Source: China Daily    Published: 2020-5-24

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi takes questions from reporters at a news conference on May 24 in Beijing.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets the press on the sidelines of the 3rd session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) at 3 pm Sunday afternoon. He takes questions regarding China's foreign policy and diplomatic relations via video link.

The press conference provides simultaneous interpretation services in six languages: English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Japanese.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi takes questions at a press conference on China's foreign policy and foreign relations via video link on the sidelines of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, May 24, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

Here are the highlights:

On the COVID-19 pandemic

The most important lesson that can be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is that people's lives and health are closely connected with each other's and that all countries are in the same global village, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday.

At a news conference held on the sidelines of the third plenary session of the 13th National People's Congress, Wang said all countries should transcend their differences and work together to overcome the novel coronavirus, instead of political manipulation, seeking benefits at others' expense or ignoring science.

On China-US relations

A political virus that is trying to attack and slander China regardless of basic facts is spreading in the United States, Wang said.

Wang said the US has made up so many lies and brewed so many plots about China that they can be compiled into a collection.

Given that the COVID-19 has taken so many lives around the world, Wang urged China and the US to learn from each other and share their experience on combating the virus to help the anti-epidemic efforts in both countries.

On globalization

Globalization, multilateralism and global governance should be championed and optimized in the post COVID-19 pandemic world, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a news briefing on Sunday.

When asked that the world may never be the same after the pandemic, Wang said the development of human history is punctuated with triumph against major disasters. "So long as we make the right choices and follow the right path, we will embrace a bright future," he said.

The right choices include making the globalization process more open, inclusive, and beneficial for everyone involved. "We need to mitigate the unbalanced regional developmental issues and inequality created by globalization," he said. "But the issue of globalization needs to be solved with globalization."

Multilateralism and global governance should also be upheld, as the pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities of many countries' public health systems, industrial chains and administrative process.

"It is an urgent task to improve global governance," Wang said. Countries can do so by bolstering and capitalizing on the roles of the United Nation and specialized institutions such as the World Health Organization. More coordinated macropolicies and international laws can also help.

"The world may not go back to where it was, but China will not stop its progress," he said.

On China, Russia relations

A joint fight by China and Russia against the novel coronavirus will give a strong boost to bilateral relations, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.

China is willing to work with Russia to turn the crisis into an opportunity to maintain the stability of cooperation in energy and other traditional fields, and accelerate cooperation in new areas, such as e-commerce and medicine, to make new engines of economic growth after the COVID-19 pandemic, Wang said at a news conference on the sidelines of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress.

Two-way trade between the two countries has increased despite the pandemic, he said.

Facing unreasonable attacks and slanders from certain countries, China and Russia have supported and defended each other and become an impregnable fortress against political virus, reflecting high-level bilateral strategic coordination, he added.

On global aid

China has been offering assistance to other countries to fight COVID-19 with the sole intention of trying to save as many lives as possible, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday.

At a news conference held on the sidelines of the third plenary session of the 13th National People's Congress, Wang said China never seeks any geopolitical economic interests through such assistance, neither does it attach any political strings to the assistance.

China has conducted in the past few months the largest global emergency humanitarian aid since the founding of the new China.

It has provided assistance to about 150 countries and four international organizations, held video conferences to share disease treatment and control experience with more than 170 countries, and sent teams of medical experts to 24 countries, according to Wang.

It has also exported 56.8 billion masks and 250 million protective clothings to help the international community fight the pandemic, Wang said, adding China stands ready to continue to offer help.

On National security legislation for HKSAR

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday the national security legislation for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will not influence the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors.

Wang made the remark at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature.

Wan said the draft decision to establish and improve a legal framework and enforcement mechanism for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong, which has been submitted to the third session of the 13th National People's Congress for deliberation, aims to punish the small minority of people who jeopardize the national security.

It will not influence the high autonomy of the SAR, the rights and freedom of Hong Kong residents as well as the legitimate rights and interests of the foreign investors, he added.

The legislation will help Hong Kong to have more stable social order and better legal and business environment and will also be more conducive to upholding the principle of "one country, two systems", Wang said, adding foreign investors should be more confident of the future of the region.

On origin of virus

The history should be based on facts and truth instead of being misguided and contaminated by lies, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday, refuting some US politicians' efforts to politicize and stigmatize attempts to find the origin of the novel coronavirus.

Wang called for conscientious and rational efforts to leave an objective and true memory of the COVID-19 pandemic for the whole mankind.

China views the international scientific research into the origin of the virus with an open mind, but the process should be conducted in a professional, fair and constructive way, he said.

Study on the origin of the virus should be opposed to making conclusions based on assumptions and the inspection should involve all countries that are closely related to the pandemic, Wang said.

It should not affect the top priority of saving lives, should not undermine the anti-epidemic cooperation among countries, and should not weaken the due role of the World Health Organization, he added.

