At the invitation of Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, Prime Minister of the Independent State of Samoa Fiame Naomi Mata’afa will pay an official visit to China from November 20 to 28.
Xinhua News Agency: Can you share the program of the visit of Samoa’s Prime Minister and China’s expectation for the visit?
Lin Jian: Samoa was one of the first Pacific Island countries to establish diplomatic ties with New China. The friendly ties between the two countries enjoy profound public support and deliver tangibly to the peoples of the two countries. Over the past half century of diplomatic relations, China and Samoa have maintained sound and steady growth in bilateral ties despite the changing international landscape. The two countries have been good friends supporting each other and good partners seeking common development. During the visit by Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, leaders of the two countries will have in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and important issues of mutual interest and jointly chart the course for the growth of bilateral ties going forward.
Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of China-Samoa diplomatic relations, which face new opportunities for growth. Through this visit, China stands ready to deepen political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, build closer cultural and people-to-people bond, and enhance mutual learning between civilizations with Samoa to further enrich the comprehensive strategic partnership and jointly build an even closer community with a shared future between China and Pacific Island countries.
CCTV: President Xi Jinping recently attended the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Lima, capital of Peru. Could you share more details? What initiatives and propositions did China put forward?
Lin Jian: On November 16 local time, the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting was held in Lima. President Xi Jinping attended the meeting and delivered important remarks. He put forth three proposals to build an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future, and start a new era in Asia-Pacific development.
First, we need to build an open and interconnected paradigm for Asia-Pacific cooperation. We should stay committed to multilateralism and an open economy, firmly uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, advance regional economic integration and connectivity, and uphold stable and smooth industrial and supply chains. Second, we need to make green innovation a catalyst for the Asia-Pacific. We need to seize the opportunities presented by the new round of sci-tech revolution and industrial transformation, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), quantum information, life and health, and other frontier areas. We need to foster an open, fair, just and nondiscriminatory ecosystem for innovation, and promote a leapfrog development of productive forces across our region. We should prioritize ecological protection, promote resources conservation and their efficient use as well as green and low-carbon development, and push forward coordinated digital and green transformation and development to create new momentum and new drivers for Asia-Pacific development. Third, we need to uphold a universally beneficial and inclusive vision for Asia-Pacific development. We should strengthen economic and technical cooperation. We should increase support for developing economies and disadvantaged groups, and work together to grow the pie and distribute it equitably to allow more economies and people to benefit from development.
President Xi Jinping stressed that reform and opening up is a historic process in which China and the world achieve development and progress together. China’s further development will provide new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large. China welcomes all parties to continue riding the “express train” of its development so that we can all contribute to the modernization of all countries featuring peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation and common prosperity.
This year’s APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting endorsed China’s 2026 APEC presidency. It will be the third time for China to host APEC. China looks forward to working with other parties to implement the Putrajaya Vision 2040 and deepen Asia-Pacific cooperation to the benefit of the peoples in the region.
AFP: Today, the US and the Philippines signed the General Security of Military Information Agreement, allowing the two countries to share classified information. How does China view this step given more frequent clashes between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the South China Sea as well as territorial disputes?
Lin Jian: No military agreement, or defense and security cooperation, in whatever form, should target any third party or harm the interests of any third party. Nor should it undermine regional peace or exacerbate regional tensions. The only right choice for safeguarding national security and regional peace and stability is to uphold good-neighborliness and friendship and maintain strategic independence.
TASS: According to reports by the New York Times and Le Figaro, the US, the UK and France have authorized the use of long-range weapons by Ukraine for strikes inside Russia. Does China have any comment on this? Against such a backdrop, how does China see the prospect of peace talks?
Lin Jian: China’s position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear. Realizing an early ceasefire and striving for political settlement serves the interest of all sides, and the biggest imperative is to promote deescalation as soon as possible. China always encourages and supports all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis, and stands ready to continue to play a constructive role in its own way for the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.
Reuters: The Australian and British governments have both announced that Chinese leader will meet with their leaders at the G20. Would you be able to confirm these meetings?
Lin Jian: On the bilateral meetings during the G20 Summit, we will release information in due course. Please stay tuned.
China Daily: You mentioned that President Xi Jinping made a written speech at the APEC CEO Summit, which received wide attention. We noted that “economic globalization,” as a keyword, appeared 13 times throughout the speech. What message do you think President Xi’s notions of economic globalization are sending to the world?
Lin Jian: Economic globalization is an objective requirement of growing social productive forces. It is a natural outcome of advancement in science and technology and a mighty historical trend. Despite headwinds and undertows, economic globalization has always been the general trend. The attempt to break up the interdependence of the world under all sorts of pretexts is nothing but backpedaling.
