CCTV: Yesterday afternoon, President Xi Jinping had a phone conversation with European Council President Antonio Costa. Could you further share with us how their conversation went and China’s expectation for its relations with the EU in the year ahead?
Guo Jiakun: On the evening of January 14, President Xi Jinping had a phone conversation with European Council President Antonio Costa at the EU’s request. With changes unseen in a century rapidly unfolding, and the world turning into a less stable and certain place, risks of division, fragmentation and disorder are looming large. China and Europe are two major forces in building a multipolar world, two big markets that support globalization, and two great civilizations that advocate diversity. China-EU relations have strategic significance and global influence. President Xi’s phone conversation with President Costa at the start of the year is the very first interaction between China’s top leader and the new EU leadership. This is an important round of strategic communication at a crucial time as the relationship goes into the next chapter.
President Xi said that the past 50 years of China-EU relations demonstrate that as long as both sides uphold mutual respect, treat each other as equals, and engage in candid dialogue, they can advance cooperation and make significant achievements. The key lies in respecting each other’s choice of social systems and development paths, as well as each other’s core interests and major concerns, and jointly safeguarding the political foundation of bilateral relations. The more severe and complex the international landscape becomes, the more necessary it is that China and Europe should adhere to the original aspirations of diplomatic ties, strengthen strategic communication, enhance strategic mutual trust, and uphold partnership. China remains confident in the EU and hopes the EU will also prove to be its trustworthy cooperation partner.
President Costa said that both sides are committed to multilateralism. Confronted with various challenges, the world needs closer EU-China cooperation. The EU side is willing to work with China to enhance dialogue and communication, deepen strategic mutual trust, strengthen the partnership, properly address economic and trade differences, jointly tackle global challenges such as climate change, and actively contribute to world peace, stability and development.
This phone conversation has charted the course forward and identified priorities for bilateral relations in the years to come. China looks forward to working with the EU to implement the important common understandings between the two leaders, enhance strategic mutual trust, uphold partnership, seek mutual benefits, expand opening up and cooperation, defend multilateralism, uphold mutual respect, seek common ground while shelving differences, step up communication and cooperation at various levels and in various fields, properly handle frictions and differences, achieve greater progress in bilateral ties, and make greater contributions to world peace, stability and prosperity.
AFP: The US said yesterday that it is banning imports from dozens of China-based companies over alleged ties to forced labor. It’s targeting firms in the mining, textiles and solar industries. The US said that it was adding 37 entities to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List. Does China have a comment on this?
Guo Jiakun: The so-called forced labor accusation is completely unfounded. The US chooses to enact and enforce the malicious legislation on Xinjiang and blacklist Chinese entities on the basis of false narratives. The move is designed to interfere in China’s internal affairs, harm China’s interests and hold back China’s development. We will take resolute measures to firmly safeguard Chinese companies’ legitimate and lawful rights and interests.
News 1 Korea: The ROK’s joint investigation unit said that this morning it executed an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol and started the investigation on him. What’s China’s comment?
Guo Jiakun: We don’t comment on the ROK’s domestic affairs. China and the ROK are important neighbors and cooperation partners. China stands ready to work with the ROK for the sound and steady growth of bilateral relations.
Prensa Latina: The US government announced that Cuba is no longer on the list of countries that support terrorism and mentioned other changes. However, the blockade against Cuba is still active. What is your opinion about this?
Guo Jiakun: The US decision to remove Cuba from the so-called State Sponsor of Terrorism list is long overdue. We noted that Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said that the decision was too late and its scope is limited. The US had no basis at all to include Cuba in the so-called State Sponsor of Terrorism list in the first place. The listing constituted gross interference in Cuba’s sovereignty and violation of its dignity, and has been strongly condemned and unanimously rejected by the overwhelming majority of the international community, including China.
In addition to the listing, the US’s brutal and inhumane blockade against Cuba over the past six decades or so, which still remains in place, has wreaked havoc on Cuba’s economy and livelihood and inflicted great suffering on the Cuban people. At the UN General Assembly last year, Cuba’s resolution calling for an end to the blockade imposed by the US was adopted by an overwhelming margin for the 32nd consecutive year, which represents the international community’s longstanding strong support for Cuba and opposition to blockade. China once again urges the US to stand on the right side of history and the majority of the international community, fully lift its blockade and sanctions against Cuba as soon as possible and stop creating obstacles for Cuba’s socioeconomic development.