On China-EU relations

China and the European Union are not ideological competitors, but are strategic partners sharing many interests and aspirations, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic relations, and this tie has stayed generally stable and cooperative throughout decades of changing global political landscape, Wang said.

"The most important lesson from the relationship is that both sides can build mutual trust through fair dialogue, and handle differences through constructive exchanges," he said.

"China and the EU do not have fundamental conflicts of interests. China-EU interactions are a mutually beneficial positive cycle, not a competition where one side loses and the other side wins," the minister said.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, both sides have resolutely supported each other's efforts against the disease.

"In this unprecedented crisis, China and Europe should rise above their ideological differences and unshackle from their self-fulfilling suspicions, and work together to tackle the pandemic," Wang said.

This year, China hopes to resume key diplomatic interactions with the European Union. Both sides hope to complete China-EU investment agreements this year, and expand win-win cooperation in interconnectivity, environmental protection, digital economies, artificial intelligence and other fields.

China hopes to use the 45th year anniversary to push China-EU relations to be more stable and mature, Wang said.

Lawsuits related to COVID-19 doom to fail

Beijing will not accept lawsuits from other countries on losses from COVID-19 and such attempts to infringe on China's sovereignty and dignity are doomed to failure, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday.

Wang told a news conference held on the sidelines of the third plenary session of the 13th National People's Congress that the accusations are completely baseless both in terms of laws and facts and have no international precedents.

China, like other countries, is also a victim of the pandemic, he said.

The country has paid a heavy price and made huge sacrifice in its efforts to contain the spread of the virus and cut off the path of its transmission within the shortest possible period, he added.

Such accusations are attempts to blackmail the hard-won achievements of the Chinese people, and those filing the lawsuits are indulging in daydreaming and will only invite humiliation, Wang said.

On China, Japan and ROK cooperation

China, Japan and the Republic of Korea should continue their cooperation to contain the COVID-19 outbreak and work together to resume their business operations and ensure stable supply chains, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a video news conference on Sunday.

The three countries have been working closely to control the outbreak, and their people have been looking out for and helping each other to overcome COVID-19, which has set an example for the world in fighting the pandemic, Wang said.

The three countries also should cooperate to improve regional economic cooperation by measures such as reducing tariffs and opening markets to each other, Wang said, calling for them to work to get the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership signed this year.

On the tasks of Chinese diplomacy in 2020

China will be be firmer in its determination and take much stronger measures to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests and resolutely prevent the external forces from interfering in its domestic affairs, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday.

Wang made the remark at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature.

Speaking of the tasks of Chinese diplomacy in 2020, Wang said the country will also strive to maintain the stability of the global industrial chains, promote trade liberalization and facilitation to counter the downward pressure on the world economy.

While consolidating partnerships with the rest of the world, Wang said the country firmly supports multilateralism, particularly in enhancing the global health governance, backs the World Health Organization in playing a leading role in the fight against COVID-19, and commits to the building of a global health community.

China will also actively expand international cooperation on the fight against the pandemic, build intra-agency mechanisms with more countries on the contagion, and enhance the Belt and Road international cooperation on public health, he added.

On helping Africa combat virus

China will work with G20 members to implement the Debt Service Suspension Initiative to ease the debt burden of African countries and continue helping the continent to combat COVID-19, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday.

China is also considering supporting African nations under the greatest strains through bilateral channels to get through the difficult period, Wang said at a news conference on the sidelines of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress.

China will offer more anti-epidemic assistance to African countries, as well as other developing nations, send more medical experts teams to the continent and accelerate the construction of the headquarters of the Africa Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, he said.

On foreign exchanges

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday pledged efforts to gradually resume normal exchanges with other countries and adopt forceful measures to bolster international win-win cooperation in helping the country win its war against poverty.

Wang told a news briefing on Sunday that China's development is faced with extremely complicated external challenges, and the Foreign Ministry will work to minimize the shock from the pandemic over the safety and health of the people and socioeconomic development.

On China's approach of diplomacy

China will never seek international hegemony, and will always stand by the common interests of all countries, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday.

China has always adhered to an independent foreign policy of peace, and will champion world peace and common development, Wang said, rebuking comments that China is adopting a "wolf-warrior" approach of diplomacy.

The Chinese people cherish peace, and China will never take the initiative to bully others, Wang said. It will, however, hit back powerfully at intentional defamation, he added.

China hopes all countries will support each other more and cooperate more, and not indulge in accusations and confrontations, Wang said.

On the WHO role

Smearing the World Health Organization during the COVID-19 pandemic runs against the humanitarian spirit and will not be accepted by the international community, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday.

The WHO is an organization dedicated to public health under the United Nation. "The reputation of WHO will not be tarnished by some countries' smearing efforts," Wang said.

At every critical juncture of the epidemic, the WHO has promptly issued professional advice based on scientific evidence. "Those that have followed the WHO's advice have relatively handled the COVID-19 outbreak well, while countries that ignored or rejected its advice have paid a heavy price."

