CCTV: We noted that in the past year, ice and snow have become increasingly “hot” in multiple places in China. Ice sports and winter tourism are now more popular, becoming new options for Chinese people to spend the Spring Festival holiday and attracting more foreigners to visit China. What’s your comment on that?

Guo Jiakun: I bet you all remember that in early last year, the charm of ice and snow has made Harbin one of the top winter destinations. Over the past year and more, the dynamism of ice sports and winter tourism in many places in China has been tapped on and great vibrancy has been unleashed. Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia have leveraged their “ice and snow” advantages, Shanghai and Guangdong built indoor ski resorts, and Yunnan and Guizhou developed winter tourism that features ethnic culture and natural wonders. The ice and snow consumption keeps flourishing across the country.

Behind the burgeoning ice and snow economy is the success of acting on the development philosophy of “ice and snow are invaluable assets” and speaks to the enormous potential of China’s economy. Data show that China recorded 430 million winter leisure visits in the 2023-2024 snow season. The number is expected to reach 520 million in the 2024-2025 snow season and the total tourism income is expected to exceed RMB 630 billion. As you mentioned, winter tourism attracted more and more foreign visitors, which shows that the ice and snow economy in China also injects new impetus to the global tourism market.

The ninth Asian Winter Games will soon kick off in Harbin. We welcome friends from around the world to participate in the Games to jointly celebrate friendship, explore cooperation and enjoy the beautiful winter wonderland in China.

AFP: The Cook Islands Prime Minister will agree on a plan for a strategic partnership with China on a state visit starting Monday, his office has said, despite a public rebuke from New Zealand. Does China have comment on this and on the visit?

Guo Jiakun: On the visit you mentioned, I have nothing to share at the moment.

Yonhap News Agency: It’s reported that some ROK government departments have blocked access to DeepSeek. Previously there has been news about banning or restricting the use of DeepSeek in countries such as Italy, Australia, India, the U.S. and Japan, and some companies also blocked access to DeepSeek. How does China see such moves?

Guo Jiakun: I’ve noted this. Let me stress that the Chinese government attaches great importance to data privacy and security and protects it in accordance with the law. We have never asked and will never ask any company or individual to collect or store data against laws. China has all along opposed moves to overstretch the concept of national security or politicize trade and tech issues. We will firmly protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies.

Beijing Youth Daily: China’s movie market experienced a boom during this Spring Festival. We noted that foreign media commentators said that this phenomenal performance of China’s box office is an encouraging sign of consumption revival. Meanwhile, the success of Chinese movies overseas during the Spring Festival also reflects the improvement of China’s soft power. Do you have any comment on this?

Guo Jiakun: Going to the cinema during the Spring Festival has become part of the holiday ritual, and the Year of the Snake kicked off with a movie market boom. Data show that by February 5, the total box-office revenue of new films released during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday season exceeded RMB 10 billion, with 187 million moviegoers packing theaters, setting new highs in both box office earnings and audience turnout. A slew of Chinese movies premiered simultaneously overseas, some of which reigned as the top-grossing non-English language film at the local box office. The box office boom during the Spring Festival reflects the vibrancy of China’s consumption market and displays the strong endogenous driving force and broad prospect of China’s economy. In the meantime, Chinese movies screened abroad have also become a bridge for exchanges and a window into China for the world. We welcome foreign tourists to make good use of China’s visa-free and other facilitation policy, visit China and get a unique experience of Chinese culture. 

Global Times: A handful of we-media accounts recently posted groundless remarks that Cambodian leaders are choosing sides between China and the U.S. and that major cooperation projects between China and Cambodia are stalling. What’s your comment?

Guo Jiakun: These remarks on Cambodia are purely groundless smears and deliberate vilification.

China and Cambodia are iron-clad friends supporting each other and sharing weal and woe. This time-honored friendship was cultivated by the older generation of leaders of both countries, and has stood the test of the changing international landscape. It serves the fundamental interests of both countries and peoples, has strong vibrancy and promising prospects of development, and can never be weakened or undermined by any force. China and Cambodia see each other as the most trustworthy friend and the most reliable partner, and always firmly support each other’s core interests. This is the defining feature of China-Cambodia relations and also serves as the foundation of the time-tested friendship between the two countries.

