At the invitation of the Chinese side, Senior Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong will visit China from November 24 to 29.

At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel will visit China from November 24 to 29.

CCTV: To follow up on the visit of Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Xavier Bettel, how does China view its relations with Luxembourg and what’s China’s expectation of the visit?

Lin Jian: Luxembourg is one of the EU’s founding members and China’s friendly cooperation partner. Fifty plus years on since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and Luxembourg have stayed committed to mutual respect, mutually beneficial cooperation and common development. In recent years, the two countries have achieved fruitful results in cooperation in such areas as air freight, finance and steel, which delivers tangible benefits to the two peoples and contributes to enhancing China-EU cooperation and keeping international industrial and supply chains stable. China stands ready to work with Luxembourg to enhance our friendship and mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and make new progress in bilateral relations. 

Anadolu Agency: The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for crimes against humanity and war crimes during Israel’s war in Gaza. The court said it found reasonable grounds to believe that each bears responsibility for war crime of starvation as a method of warfare, and crimes against humanity of murder, persecutions and other inhuman acts. The court also found reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant committed a war crime of intentionally directing an attack against civilian population. What’s China’s comment?

Lin Jian: China noted the reports.

On the question of Palestine, China always stands on the side of fairness and justice, and on the side of international law, opposes all acts that violate international law including international humanitarian law, and condemns all moves against civilians and civil facilities. As we speak, the Gaza conflict is still dragging on and unprecedented humanitarian crisis is unfolding. China supports all effort in the international community conducive to realizing fairness and justice and defending the authority of international law on the question of Palestine. We hope the International Criminal Court will maintain an objective and just position, lawfully perform its duties, and interpret and apply the Rome Statute and general international law in its entirety, in good faith and in line with uniform standards. 

CCTV: China has announced a trial visa-free policy to 29 countries, so will this policy be applied to more countries? Some countries hope that the maximum length of stay for visa-free travelers will be extended and the visa exemption will be permitted for more purposes of visit. Will China consider that?

Lin Jian: To further facilitate cross-border travel, China decided to include more countries in its visa waiver program and extend the visa-free policy to ordinary passport holders from Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia and Japan on a trial basis from November 30, 2024 to December 31, 2025. 

In addition, China decided to further upgrade its visa-free policy. Visa waiver will now be granted to travelers for exchange purpose and the maximum length of stay will be extended from 15 days to 30 days. Starting from November 30, 2024, ordinary passport holders from 38 countries, including the above-mentioned nine countries, can be exempted from visa to enter China and stay for no more than 30 days for business, tourism, family visit, exchange and transit purposes. 

RIA Novosti: Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that the Russian Armed Forces carried out a combined strike on a Ukrainian military-industrial complex facility in response to Ukrainian military’s use of long-range US-made and British-made weapons. He added that in combat conditions, the newest Russian medium-range missile systems known as “Oreshnik” was tested, with a ballistic missile in a nuclear-free equipment. He also stressed that the conflict in Ukraine is going global. Do you have any comment?

Lin Jian: China’s position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear. We advocate settling the crisis through political means and avoiding escalation. Under the current situation, all parties need to remain calm, exercise restraint, work for deescalation through dialogue and consultation, and accumulate conditions for an early ceasefire and political settlement of the crisis.

Anadolu Agency: The US solely vetoed a UN Security Council resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza yesterday. It’s the sixth time the US as a permanent member used its veto power to block such a resolution. What’s China’s comment about this?

Lin Jian: China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations has fully stated our position in his explanation of vote. The draft resolution explicitly requires an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, which is in line with the right direction of Security Council actions, and reflects the strong aspiration for peace from the international community.

The ongoing conflict in Gaza has dragged on for 13 months, causing the death of over 40,000 people and unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. The US, for the sixth time, single-handedly used its veto power on the draft resolution on ceasefire in Gaza, which once again resulted in the stagnation of Security Council and international efforts. The international community is once again reminded of US-style double standard, and the US once again stands on the opposite side of international call for ceasefire, hope of survival for the Palestinian people, and conscience of humanity. 

The conflict in Gaza continues and the humanitarian disaster is still worsening. The top priority now is to promote full and effective implementation of UN Security Council resolutions by parties to the conflict, and the realization of an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, so as to create conditions for alleviating the humanitarian crisis. We also urge the US to discard political calculations, stop ignoring international law and international humanitarian law selectively, take its responsibility as a major country, and play a constructive role for the peace and stability in the Middle East.

Global Times: It’s reported that in a statement released on November 19, US State Department Spokesperson said the Department of State is taking steps to impose new visa restrictions on multiple Hong Kong officials responsible for implementation of Hong Kong’s National Security Law. What’s China’s comment?

Lin Jian: China’s central government firmly supports the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in safeguarding national security and punishing various activities that endanger national security in accordance with law. We firmly oppose the US using relevant judicial cases to interfere in China’s internal affairs and smear and undermine Hong Kong’s rule of law. The US needs to earnestly respect China’s sovereignty and Hong Kong’s rule of law, abide by the principles of international law and the basic norms of international relations, and refrain from meddling in Hong Kong affairs in whatever form. If the US insists on imposing visa restrictions on Hong Kong officials, China will take firm countermeasures.

