At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Expatriates Badr Abdel Aaty will visit China and co-chair the China-Egypt foreign ministers’ strategic dialogue from December 12 to 13.

TASS: According to media reports, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev began his visit to China today. Could the Foreign Ministry provide more information on that? Does China have any expectations for this visit?

Mao Ning: Chairman of the United Russia party Dmitry Medvedev’s visit is an important event of high-level exchange between China and Russia. The Chinese side will release timely information about the visit. Please stay tuned. 

Beijing Daily: The US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies recently issued a report entitled “China’s Intelligence Footprint in Cuba: New Evidence and Implications for US Security,” saying that there are four sites within Cuba that are most likely to be supporting China’s efforts to collect intelligence on the United States and its neighbors and suggesting that the United States and its regional partners should carefully monitor China’s growing role in Cuba. What’s China’s comment? 

Mao Ning: I noted what you mentioned. As Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío said, the US think tank’s accusations of so-called Chinese military bases in Cuba are just tales that do not exist and no one has seen. 

Let me stress again that China’s cooperation with Cuba is done aboveboard, and does not target any third party. We certainly would not accept any deliberate vilification and smear from any third party. It is widely known that US intelligence agencies have an egregious record in Latin America and the Caribbean. The US unlawfully occupied Guantanamo Bay as its military base and imposed blockade and sanctions against Cuba for over six decades, which has been catastrophic for the Cuban people.

China once again urges the US to follow the just call of the international community, lift the blockade and sanctions on Cuba as soon as possible, remove Cuba from the list of “state sponsors of terrorism,” and stop creating barriers that hinder Cuba’s socioeconomic development. 

AFP: A senior security official in Taiwan told AFP today that apparent military drills conducted by China this week around the island are aimed at drawing a red line ahead of the incoming US presidential administration of Donald Trump. Can the Foreign Ministry confirm today these Chinese military drills and does it have any comment?

Mao Ning: I would refer you to the competent Chinese authorities for your specific question. Let me say that the Taiwan question is the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-US relations and this has always been our position. Upholding the one-China principle is the key to ensuring peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China will firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

Hubei Media Group: In a statement issued on December 10 local time, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly announced sanctions against some Chinese personnel for alleged human rights violations. Do you have any comment on this?

Mao Ning: Without any factual basis, the Canadian government made false allegations against China in the name of human rights and imposed illicit sanctions on Chinese personnel. This is gross interference in China’s internal affairs and a serious violation of international law and the basic norms governing international relations. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns this.

The Chinese government follows a people-centered development philosophy and attaches absolute importance to respecting and protecting human rights. China has achieved enormous progress in human rights and made important contribution to the world’s human rights cause. This is a simple fact that no one without bias can deny. 

Canada faces its own list of human rights issues. Its own human rights record has not been spotless. Even today, Canada’s indigenous people still face systemic racial discrimination and unfair treatment. Instead of dealing with it, Canada chooses to smear and vilify other countries and spread lies about China’s alleged human rights issues. This is a typical move of “thief-crying-stop-thief” and can hardly convince the world. Facts have laid bare Canada’s double standards and hypocrisy. Canada is in no position to lecture others on human rights and point fingers at others’ human rights situation, nor do they have any right to act as a judge and arbitrarily impose sanctions. 

China strongly urges Canada to reflect on itself, stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, stop undermining China’s interests and image under the pretext of human rights, stop its poor political stunt and immediately lift its unlawful sanctions against relevant Chinese personnel. We will take all measures necessary to firmly defend our sovereignty, security and development interests.

News 1 Korea: ROK media reported that the new Chinese ambassador to the ROK will travel to the ROK this month to assume office. What’s China’s comment and expectation?

Mao Ning: You may follow our ministry’s website for any update on the new Chinese ambassador to the ROK. On China-ROK relations, our position is consistent. We stand ready to work with the ROK to advance China-ROK relations.

Reuters: China has approved no loans to Cambodia this year, despite being historically its top creditor country. This is according to data from Cambodia’s finance ministry. Is there a particular reason for this?

Mao Ning: I would refer you to the competent Chinese authorities for your specific question. Let me say that China and Cambodia are iron-clad friends. We will continue to strengthen cooperation with Cambodia in various fields and support Cambodia in pursuing development and improving people’s livelihood.

AFP: The United States said yesterday that it is offering a US$10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of a Chinese man and co-conspirators who are wanted for hacking computer fire walls in order to commit fraud. This was in April of 2020 and the US Treasury said it had imposed sanctions on the man’s company. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment on this case?

Mao Ning: China has always opposed and fought all types of cyberattacks in accordance with the law. We firmly reject using unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction against Chinese entities and individuals. We urge the US to stop using cybersecurity issues to smear and vilify China, and stop imposing illicit unilateral sanctions. China will do what is necessary to protect the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies and citizens.

CCTV: On December 10, the US Commerce Department added two Chinese high-tech companies to the “Entity List” for “human rights violations.” What is China’s comment on this?

Mao Ning: The so-called sanctions you mentioned are a blatant suppression of Chinese high-tech companies in the name of human rights. The move further reveals the US’s true intention of depriving the Chinese people’s right to development. Protecting human rights is just a pretext they use to advance that objective. Such schemes will not succeed.

If the US truly cares about human rights, it should take care of its own human rights deficit first, rather than politicizing and weaponizing human rights issues to meddle in other countries’ internal affairs and harm other countries’ interests.