China News Service: The eighth Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit was held in Kunming this morning. Premier of the State Council Li Qiang attended and addressed the event. Can you share more information on that?

Mao Ning: Premier of the State Council Li Qiang chaired the eighth Greater Mekong Subregion Summit in Kunming, Yunnan this morning. The heads of government of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam, and President of the Asian Development Bank attended the summit.

Premier Li Qiang noted that over the past three decades and more since the establishment of the GMS mechanism, it has increasingly become an important platform for China and Mekong countries to explore cooperation and promote development. Thanks to concerted efforts, regional economic cooperation made new progress with growing trade and investment, greater connectivity, expanding mutually beneficial cooperation, and deepening affinity between the peoples. The fruitful cooperation outcomes speak volumes about the vitality and strong resilience of the GMS mechanism.

Premier Li Qiang stressed that China and Mekong countries are developing countries that share geographic proximity, people-to-people affinity and close cultural links. We are a community with a shared future like a family. Faced with complex international and regional landscape, we need to work in solidarity, leverage our complementary economic strengths and further deepen practical cooperation in various fields. First, we need to uphold open cooperation and enhance trade and investment facilitation. China stands ready to work with Mekong countries to promote two-way opening up at a higher level and with greater scale, and build a more efficient and vibrant mega market. Second, we need to highlight innovation and nurture new driving forces for regional development. China stands ready to work with Mekong countries to deepen cooperation in industries of new energy battery, automobile and PV, and expand cooperation in emerging areas, such as clean energy, smart manufacturing, big data and smart cities. Third, we need to deepen integrated development and speed up regional economic integration. China stands ready to work with Mekong countries to deepen “hard connectivity” of infrastructure, and enhance “soft connectivity” on policies, laws, supervision, rules and standards. Fourth, we need to have close communication and collaboration for better coordination of regional cooperation mechanisms. China stands ready to work with all sides to practice true multilateralism, advance coordinated development of GMS, Mekong-Lancang Cooperation and other mechanisms for an inclusive and mutually reinforcing cooperation atmosphere.

Participating parties agreed to expand cooperation in such areas as trade, agriculture, connectivity, digital economy, green development, health care, tourism, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, forge new driving forces of growth and make active effort for regional peace, development and prosperity. The summit adopted the Joint Summit Declaration, the GMS Innovation Strategy for Development 2030 and other documents. 

Hubei Media Group: We noted that 37 least developed countries (LDCs) took part in this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE). Hosts of the CIIE made special arrangements to provide over 120 free booths for exhibitors from these countries, and further expand the exhibition area for Africa to showcase African agricultural specialties in the food and agricultural products exhibition. Can you share the considerations?

Mao Ning: Since its launch, the CIIE has been actively providing facilitation for LDCs. For the past seven years, more and more products from LDCs have entered the Chinese market through the CIIE, which contributed to the industrial development and improvement of people’s livelihood in these countries.

China, as the largest developing country and a natural member of the Global South, is all along committed to supporting South-South cooperation and addressing difficulties in development and promoting cooperation through opening up, so as to deliver more benefits to people of all countries in a more equitable way. Starting from December 1 of this year, China will give zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines to LDCs. This is an important step President Xi Jinping announced at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation this year. We will continue to strengthen cooperation with Global South countries and support their development and prosperity to jointly realize global modernization.

Reuters: CNN reported that President Xi and US President-Elect Trump spoke on the phone. Can you confirm that?

Mao Ning: President Xi Jinping has congratulated President-Elect of the US Donald Trump. President Xi Jinping pointed out that history tells us that both China and the US stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. A China-US relationship with stable, healthy and sustainable development serves the common interests of the two countries and meets the expectations of the international community. Hope the two sides will work in the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, to enhance dialogue and communication, properly manage differences and expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and to find the right way for China and the US to get along with each other in the new era to the benefit of the two countries and the world.