Wang stressed that the WHO members are made up of 194 sovereign states. "It cannot just serve the interests of one country, nor can it serve the will of whoever pays the most money," he said.

"Supporting the WHO is support saving lives, this is what a country with a conscience should do," he said.

As for the possible reform of the WHO after the pandemic, Wang said the organization will conduct a thorough and comprehensive evaluation. But the direction of reform should not be weakening this institution or the ideals of multilateralism supporting it, he said.

If reform of the WHO is necessary, it should focus on increasing its ability to deter external political inferences. It should also be armed with more resources to improve its ability to deal with global public health crisis, especially devoting more support for public health in developing countries.

On Belt and Road

Infrastructure and public well-being projects under the Belt and Road Initiative have played an important role for partner countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.

Speaking at a news conference held on the sidelines of the third plenary session of the 13th National People's Congress, Wang said that looking into the future, the joint building of the Belt and Road will be conducted on a more solid foundation, with more vitality and broader prospects after the pandemic.

According to Wang, China-Europe freight trains have transported 8,000 tons of materials used to help combat the virus from January to April.

Recently, a large number of projects have resumed work and production, which also will provide strong support for fighting against the virus and restarting the economy, he said.

China also will work with partner countries to push forward the construction of the Health Silk Road and hold a Belt and Road high-level meeting at an approbate time.

On ties with ASEAN

China stands ready to further improve the level of economic integration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations with joint efforts to enable the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership this year, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday.

Wang told a news briefing that China will continue to see ASEAN as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy and support the central role of the trade bloc in East Asian cooperation.

The two sides must step up cooperation in reopening businesses and make up for the losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

He also urged greater alignment between the Belt and Road Initiative and ASEAN Connectivity 2025 and expanded bilateral cooperation in emerging areas such as smart cities, artificial intelligence and e-commerce.

The two sides must work toward the establishment of emergency response liaison networks on public health and reserve centers for epidemic containment materials, he said.

ASEAN became the largest trading partner of China in the first quarter, with bilateral trading volume rising by 6.1 percent to over $140 billion.

On Korean Peninsula

Enhancing mutual trust and breaking the impasse on the Korean Peninsula require more concrete actions, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday.

China is glad to see continuous interaction between the leaders of the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and hopes the two sides will resume meaningful dialogues at an early date, Wang said at a news conference on the sidelines of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress.

The DPRK has taken positive measures to promote de-escalation of tension and denuclearization on the peninsula, but it is regrettable that such moves meet no response from the US, which is the main reason for the ongoing stalemate of their dialogue.

China calls for the two sides to follow the dual-track approach of denuclearization and the establishment of a peace mechanism on the peninsula in a phased and synchronized manner, and not waste the rare opportunities to resolve the issue, he added.

On opposing official interactions with Taiwan

China urges the United States not to challenge the country's bottom line and not to miscalculate the firm determination of the 1.4 billion Chinese people to safeguard the country's unification, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday.

Wang made the remark at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature.

In response to a question about Taiwan, Wang said one-China principle is the common consensus of the international community, and also constitutes the political foundation of bilateral ties between China and the countries having diplomatic relations with it.

China firmly opposes countries taking anti-epidemic measures as an excuse to develop official relations with the island, which is an inalienable part of China, he said, and it opposes the violation of "one-China" principle to seek international space for Taiwan.

The country also strongly opposes external forces to console and support "Taiwan Independence" elements to conduct separatist activities, he added.

On South China Sea

It's "totally ungrounded" to assume that China is expanding its presence in the South China Sea during the COVID-19 pandemic, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday.

In a video news conference held on the sidelines of the third plenary session of the 13th National People's Congress, Wang said the truth is that China is focusing on cooperating with ASEAN countries to fight the pandemic.

The situation in the South China Sea keeps getting more stabilized and better, Wang said, adding that China and ASEAN countries are making progress in marine cooperation.

The negotiation over a code of conduct in the South China Sea is progressing with order, and China and ASEAN countries have reached a firm consensus over forming such a conduct at an early date, Wang said.

China will restart the negotiation with ASEAN countries, which is now suspended due to the pandemic, Wang said.

On the other hand, some individual countries have kept dispatching military aircraft and vessels to the South China Sea and trying to disrupt the good situation in the region, Wang said.

On helping overseas Chinese

The Foreign Ministry and its embassies and consulates have conducted a special campaign worldwide to help the overseas Chinese nationals fight against the COVID-19, State Councilor and Foreign Ministry Wang Yi said.

Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, Wang said the ministry has coordinated with more than 20 teams of medical experts to provide guidance for overseas Chinese and has sent over one million health kits to Chinese students studying abroad.

Motherland will always be behind you and the Chinese embassies and consulates abroad will always be with you, Wang told overseas Chinese via the conference.