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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on December 18, 2017

2017-12-18 22:49

Q: It is reported that President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea (ROK) paid a state visit to China from December 13 to 16. What is your comment on his visit? Do you think it is successful?

A: At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, ROK President Moon Jae-in paid a successful state visit to China last week. During this visit, President Xi Jinping and President Moon Jae-in had an in-depth exchange of views and reached many important consensus on moving forward the improvement and development of China-ROK relations and stepping up communication and cooperation in such international and regional issues as the Korean Peninsula issue, which mapped out the blueprint and chartered the course for the growth of China-ROK relations.

We stand ready to work with the ROK side to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, remain true to the original aspirations when the two countries established diplomatic ties and follow the fundamental principle of respecting each other's core interests and major concerns with the welfare of the two peoples in mind. As neighbors, we will stay committed to treating each other with sincerity and acting on the cooperation goal of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, continue with the efforts to properly handle relevant sensitive issues and ensure that the China-ROK Strategic Cooperative Partnership always moves along the right track of sound and steady development.

Q: At least nine people were killed and several others injured in a suicide bomb attack in a church in Quetta, the capital of the province of Balochistan in Pakistan on December 17. What's your comment?

A: The Chinese side strongly condemns the terrible terrorist attack that happened in the province of Balochistan, Pakistan. We deeply mourn for the victims and express profound condolences to the injured and the bereaved families. The Chinese side always opposes all forms of terrorism and will continue steadfastly supporting the efforts made by Pakistan to combat terrorism, safeguard national stability and protect the safety and security of people's life and property.

Q: It is reported that the United States will release new national security strategy, which will point out that China is a competitor of the United States in such areas as trade, diplomacy and security. How would you respond to those reports?

A: We have noted the relevant report that the United States is about to release the new national security strategic report. We have not seen this report yet, so I cannot make official comments on the relevant report and conjectures.

In principle, in light of the importance of the United States and the fact that China and the United States are two major countries and two permanent members of the UN Security Council, we hope that the US national security strategy can play a constructive role in promoting world peace and stability and make contributions to enhancing China-US strategic mutual trust and jointly upholding international peace and security on the part of China and the United States.

Regarding the economic and trade competition mentioned by you, we all know that over the past three decades and more since the inception of its reform and opening up, China has blazed a road of win-win cooperation that can develop itself and deliver benefits to the whole world. This is the broad consensus of the international community. A large number of facts prove that the economic relations and trade between China and the United States are mutually beneficial in nature. I can offer you several figures in this aspect. In 2016, the bilateral trade volume between China and the United States exceeded 550 billion US dollars with two-way investment surpassing 200 billion US dollars and the China-US economic relations and trade directly and indirectly supported 2.6 million jobs in the United States. The US enterprises that make investment in China earned a profit of 36.2 billion US dollars in 2015. According to the strategic deployment of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China will continue implementing the high-level trade and investment liberalization and facilitation policy. This will definitely provide strong driving force for the China-US economic relations and trade to move forward in the direction of dynamic equilibrium, win-win outcomes and sound development and for the China-US economic cooperation and trade to achieve growth in a larger scale, at a higher level and in more areas. We are willing to make concerted efforts with the United States to stay committed to building the robust, steady and sound economic relations and we believe this serves the common interests of the two countries and two peoples and also represents the shared expectations of the international community.

Q: According to media reports, on December 16, the Spanish court made the ruling that the 121 telecommunication fraud suspects from mainland and Taiwan that were arrested in Spain at the end of last year will be extradited to China. The court said that Spain accepts the one-China principle. What is your comment on this?

A: The Chinese side welcomes the above-mentioned ruling made by the Spanish court. This is an important outcome of the cooperation conducted by China and Spain in combating crimes in accordance with the extradition treaty. China highly appreciates that the Spanish side adheres to the one-China principle and decided to extradite the Taiwan suspects to China. The police from China and Spain maintain close cooperation in jointly combating China-related telecommunication fraud crimes. We are willing to work with the Spanish side to earnestly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the people.

Q: According to media reports, the Chilean Electoral Services Bureau recently announced that Chile's former President Sebastian Pinera Echenique has won the general election and become the new President. What is your comment on this?

A: The Chinese side congratulates Sebastian Pinera Echenique on being elected as the new President. We believe that under the leadership of President Pinera, the Chilean people will score new achievements in the cause of national development.

Chile is an important cooperation partner of China in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region. The Chinese side stands ready to join hands with the Chilean side to deepen mutually beneficial and friendly cooperation in various areas and move forward China-Chile relations based on the principle of sincerity, mutual trust and win-win cooperation.