AFP: Just a follow-up question on Trump, CCTV says that Xi Jinping congratulated Donald Trump on his election. Did President Xi send a message to Donald Trump or did he call him on the phone?

Mao Ning: President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to US President-Elect Donald Trump.

Bloomberg: I think the question is did Xi and Trump have a call or did Xi send a message to Trump?

Mao Ning: I just answered the question. President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to President-Elect Donald Trump.

The New York Times: Two questions from The New York Times. First, how will China respond to President Trump’s claim about blanket tariffs on goods from China? Second, what is China’s response to President Trump’s claim that China will not invade Taiwan?

Mao Ning: On your first question, we do not answer hypothetical questions. But broadly speaking, let me reiterate that there is no winner in a trade war, nor will the world benefit from it.

On your second question, the Taiwan question is the most important and most sensitive issue in China-US relations. China firmly opposes official interactions of any form between the US and Taiwan. This position is consistent and clear. The US government needs to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, and prudently handle Taiwan-related issues, so as to avoid severe damage to China-US relations and cross-Strait peace and stability.

Shenzhen TV: On November 7 Beijing time, the Disarmament and International Security Committee (First Committee) of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voted to adopt the resolution titled “Promoting International Cooperation on Peaceful Uses in the Context of International Security” submitted by China. Could you share more information with us?

Mao Ning: We welcome the adoption of the resolution titled “Promoting International Cooperation on Peaceful Uses in the Context of International Security” by the First Committee of the UNGA. The resolution seeks to strengthen the role of the UN, and on the basis of equal-footed participation, promote dialogue and cooperation, formulate guiding principles, safeguard developing countries’ legal and legitimate right to peaceful use of science and technology, and urge certain countries to stop abusing export control and imposing illegal unilateral coercive measures. The resolution also decides that the relevant issue needs to be further deliberated at the UNGA. 

This marks the third time for China to submit this resolution since 2021, which has received widespread support from the international community. China has made the implementation of this resolution a priority for cooperation in the Global Security Initiative and stands ready to work together with other parties to pursue the thorough and effective implementation of this resolution and better ensure that scientific and technological progress will contribute to peace and development for humanity.

DPA: Yesterday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz fired Finance Minister Christian Lindner, leaving the government coalition on the brink of collapse. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment on this? From the perspective of the Chinese government, how will this affect China-Germany relations?

Mao Ning: What you mentioned is Germany’s internal affairs, and we have no comment on that. China’s position on its relations with Germany is consistent.

NBC: Regarding Elon Musk, given his good relation with China, is the prospect of him playing important role in the Trump administration potentially a positive factor for China-US relations?

Mao Ning: China’s position on its relations with the US is consistent. We always view and handle the bilateral relations under the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation proposed by President Xi Jinping and work for the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-US relations.

Beijing Youth Daily: Recently an exhibition “Light of the Sun: A Dialogue Between Ancient Shu and Inca Civilizations” was held in Peru, drawing wide attention. What is your comment? Can you share more details about the exhibition?

Mao Ning: China and Peru both have ancient civilizations. People of the two countries share a close bond and similar visions. Exhibitions since last year, including the “Journey Through Civilizations” World Tour in Peru and the Inca “Sky Road” Andean Culture Exhibition in China, have received warm welcome and further enhanced mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and Peruvian people.

The exhibition you mentioned opened in Peru recently. It presents the civilizations of China and Peru, each with its unique charm, and demonstrates how different civilizations flourish together. Going forward, we will continue working with Peru and other parties to implement the Global Civilization Initiative, and enhance exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations to make the world a more harmonious and better place.

EFE: How does China assess the progress of the reconciliation and political transition efforts in Myanmar since 2021 and what specific role is it playing to support this process?

Mao Ning: China’s position on the Myanmar issue is very clear. We support Myanmar in upholding independence, sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity, support all parties in Myanmar in achieving political reconciliation through friendly consultation, and support Myanmar in resuming the political transition process.