President Xi pointed out in the speech that the world is in a new period of turbulence and transformation. Despite the unbridled unilateralism and protectionism and an increasingly fragmented world economy, the driving forces for economic globalization still prevail. We should steer economic globalization in the right direction and see to it that economic globalization generates more positive outcomes. We should take innovation as the driving force for stronger growth of the world economy. We should keep pace with the times and reform the system of global economic governance. We should always take the people-centered approach and seek to settle imbalances in development. The Asia-Pacific should remain the locomotive of economic globalization and we should join hands to see to it that economic globalization is taken to a new phase that is more dynamic, inclusive and sustainable to the benefit of various countries and communities.
In this process, China will deepen reform comprehensively and continue to provide robust momentum for the world economy. It will advance high-quality development and continue to lead the efforts to improve the performance of the world economy. It will stay firmly on the path of green development and continue to be an important force for global green transition. It will build new, open and higher-standard economic systems and continue to share China’s development opportunities with the world.
Helsingin Sanomat: European intelligence agency has got an information about the cooperation between China and Russia in the production of military drones. Are these drones used in Ukraine? What’s China’s stance on it?
Lin Jian: We have responded to similar questions multiple times. I would like to reaffirm that on the Ukraine crisis, China upholds an objective and just position and has actively promoted peace talks, which stands in sharp contrast with certain countries who apply double standards and keep adding fuel to the fire on the Ukraine crisis. China handles the export of military products prudently and responsibly. We have never provided lethal weapons to any party of the conflict, and strictly control the export of military and dual-use drones in accordance with laws and regulations. We hope relevant countries and individuals will refrain from making baseless speculations and vilification against China.
Ukrinform News Agency: On Sunday, Russian military launched massive missiles and drones to attack the civilian energy infrastructure in Ukraine—120 missiles and almost 100 drones. Power outages have started across Ukraine. Odesa, a large city and port on the Black Sea, is now without electricity, heating and drinking water. The same in several other cities and towns across Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians were left without heat and electricity when the weather outside is already frosty. I’d like to ask you whether China can comment on Russia’s escalation of war?
Lin Jian: China’s position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear. Parties concerned need to promote deescalation in a responsible manner and accumulate conditions for an early ceasefire and political settlement of the crisis.
PTI: Are there any bilateral meetings lined up that you can confirm on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Brazil?
Lin Jian: Recently, President Xi Jinping met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the margins of the BRICS Summit held in Kazan. China stands ready to work with India to deliver on the important common understandings between the leaders of the two countries, step up communication and cooperation and enhance strategic mutual trust. On the specifics you mentioned, I have no information to offer.
Shenzhen TV: We noted that China and Southeast Asian countries have engaged in frequent interactions recently and in particular, the exchanges between heads of state and government reached another new height. Last Friday, on the margins of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Peru, President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Within a month, Premier Li Qiang, together with the heads of government from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam, attended the eighth Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit. Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang visited Singapore and co-chaired the China-Singapore bilateral cooperation mechanism meetings. Vice President Han Zheng visited Indonesia and Brunei. Indonesia’s newly elected President Prabowo Subianto and Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim visited China. Could you share some comment on this?
Lin Jian: The exchanges between China and Southeast Asian countries have recently reached another new height, which speaks to the common aspiration of regional countries for solidarity, cooperation and development, and demonstrates the robust growth of relations between China and neighboring countries.
China and Southeast Asian countries are good neighbors connected by mountains and rivers and sharing close cultural bond. We are also good partners with integrated interests and a shared future. Under the guidance of head-of-state diplomacy, the two sides have achieved fruitful outcomes in high-quality cooperation and made solid steps in building a community with a shared future. Important common understandings were reached between China and Indonesia on building a community with a shared future with regional and global influence. The building of a community with a shared future both bilaterally and multilaterally between China and Malaysia and Mekong countries reached a new level. Belt and Road cooperation plans were signed between China and Malaysia and between China and Singapore. The Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway was officially launched for a year, serving over six million passengers. The China-Laos Railway saw booming passenger travel as well as freight shipping, playing an increasingly important role as a golden route for transportation. Construction of Malaysia’s East Coast Rail Link made steady progress. The China-Laos-Thailand international freight train service was officially launched. The China-ASEAN FTA 3.0 Upgrade Negotiations were substantially concluded. Visa-free arrangement between China and Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Laos produced remarkable results, and the “Lancang-Mekong visa” policy was officially implemented. China and relevant countries reached important common understandings on properly putting maritime differences under control, enhancing maritime cooperation, speeding up consultations on a code of conduct in the South China Sea, and jointly keeping the South China Sea peaceful and stable.
Asia and the wider Asia-Pacific is the shared home of China and neighboring countries. China has all along put the neighborhood as a priority in the overall diplomacy. We stand ready to work with Southeast Asian countries to continue to uphold the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, engage in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home, further enhance mutual understanding and trust, deepen friendly ties, pursue common development and prosperity, provide strong impetus for our respective modernization process, and make greater contribution to regional peace and prosperity.