The endeavor of building a China-Cambodia community with a shared future has delivered tangibly for the two peoples. China has remained Cambodia’s biggest source of foreign investment and biggest trading partner for years running. Bilateral trade soared by nearly four times in the past decade. Cambodian leaders openly stressed more than once that China is Cambodia’s most trusted friend, and friendship with China is a firm political consensus within the Cambodian government and political party and among the Cambodian people. 

At present, China and Cambodia are guiding the high-quality development of bilateral relations with high-level mutual trust, continue to enrich the “Diamond Hexagon” cooperation framework, formulate cooperation plans for the Industrial Development Corridor and the “Fish and Rice Corridor,” advance the implementation of priority cooperation projects, boost each other’s modernization process, deliver more tangibly for the two peoples and provide more stability and certainty for the effort to address international and regional challenges.

We firmly believe that the iron-clad friendship between China and Cambodia will steer clear of disruptions. We will not allow any deliberate vilification against our friendship and any rumor-monger shall bear legal responsibility and consequences.

Dragon TV: There has been extensive opposition from the international community to U.S. President Trump’s proposal to “clear out” and take over Gaza. What is China’s comment?

Guo Jiakun: Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people. It is an inalienable part of the territory of Palestine, not a bargaining chip for political games, still less a prey of the strong. The war has already left Gaza in devastation and suffering. The international community, major countries in particular, should join hands to make Gaza better, rather than worse, by providing humanitarian assistance and helping with its reconstruction. China firmly supports the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, believes that “the Palestinians governing Palestine” is an important principle that must be upheld in the post-conflict governance of Gaza, and opposes the forced displacement of the people of Gaza. China stands ready to work with the rest of the world for the realization of the two-State solution as the fundamental way forward, and for an early, just political settlement of the Palestinian question, namely, the establishment of an independent State of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty based on the 1967 border and with east Jerusalem as its capital. 

AFP: The U.S. said on Wednesday that its government vessels would sail for free through the Panama Canal following heavy pressure from President Donald Trump. But authorities at the waterway have swiftly issued a denial and said that no agreement had been reached. Does China have a comment on this?

Guo Jiakun: On the Panama Canal issue, China made clear its position more than once. China, as always, respects Panama’s sovereignty over the Canal and recognizes it as a permanently neutral international waterway. We respect the government of Panama’s management and operation of the Canal. Never ever has China interfered. 

Le Monde: The new American President is making more and more controversial statements about Gaza, about Greenland, and about the Panama Canal. Do you think that’s an opportunity for China to develop its influence?

Guo Jiakun: China will not comment on relevant U.S. policies. China, as always, develops its relations with other countries in accordance with the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter. We also stand ready to contribute to world peace and development.

Bloomberg: Mongolia’s government is saying it plans to expand a railway connection with China to boost coal trade between the countries, and the deal will be finalized when the Mongolian Prime Minister visits China from February 13 to 15. Can the Foreign Ministry confirm the visit and whether the coal deal will be part of the agenda?

Guo Jiakun: China and Mongolia are friendly neighbors connected by mountains and rivers. The two countries maintain close exchanges at various levels, and both sides are committed to enhancing connectivity and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields. As for the specific high-level exchange arrangement and cooperation you mentioned, we will release timely information if anything comes up. Please check back for updates.

AFP: The South China Morning Post said in a report today that Lu Shaye, the former Chinese Ambassador to France who left the country in December, has been appointed as Beijing’s Special Representative for European affairs. Can the Foreign Ministry confirm this appointment and if he did leave France in December?

Guo Jiakun: The Chinese government has appointed Ambassador Lu Shaye as the Special Representative of the Chinese government for European Affairs, replacing Ambassador Wu Hongbo. Special Representative Lu Shaye will assist in coordinating and handling European affairs, and conduct consultations and exchanges with European countries and EU institutions as needed. 

Special Representative Lu Shaye is a seasoned diplomat familiar with the situation in Europe. We believe he will actively fulfill his duties, assist in communication and coordination with the European side according to the instructions and needs of the Chinese government, promote dialogue and cooperation, and make due contributions to the steady and sound development of China-Europe relations.