As agreed between China and the ROK, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the ROK Cho Hyun will visit China from November 13 to 14.

China News Service: Today marks the 78th anniversary of the verdict of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (also known as the Tokyo Trials). Do you have any comment?

Mao Ning: Seventy-eight years ago today, after two and a half years of trial proceedings, with abundant solid evidence and rigorous legal basis, the Tokyo Trials found Japanese militarists guilty of waging the war of aggression and severely violating the international law, and brought 25 Class-A war criminals to justice, bringing to light their crimes and condemning them to perpetual infamy.

The Tokyo Trials are an integral part of the postwar international order. Recognizing and accepting the judgement of the Tokyo Trials is the prerequisite for Japan’s postwar return to the international community. However, to people’s indignation, for many years, Japanese right-wing forces still turn a blind eye to the historic verdict of the Tokyo Trials, try every possible means to deny and even glorify the crimes committed during the war of aggression, and promote a distorted view of history. It is alarming that, in recent years, the Japanese government, who is reluctant to make a clean break with militarism, has been boosting military expenditure, developing offensive capabilities, promoting the revision of the three security documents, attempting to ditch the three non-nuclear principles, and quickening the pace of rearming itself. Those moves severely challenge the fundamental legal principles laid down by the Trials, and threaten the peace and stability in the region.

History shall not be forgotten. Justice shall not be challenged. The international community should work together to reject the retrogressive moves to reverse the historic verdict and revive militarism. China will work with all peace-loving countries and people to firmly uphold historical truth, safeguard postwar international order, and defend international fairness and justice.

BBC: Is China concerned that the NVIDIA spy scandal will affect U.S.-China relations ahead of the likely summit between the two presidents next week? How would China react if it resulted in the U.S. further restricting technology exports to China?

Mao Ning: On the so-called “Chinese spy,” we have made our position clear. China’s sci-tech progress relies on independent innovation and open cooperation. The U.S. should stop fabricating the “Chinese spy” narratives as a pretext for imposing technology restrictions.

China and the U.S. maintain close communication on heads-of-state interactions. We are ready to work the U.S. side to deliver on the important common understandings reached between the two presidents and jointly build a constructive relationship of strategic stability on the basis of respect, fairness, and reciprocity.

Reuters: Are you able to provide any updates on a potential meeting between the presidents of China, the U.S. and Russia at next week’s APEC summit?

Mao Ning: China is in communication with relevant parties regarding a meeting between the three heads of state. If there is further information, we will release it in a timely way.

CNR: Belgium and Chile announced on November 6 that they have decided to join their candidatures for hosting the seat of the Secretariat of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement). This joint candidature provides for the Secretariat being based in the city of Valparaíso, Chile, the Clearing-House Mechanism will be installed in and operating from Brussels, and Brussels will host the meetings of the subsidiary bodies. Does China have any comment on this?

Mao Ning: Earlier this year, China nominated Xiamen to bid for the seat of the Secretariat of the BBNJ Agreement. The candidature has quickly received the support of the majority of the Parties to the Agreement.

On November 6, without prior consultation with the Parties to the Agreement, Belgium and Chile announced the decision to join their candidatures for the seat of the Secretariat. This joint candidature provides for the Secretariat being based in the city of Valparaíso, Chile, the Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM) will be installed in and operating from Brussels, and Brussels will host the meetings of the subsidiary bodies.

By seeking an unauthorized backroom deal on issues that should be determined by the Conference of the Parties (COP), the joint candidature is problematic in at least six aspects.

First, it contravenes the stipulations of the BBNJ Agreement. According to the Agreement, the seat of the Secretariat, the specific modalities for the operation of the CHM, including its installation, as well as where the subsidiary bodies hold their meetings shall all be determined by COP, and the CHM shall be managed by the Secretariat. Belgium and Chile traded under the table what should be collectively determined by all Parties to the Agreement. This is a violation of the stipulations of the Agreement and an act of disrespect to the authority of COP. 

Second, it contravenes procedural justice. The choice of the Secretariat seat and the development of the CHM are two items of different nature scheduled to be collectively determined by COP through separate decisions. The Belgium-Chile proposal bundles the two together in an attempt to force it as a package upon other Parties. This is against applicable procedural rules and a hijack of the Parties’ will.

