AFP: Authorities in the United States on Thursday arrested a man called Sun Yaoning, or Mike Sun, on charges that he acted as an agent for Chinese Communist Party in influencing local politics in California. Has the Foreign Ministry seen this and does the spokesperson have any comment?
Lin Jian: I’m not familiar with the specifics of the case that you mentioned. Let me stress that China never meddles in other countries’ internal affairs. It is quite clear to the global community who exactly does that kind of thing.
Global Times: We noted that Western media outlets, including US-based The Hill and UK-based Daily Telegraph cited a report by Adrian Zenz, who is an anti-China academic, in their articles, saying that chili pepper products sold in UK and US supermarkets contain ingredients from Xinjiang, which are probably produced using “forced labor.” They called on Western companies to stop using chili pepper ingredients and products from Xinjiang. Do you have any comment on this?
Lin Jian: This so-called report mentioned by certain media outlets is deeply flawed. It pretentiously quotes some vague accounts by so-called anonymous witnesses, but does not provide any factual basis, and even lacks the most basic field investigation. The fact is, the farming process of chili peppers in Xinjiang has largely been mechanized already—in some major production areas, 100 percent of the chili peppers are now harvested by machines. Is the report suggesting that there is “forced machine labor?” Earlier this week, an international symposium on employment and social security was held in Urumqi. More than 200 participants from over 40 countries, regions and international organizations attended the event, and many said the Xinjiang they saw is very much different from the false propaganda they had seen from sources outside China. They condemned the “forced labor” narrative, calling it a lie that deprives people in Xinjiang of their right to work, subsistence and development.
From cotton to tomato and now to chili pepper, a handful of Western media and long-time disinformation manufacturers have concocted one lie after another about Xinjiang. But what’s made up will not hide the truth; and a lie is still a lie even if it’s told a thousand times. For those behind these same old clumsy theatrics, it is high time they quit this “creative” business for good.
Reuters: Australia’s Prime Minister has said his government would provide 190 million Australian dollars in funding to support the Solomon Islands to expand their police force so that the Solomon Islands can reduce reliance on external partners over time. So China and Solomon Islands have a police cooperation pact which Australia has also expressed concern about. How does the Foreign Ministry view Australia’s move to provide the Solomon Islands with police support?
Lin Jian: China maintains that when countries develop relations with Pacific Island countries, it is essential to let Pacific Island countries make their own decisions, put development first, and stay open and inclusive. No country should view Pacific Island countries as their “backyard.” We hope relevant parties will earnestly respect the independence and sovereignty of Pacific Island countries and not interfere in their internal affairs.
China Daily: It’s reported that US Department of Defense recently announced the repatriation of a detainee from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, and 29 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay. Commentators say that in recent years, successive US administrations have promised multiple times they will close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, but still haven’t acted on it. Despite repeated protests from the Cuban government, the US has unlawfully occupied part of Guantanamo Bay for over 120 years. What’s your comment?
Lin Jian: We noted relevant reports. The US has long unlawfully occupied part of Guantanamo Bay, and carried out arbitrary detention and used torture to extort confessions at the detention facility there. What the US has done severely violates international law and undermines Cuba’s sovereignty and rights and interests. The international community, including the UN, has more than once expressed concerns on this issue and asked the US to close the detention facility there and treat the detainees justly as soon as possible. The US’s repeated failure to keep its promise of closing this US-run “concentration camp” will only add another stain to the poor US track record on human rights and expose the emptiness of US commitment to human rights.
The detention facility at Guantanamo Bay is Cuba’s protracted wound. It is a living witness to more than a century of US illegal interference in Cuba. The US, while running massive arbitrary detention at Guantanamo, keeps Cuba on the list of so-called “state sponsor of terrorism.” The whole world can see the hypocrisy and double standard in this. China firmly supports Cuba in defending its national sovereignty and dignity, and opposes US interference in Cuba’s internal affairs. The US needs to immediately stop illegally occupying Cuba’s territory, stop the bullying and blockade on Cuba, close the “black site” and pull out of the base at Guantanamo as soon as possible, give the Cuban people’s land back to them, and remove Cuba from the list of “state sponsors of terrorism.”
AFP: Police in Sweden said yesterday that Chinese authorities are conducting investigations on a ship that has been linked to the cutting of two undersea cables. Denmark’s foreign minister also has said that representatives from China, Sweden, Germany and Finland were aboard the ship. Does the Foreign Ministry have any further information or comments on the situation?
Lin Jian: China has fully communicated with Sweden, Denmark and other relevant countries on carrying out joint fact investigation. Relevant work is still ongoing at the moment and I have no more information to share. Let me reiterate that China stands ready to continue enhancing communication and coordination with relevant parties under the principles of openness, cooperation, professionalism and objectivity to find out together what happened, and ensure the incident can be properly resolved.
Reuters: Just a follow-up on that question on the cable situation, could your Ministry please share which Chinese authority was on the bulk carrier Yi Peng 3 during the investigation? And to what extent is the Chinese authority working with Sweden police?
Lin Jian: As I just said, relevant work is still ongoing at the moment and I have no more information to share.
AFP: Authorities in Germany said yesterday that they have opened an espionage investigation into a Chinese national who according to local media took photographs at a naval area of the Baltic seaport of Kiel. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment on this case?
Lin Jian: I am not familiar with what you mentioned. The Chinese government has all along asked Chinese citizens overseas to observe local laws and regulations, and has worked to protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens and businesses overseas in accordance with laws and regulations. We hope Germany will stick to the facts, stop the manipulation and vilification with the so-called “espionage cases,” and earnestly protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens in Germany.