Beijing Youth Daily: Last week, One Voice Children’s Choir from the US sang the Chinese song “Ru Yuan” (“As You Wish”) at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The video went viral on social media and received over one million likes. “What beautiful voices,” many commented online. What’s your comment?
Guo Jiakun: The popularity of this well-received video shows once again that more people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and the US is what the people want and support. In November 2023, President Xi Jinping announced in San Francisco that China is ready to invite 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs in the next five years. Under this initiative, a total of over 16,000 young Americans have been to China on exchange and study programs in 2024. They made new friends, learned a new language, experienced Chinese culture, and had a glimpse of a modern China. The key to state-to-state relations lies in close bonds between peoples. We hope the seeds of China-US friendship will take root and sprout, rain or shine, and more and more young envoys of friendship will write new chapters of a stable, sound and sustained China-US relationship.
RIA Novosti: Seventy years ago today, the Chinese government decided to develop its own nuclear weapons. China today is one of the nuclear powers, and in recent years, the US has repeatedly claimed that China is increasing its nuclear arsenal. Donald Trump previously said that China would match or even surpass the US in terms of nuclear arsenal. What’s the Foreign Ministry’s comment on this?
Guo Jiakun: As a responsible major country, China is committed to the path of peaceful development and friendly cooperation with all countries in the world. The development of nuclear weapons was a historic choice that China had to make during an extraordinary times to respond to nuclear threat, end nuclear monopoly, and prevent a nuclear war. China follows a policy of “no first use” of nuclear weapons and a nuclear strategy that focuses on self-defense. China always keeps its nuclear strength at the minimum level required by national security, and never engages in arms race with anyone.
AFP: The US finalized a rule yesterday effectively barring Chinese technology from cars in the American market, taking aim at software and hardware from China and also Russia over national security concerns. Does the Foreign Ministry have a comment on this?
Guo Jiakun: I’d refer you to competent authorities for anything specific. Let me say that the US under the pretext of so-called national security made the decision without any factual basis to prohibit Chinese connected vehicle hardware and software systems, as well as completed connected vehicles, from being used in the US. Such a practice disrupts economic and commercial cooperation between companies, violates the principle of market economy and fair competition, and is typical protectionism and economic coercion. China firmly opposes this. We urge the US to stop its wrongdoings of overstretching the concept of national security, and stop going after Chinese companies. China will take necessary measures to firmly defend its lawful rights and interests.
Bloomberg: A probe by the European Union into China’s procurement of medical devices confirmed the bloc’s concerns that China is discriminating against foreign firms in the medical devices procurement market. This could potentially lead the way for curbs on China’s access to tenders in the EU. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment on this probe that says that procurement of medical devices discriminates against foreign companies in China?
Guo Jiakun: I’d refer you to competent authorities for anything specific. Let me say that China and the EU are each other’s second largest trading partners. Both are major contributors to an open world economy. China is committed to high-standard opening up, upholds the principle of market economy and WTO rules, and stands for dialogue and consultation in settling trade disputes. We hope that the EU can work with China in the same direction, honor its commitment to open market and the principle of fair competition, observe WTO rules, provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies, and promote the sound and steady growth of China-EU trade ties.
Bloomberg: The US is planning to introduce new regulations to prevent advanced chips being sold to China, this time targeting companies such as TSMC, Samsung and Intel. These companies would then be required to exercise greater scrutiny over their customers. This is a new measure that the US is planning to introduce in an effort to prevent advanced chips being sold to China. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment on this?
Guo Jiakun: China made clear its serious position more than once on the US’s malicious attempts to block and suppress China’s semiconductor industry. The US keeps broadening the concept of national security on trade and tech issues and politicizes and weaponizes them, and has repeatedly tightened control over chip export to China and coerced other countries to go after China’s semiconductor industry. This behavior hinders the development of the global semiconductor industry and will eventually backfire and benefit no one.