Third, it contravenes established international practice. The management of the CHM is a key mandate of the Secretariat. In the practice established by other international treaties like the Convention on Biological Diversity, the secretariats and CHMs are located in the same place. The Belgium-Chile proposal, which locates the Secretariat and the CHM separately across the ocean, will without a doubt raise the operation cost, lower management efficiency, and increase the financial burden on the Parties to the Agreement.

Fourth, it contravenes equitable geographical distribution. The vast majority of major global institutions are based in Europe, with none located in Asia. Developing countries have been calling on global institutions to redress this long-existing injustice and bring about greater fairness and equity. Brussels is already home to the headquarters of NATO and the EU. If this non-coastal city were to host the CHM of an ocean-related treaty as well, it would further widen the digital divide to the detriment of the shared interests of the Global South.

Fifth, it contravenes fair competition. The BBNJ Secretariat is tasked with contributing to global ocean governance. The selection of its seat should be a fair and friendly process in keeping with the rules. The Belgium-Chile proposal, however, politicizes the bidding process and attempts to divide Parties into camps. It not only undermines the principle of fair, friendly and healthy competition, but also negates the essence of multilateralism.

Sixth, it contravenes the original commitment. Chile first made the bid citing its significance for the Global South. Yet according to the new proposal, Chile will no longer assume the substantive functions of the Secretariat. Belgium, for its part, only seeks to host the CHM and thereby has in effect relinquished its bid for the Secretariat seat.

I wish to stress that the adoption and entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement is a victory of multilateralism. Its implementation likewise needs to serve and advance the common well-being of all humanity. We call on the international community to find a home for the Secretariat best positioned for its efficient operation and the effective implementation of the Agreement. China firmly supports multilateralism and the cause of the UN, and is committed to promoting and improving global ocean governance. As one of the first signatories and Parties to the Agreement and the largest assessed-contributor to its budget, China has the will, capability and confidence to provide strong support and backing for the operation of the Secretariat. China is full ready. We look forward to working with all Parties to the Agreement to keep selection of the Secretariat seat proceeding in the right direction, and uphold the overall and fundamental interests of the international community, especially those of developing countries.

Reuters: China’s increasingly assertive actions in the waters east of Taiwan threaten regional stability and freedom of navigation, G7 foreign ministers said in a joint declaration published yesterday following a meeting in Paris. Does the foreign ministry have any comment on this statement?

Mao Ning: We have taken note of this joint declaration. China’s position on Taiwan and other issues is consistent, clear, justified and above-board. The statement you mentioned disregards facts, grossly interferes in China’s internal affairs and maliciously smears China, while turning a blind eye to China’s contribution to world peace, stability and development. There is no truth in the assertions, which serves as further proof that the G7 is an ideological group with entrenched Cold War mentality and stuck in the rut of bloc politics. In no way can such a grouping represent the international community. The G7 should focus on its own business, step up to its responsibilities, and play a positive role in tackling the pressing challenges of our times and enhancing international solidarity.

AFP: Could you tell us if in the talks yesterday, Wang Yi and Marco Rubio discussed nuclear arms control, and the prospect of including it in the agenda of the potential trilateral meeting between China, Russia and the U.S. next week?

Mao Ning: On yesterday’s phone call between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, China has released a readout. I have no more information to add. 

Yonhap News Agency: To follow up on the upcoming visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the ROK, could you please share more information about what will be discussed?

Mao Ning: China and the ROK are each other’s important neighbors and cooperation partners. Late last year and early this year, President Xi Jinping and President Lee Jae Myung visited each other’s countries successfully, ushering China-ROK relations into a new stage of improvement and growth. China attaches great importance to Minister Cho Hyun’s visit, and stands ready to work with the ROK side to deliver on the important common understandings between the two presidents, have in-depth exchanges of views on our bilateral relationship and issues of mutual interest, and promote the sustained, steady and sound development of the China-ROK strategic cooperative partnership.

AFP: Procurement notices from the Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xi’an show that the university bought several NVIDIA H200 chips, despite them being restricted on the U.S. export controls. I wonder if you could tell us any more about that and what the chips might have been bought for?

Mao Ning: I’m not familiar with the specifics you mentioned. China’s position on U.S. chips export to China is consistent. China firmly opposes the U.S. overstretching the concept of national security and formulating various types of discriminatory lists to go after Chinese institutions.

Bloomberg: Sources say MegaSpeed International founder Alice Huang is currently living in Beijing. We are wondering if the foreign ministry could confirm this and comment?

Mao Ning: I’m not familiar with that.