AFP: Lai Ching-te will visit three Pacific island nation allies at the end of this month in his first overseas trip since taking office. Does China have a comment on this?

Lin Jian: The one-China principle is a basic norm in international relations and prevailing international consensus. The Lai Ching-te authorities’ political manipulation activities and provocations using trips to countries having so-called “diplomatic ties” with Taiwan will lead nowhere. It will not shake the solid and strong international commitment to the one-China principle, or stop the overriding historical trend towards China’s reunification. We urge relevant countries to see clearly the trend of history at an early date, and make the right decision that truly serves their fundamental and long-term interests.

Anadolu Agency: To follow up on ICC’s arrest warrant about Netanyahu and Gallant, we have noticed that the US was quick to react against the court’s decision. White House Spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said they “fundamentally reject” ICC issuing arrest warrants for Israeli officials. Whereas when ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes in Ukraine last year, the US was supporting the court’s decision. President Biden at that time said he welcomed the decision and that it made “a strong point.” How do you see this double standard concerning international law?

Lin Jian: China always opposes the selective approach to international law and double standards by certain country. Let me reiterate that China always believes that the ICC should maintain an objective and just position, lawfully perform its duties and interpret and apply the Rome Statute and general international law in its entirety, in good faith and in line with uniform standards.

AFP: Moroccan National News Agency (MAP) said that Chinese leader made a short visit to Morocco on Thursday. Can the Foreign Ministry confirm this and provide more details?

Lin Jian: I have no information to share at the moment.

Reuters: Just step back on the question about Lai’s visit to the Pacific nations. Does China request any assistance from any other nations to not allow him to travel to those countries perhaps? Has there been any other request to the United States or any other countries in the region to stop this visit from happening?

Lin Jian: As I just said, the one-China principle is a prevailing international consensus. 

Hubei Media Group: In an interview days ago on the sidelines of COP29, Jeffrey Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and a professor at Columbia University, said China, an important leader in energy transformation, has an essential role in combating climate change. What’s your comment?

Lin Jian: In recent years, China has kept to the path of pursuing green development and implemented the new development philosophy. The economic growth is of higher quality and more eco-friendly. China became the first country in the world to achieve zero net land degradation, contributed a quarter of the world’s newly added green area, reversed the fast growth momentum of CO2 emissions, built the world’s largest and full-fledged industrial chain of the new energy sector, and tops other countries in the installed capacity of new energy and the production and sales of new energy vehicles.

When accelerating green and low-carbon transition at home, China has worked to promote the development and prosperity of the Global South and global green and low-carbon transition. We have also shared our experience of green development to help other developing countries go green and be better off at the same time. By this October, China has signed 53 South-South MOUs on climate change with 42 developing countries, and rolled out nearly one hundred projects on climate mitigation and adaptation. China has also carried out a total of over 300 capacity-building projects in areas related to climate change, and provided more than 10 thousand training opportunities to 120 plus developing countries to increase their climate response capacity, deliver a better life to local people and improve their wellbeing.

It must be pointed out that climate change is a common challenge for mankind that requires joint response from the international community. All parties need to firmly uphold the principles, targets and institutions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, in particular, the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Developed countries need to step up to their historical responsibilities and, in accordance with the stipulations of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, take the lead to cut emissions and realize carbon neutrality ahead of schedule to create space for developing countries in terms of emissions, and earnestly fulfill their obligations of providing developing countries with support of capital, technology and capacity building. Global South countries, including China, can support each other through South-South cooperation on a voluntary basis and improve their capability of responding to climate change and realize sustainable development.

China stands ready to work with all parties, under the guidance of the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, to jointly protect Planet Earth that we all call home and advance progress of global ecological conservation.

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The following question was raised after the press conference: Has China demanded the US not to allow Taiwan’s Lai to transit in US territory when he travels to the Pacific?

Lin Jian: President Xi Jinping in the meeting between Chinese and US Presidents in Lima stressed that the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués are the political foundation of China-US relations and they must be observed. Cross-Strait peace and stability and “Taiwan independence” separatist activities are irreconcilable as water and fire. If the US side cares about maintaining peace across the Taiwan Strait, it is crucial that it sees clearly the true nature of Lai Ching-te and the DPP authorities in seeking “Taiwan independence,” handles the Taiwan question with extra prudence, unequivocally opposes “Taiwan independence,” and supports China’s peaceful reunification.

I want to reiterate that China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the US and the Taiwan region, firmly opposes any visit by the leader of the Taiwan authorities to the US in any name or under whatever pretext, and firmly opposes any form of US connivance and support for “Taiwan independence” separatists and their separatist activities. We urge the US to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, act on its leaders’ commitments, including not supporting “Taiwan independence,” stop any official interactions with the Taiwan region, and stop sending wrong signals to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. China remains resolutely determined to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and oppose interference in our internal affairs by external forces.