous provision of a more market-oriented, law-based and international business environment for foreign capital.
No matter how the international situation changes, China's determination to expand high-level opening-up will not change, its determination to share development opportunities with the world will not change, and to promote economic globalization towards a more open, inclusive, inclusive, balanced and win-win direction. The determination will not change.
We believe that with the in-depth implementation of policies and measures for coordinating epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development, China's economic development potential, resilience, vitality and space will become more prominent.
China will continue to open up its doors, provide convenience for companies from all over the world to invest and start businesses in China, and work together to create a future of common development and prosperity.
Global Times reporter: According to a report by Newsweek on the 10th, the “Arab Barometer”, a non-partisan research network of Princeton University in the United States, based on data from October 2021 to April 2022 in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Polls conducted in Mauritania, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia and Sudan show that China is ahead of the United States in favorability among Arabs. What is the spokesperson's comment on this?
Wang Wenbin: I haven't seen the poll you mentioned, but I'm not surprised at all, because China has always been a sincere and reliable friend of Arab countries.
In recent years, China-Afghanistan relations have developed vigorously, firmly supporting each other on each other's core interests, and the two sides have set an example of solidarity in fighting the epidemic.
From the government to the people, from the central to the local, China-Arab friendship is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
China has always adhered to non-interference in internal affairs and the principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit.
China has always played a constructive role in the Arab world.
We never seek any geopolitical self-interest, nor do we intend to fill the so-called power vacuum.
We support Middle East countries, including Arab countries, to solve regional security issues through solidarity and cooperation, and support the people of regional countries to independently explore their own development paths.
We are willing to continue to walk hand in hand with our Arab brothers to support each other's national development and national rejuvenation, jointly maintain peace and stability in the Middle East, and steadily advance practical cooperation in various fields. While benefiting the Chinese and Arab people, we are also safeguarding genuine multilateralism and international fairness and justice. Inject more positive energy.
China Daily: According to media reports, on August 11, demonstrations broke out in Hargeisa, the capital of the Somaliland state in northern Somalia, and other places, demanding that the regional leadership election be held as scheduled. Demonstrators clashed with military police, resulting in the death of several demonstrators. What is China's comment?
Wang Wenbin: Somaliland is an inalienable part of Somalia, and the problems in Somaliland are Somalia's internal affairs.
China always adheres to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, and firmly supports the Somali Federal Government's efforts to maintain national unity, security and stability.
It is in the interests of all Somali people that Somaliland maintains stability and tranquility.
At the same time, China requires the Somaliland authorities to effectively protect the personal and property safety of local Chinese enterprises and citizens.
CCTV reporter: U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other U.S. lawmakers who participated in the Asia tour held a press conference a few days ago. Pei said that Taiwan is one of the freest "countries" in the world, and this visit concerns Taiwan's democracy, which is in line with the US government's one-China policy and does not seek to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. What is China's comment?
Wang Wenbin: Pelosi's remarks further prove that her visit to Taiwan is a connivance and support for the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.
Pelosi's blatantly calling Taiwan a "country" is a serious political provocation that goes against the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiques.
The DPP authorities have carried out "de-sinicization" and "gradual Taiwan independence" on the island, and are trying their best to create "two Chinas" and "one China, one Taiwan" internationally.
Under these circumstances, Pelosi went to Taiwan and made a high-profile claim to represent the United States. It was obviously an official visit, aimed at inciting cross-strait confrontation and interfering in China's internal affairs. The nature was extremely vicious.
Starting from safeguarding its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, maintaining non-interference in internal affairs, the basic norm of international relations, and truly safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, China has every right and is absolutely necessary to take firm countermeasures against the US provocation.
Pelosi used the so-called democracy as a guise to make excuses for her to visit Taiwan, which is completely futile.
Pelosi's coming to Taiwan has nothing to do with democracy, but a political show that goes against the will of the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots, and challenges the one-China principle recognized by the international community. manifestation of righteousness.
