CCTV: A recent report said that the project value under the BRI in the first six months of this year is greater than the total for the whole of 2024, hitting a record high. Some media and scholars say that China’s increased engagement with countries under the BRI contrasts starkly with the approach of the U.S., which is imposing bruising tariffs on trading partners around the world. And BRI countries saw “an opportunity to deepen ties with China.” What’s your comment?
Guo Jiakun: Belt and Road cooperation has now entered a new stage of high-quality development. From Eurasia to Africa and Latin America, and from physical connectivity to institutional connectivity and people-to-people connectivity, the fruits of cooperation have benefited the people from over 150 countries. The Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway has served more than 10 million passengers. China-Europe Railway Express has provided over 110 thousand freight train services, and the first ever two-way voyage between Chancay and Shanghai through the new land-sea corridor between China and Latin America has been completed. The installed capacity of photovoltaic power plants jointly built by China and Africa totaled over 1.5 gigawatts. “Small and beautiful” projects like the Luban Workshops and the juncao technology have led households to a road to prosperity. After the development of more than a decade, and built on the advancements in connectivity, Belt and Road cooperation expands to a platform for trade and industrial cooperation, assisting more countries to integrate into the international industrial chain and safeguarding the stability and resilience of global supply chain.
In Belt and Road cooperation, China follows the principles of “planning together, building together, and benefiting together,” the philosophy of open, green and clean cooperation, and the goal of pursuing high-standard, people-centered and sustainable cooperation, and is committed to promoting the modernization of all the countries. China is ready to work with all parties to strive for solid progress in pursuing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation for common development and a win-win future.
Bloomberg: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the next round of U.S.-China talks could include a discussion of China’s purchases of Russian and Iranian oil. We’re wondering whether the Foreign Ministry has any comment.
Guo Jiakun: On tariffs, China’s position is consistent and clear. We hope the U.S. will work with China to implement the important common understandings reached by the two presidents during the phone call, give play to the role of the economic and trade consultation mechanism, build up consensus, reduce misunderstanding, and step up cooperation through communication and dialogue, and promote the steady, sound, and sustainable development of bilateral relations. For anything specific, I’d refer you to competent authorities.
EFE: The China-EU Summit is taking place in Beijing this week. How does the Chinese government assess the current state of China-EU relations? Does China consider that this week’s summit with the European Union reflects a strengthening of bilateral ties amid increasing global trade tensions?
Guo Jiakun: This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the EU, and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN. Over the past 50 years, China-EU relationship has become one of the most influential bilateral relationships in the world. The fruitful China-EU cooperation has boosted each other’s development and progress, bringing tangible benefit to nearly 2 billion Chinese and EU people, making important contribution to world peace and development, and setting a fine example of mutually beneficial cooperation in the era of economic globalization. The China-EU relationship is now at a critical juncture of building on past achievements and opening up a new chapter. The relationship faces both new opportunities and new challenges. In an increasingly turbulent international landscape with rising unilateralism and protectionism, the upcoming China-EU Summit—an occasion to enhance strategic communication and deepen dialogue and cooperation—is good not only to our two sides but also to the world as a whole. China stands ready to work with the EU, through a successful summit, to send out a positive message of China and the EU being committed to strengthening partnership and upholding multilateralism and open cooperation.
AFP: The U.S. State Department confirmed that an employee of the U.S. government was made subject to an exit ban in China. Can you give us more information on that?
Guo Jiakun: I have no details to share. China upholds the rule of law and handles entry and exit affairs in accordance with the law.
AFP: Yesterday, a Chinese-born American researcher admitted the theft of trade secrets from the U.S., including technologies designed to detect nuclear missile launches. What is the Foreign Ministry’s comment?
Guo Jiakun: I’m not familiar with what you mentioned.
AFP: Yesterday the U.S. defense secretary reaffirmed the U.S.’s defense commitment to the Philippines, saying that it extends to armed attacks on the Philippines’ Coast Guard vessels in the South China Sea. What is China’s comment?
Guo Jiakun: Whatever cooperation the U.S. and the Philippines have, it should not target or harm any third party, still less incite confrontation and heighten tensions in the region.