If Pelosi really cares about democracy and human rights, she should visit Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Libya, express repentance to the hundreds of thousands of innocent people who died under the fire of the US military, and vow not to let the United States wantonly violate the UN Charter and international The evil deeds of the relationship code are repeated.
Together with friends from all countries who love peace and uphold justice, China will resolutely oppose all words and deeds that interfere in other countries' internal affairs, resolutely resist all risky moves that undermine regional peace, and jointly safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and jointly safeguard regional stability and world peace.
AFP reporter: Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of the detention of Australian journalist Cheng Lei. We understand that her case went to trial earlier this year. Has the case been decided? what's the result? Has she been sentenced?
Wang Wenbin: On March 31, 2022, the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court heard the case of the Australian defendant Cheng Lei illegally providing state secrets overseas. Cheng Lei and her defense lawyers appeared in court to participate in the lawsuit.
The case is currently in the process of trial, the court will choose a date for sentencing.
The Chinese judicial organs tried the case strictly in accordance with the law, fully guaranteed Cheng Lei's legal rights to all litigation, and respected and implemented the Australian side's consular rights to visit and be notified.
Hubei Radio and Television: According to reports, more than 70 economists and scholars in other fields have recently sent letters to US President Biden and US Treasury Secretary Yellen, criticizing the US government's executive order to freeze about US$7 billion of Afghanistan's central bank foreign exchange assets. Divided into two, calling on the US government to return it immediately and in full. This open letter was organized and written by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, an American think tank, and the signatories include Nobel Laureate in Economics Joseph Stiglitz and other scholars from all over the world. What is China's comment?
Wang Wenbin: I have noticed that this open letter pointed out that the US government's seizure of Afghanistan's US$7 billion foreign exchange reserves played a significant role in the collapse of the Afghan economy.
The US government's arbitrary and unjustified splitting of $7 billion in Afghan assets will seriously undermine Afghanistan's economic recovery process.
I also noticed that on the first anniversary of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, many people in the international community have commented that the harm the US has done to the Afghan people has never stopped or even worsened.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that millions of Afghans are "on the verge of death".
"98 percent of Afghans do not have enough to eat, and nearly half of Afghan children under the age of five suffer from severe malnutrition," a World Food Program official said.
The "forced transformation" of Afghanistan by the United States for nearly 20 years has not only failed to lift the Afghan people out of poverty and turmoil, but has instead exacerbated the crisis of Afghan people's survival and national development.
This is yet another negative teaching material for "American-style democracy" to roil the world.
Although the US military has left Afghanistan, the crimes committed by the US against Afghanistan continue.
The suffering of the Afghan people will not end as long as the damage done to Afghanistan by the United States does not stop.
We urge the US to honestly reflect on its mistakes, take concrete actions to heal the wounds of the Afghan people, and give the world a responsible account.
Reuters: South Korean officials have said many times recently that the THAAD system is purely for national defense and is mainly aimed at potential attacks from North Korea. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that South Korea must abide by the "three nos" policy. My question is, can there be a balance between meeting South Korea's need to defend its territory and addressing China's concerns that the system could be used by the US to deter China?
Wang Wenbin: I would like to ask if there are any other journalists here who are also concerned about the THAAD issue?
Beijing Youth Daily: On the 11th, South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sub said that if the THAAD radar is directed toward China, the radio waves will be blocked by the base's mountain peaks, making it physically impossible to detect China. "THAAD" can only defend the peninsula and cannot play any role in the US defense system, and will not target China. What is China's comment?
Wang Wenbin: China has always respected South Korea's sovereignty and understood South Korea's security concerns, but the deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system by the US in South Korea undermines China's strategic security, and China cannot ignore it.
The foreign ministers of China and South Korea had an in-depth exchange of views on this issue when they met in Qingdao recently, expounding their respective positions, and believed that each other's security concerns should be taken seriously, and efforts should be made to properly handle it so that it would not become a stumbling block affecting bilateral relations.
It is hoped that the ROK side will continue to properly handle this issue in accordance with the mutual understanding and the consensus reached at the meeting between the two foreign ministers in Qingdao.
Phoenix TV: Gupta, director of the White House Office of National Narcotics Policy, tweeted recently about China's countermeasures against Pelosi's escapade, saying that drug overdose causes 100,000 deaths in the United States every year. "unacceptable". What is China's comment?
Wang Wenbin: In disregard of China's solemn warnings and repeated representations, Pelosi insisted on visiting Taiwan, which seriously affected the political foundation of China-US relations.
China's announcement of eight countermeasures, including the suspension of China-US anti-drug cooperation, is a resolute and forceful response to the provocation by the US and Taiwan, and is completely reasonable, appropriate and appropriate.
Regarding the issue of fentanyl abuse in the United States, I would like to emphasize three points:
First, the root cause of the fentanyl abuse crisis in the United States lies in the United States itself.
The international community, including China, has become more and more strict with the control of fentanyl-like substances. The abuse of fentanyl-like synthetic opioids in the United States has continued to deteriorate, and the number of deaths caused by overdose has increased instead of falling.
According to statistics from the International Narcotics Control Bureau, the United States is the world's largest producer and consumer of fentanyl-like drugs. Americans, accounting for 5% of the world's total population, consume 80% of the world's opioids.
The U.S. government is out of control over prescription drugs, not enough publicity about the dangers of drugs, ineffective measures to reduce drug demand, and ineffective drug control.
The U.S. side must face up to its own problems and cannot avoid treating diseases.
Second, China has made great efforts to help the US resolve the fentanyl issue.
The fentanyl problem is not prominent in China, and it has never been abused on a large scale.
With a humanitarian and responsible attitude, China has always helped the US to solve the fentanyl abuse crisis, and worked with other countries around the world to tackle the new challenges of the drug problem.
There are 27 fentanyl-like substances controlled in the United Nations Convention against Drugs.
China is the first in the world to implement an entire category of fentanyl-like substances under control, and the controlled varieties far exceed the scope of the United Nations Convention.
However, as the country with the most prominent fentanyl problems in the world, the United States has not officially listed fentanyl-related substances as a whole.
China has shown enough goodwill and sincerity to carry out extraordinary cooperation with the United States, which is unprecedented in China's routine drug control practice. It has played an important role in preventing the illegal production, trafficking and abuse of fentanyl-like substances, and has also established a solid foundation for international anti-drug cooperation. It has become a model and has been fully recognized by the international community.
Third, the responsibility for undermining China-US anti-drug cooperation lies entirely with the US side.
It has been more than two years since the U.S. side listed scientific research institutions that are responsible for the detection and control of fentanyl-like substances, such as the Physical Evidence Identification Center of the Ministry of Public Security of China and the National Narcotics Laboratory, on the "entity list" on the grounds of the so-called human rights issue in Xinjiang.
The U.S. has been making negative and untrue remarks publicly, repeatedly hyping up old cases, sanctioning Chinese companies on the grounds of fentanyl, offering high rewards to wanted Chinese citizens, misleading the public, blaming others, and shifting the blame for poor domestic drug abuse governance.
The Chinese side has lodged representations with the US side many times, but the US side has yet to provide feedback.
The consequences of damaging the relations between the two countries and harming China-US anti-drug cooperation should be fully borne by the US side.
China's stance on strict drug control is resolute.
Against the background of the continuous spread of the global drug situation, China's drug control has achieved remarkable results.
As a responsible major country, China will, as always, actively participate in international and multilateral anti-drug cooperation, and contribute Chinese wisdom and Chinese strength to global drug governance.
We also sincerely hope that the US will effectively resolve the fentanyl abuse crisis at an early date, and the American people will get rid of the harm of drugs as soon as possible.