Q: It is reported that on the map of the people's dictionary published by Japan's Iwanami bookstore, Taiwan is marked as a province of the People's Republic of China. The "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office" in Japan asks Iwanami bookstore to correct this mistake. What is your comment?

A: Isn't Taiwan a province of China? It is known to us that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China's territory.

Q: It is reported that last week, the third Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting was successfully held in Dali, the province of Yunan. What consensus has been reached on this meeting by all relevant parties?

A: On December 15, the third LMC Foreign Ministers' Meeting was successfully held in Dali, the province of Yunan. This meeting took stock of the outcomes and experiences of the LMC and chartered the course for its future development. The meeting released the Joint Press Communiqué and the List of the First Batch of Projects of LMC Special Fund and announced the establishment of the LMC Hotline Platform. The Foreign Ministers of the six countries agreed in principle on submitting the Five-Year Plan of Action of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (2018-2022), the List of the Second Batch of Projects and the Reports of the six Joint Working Groups on the key priority areas to the Second Leaders' Meeting for approval, which made full preparations for the Second Leaders' Meeting.

During this meeting, the Chinese side put forward that the LMC is a new sub-regional cooperation mechanism set up by the six countries in this region and it is a new platform for South-South cooperation. Since the initiation of the LMC at the First Leaders' Meeting held in March last year, the LMC has been committed to the theme of "One River, the Same Future", given full play to the advantages of geographic proximity, similar cultures and economic complementarity boasted by the six countries, forged a LMC framework featuring leaders' guidance, all-round cooperation and broad-based participation, created the LMC speed of "every day witnessing new progress, every month witnessing new outcomes and every year witnessing the scaling of new heights", cultivated the LMC culture characterized by equal treatment, sincere mutual assistance and family-like atmosphere and built the LMC model which is efficient, pragmatic, project-oriented and put people's livelihood first. The Chinese side proposed that "six elevating" should be given priority to in the future, namely elevating the level of institutionalization, elevating the breadth of cooperation, elevating cooperation planning, elevating capacity building, elevating the awareness for cooperation and elevating the openness of cooperation. The Chinese side is willing to continue working with all relevant parties to build the Lancang-Mekong economic development belt, forge the Lancang-Mekong community of shared future so as to deliver benefits to the peoples of the regional countries.

All relevant parties agreed that the notable outcomes achieved by the LMC since its initiation fully demonstrate the LMC speed and LMC efficiency, showcase the strong desire and common need of the six countries to promote the LMC and herald the bright prospect of the development of this mechanism. All relevant parties appreciated the proposals put forth by China on the future growth of the LMC and said that they are willing to act on the consensus of "six elevating" to join hands with China to build the Lancang-Mekong economic development belt, advance the LMC from the nurturing period to the growth period in a smooth way, make the LMC to complement and reinforce with the existing sub-regional cooperation mechanisms, jointly fuel the building of ASEAN community, move forward regional integration process and promote regional development and prosperity.

Q: According to media reports, ship tracking software shows that a DPRK ship named "Haofan Six"(according to the pronunciation) is now docking at the area near China's Zhoushan Archipelago. This ship is one of the four ships that the UN has prohibited from docking at any port around the globe. If it is really docking at the area near the Zhoushan Archipelago, does this violate the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council? Why is the ship stopping there, for emergent humanitarian reason or other reasons? Could you give us more details?

A: You raised a quite detailed question. I am not aware of the detailed position of the ship mentioned by you, but I can assure you that the Chinese side always implements the DPRK-related resolutions of the UN Security Council in earnest.

Q: According to media reports, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Friday that the DPRK must earn its way back to the negotiating table. He seems to back away from his previous offer of unconditional talks with the DPRK. Does China have the same position as the US on that issue? Does the DPRK have to earn its way back to the negotiating table?

A: Peacefully resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue through dialogue and consultation represents the consistent position of the Chinese government. The Chinese side maintains that all relevant parties should make concerted efforts to promote the proper settlement of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue at an early date in accordance with the stipulations and spirit of the DPRK-related resolutions of the UN Security Council. The Chinese side welcomes all the efforts which are conducive to easing the tensions and promoting the settlement of the issue through dialogue. China has also called upon the international community, especially the parties concerned to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, to give positive consideration to the "dual-track approach" and "suspension for suspension" initiative proposed by China many times. We hope that all relevant parties can take significant and tangible steps in this direction. The Chinese side is willing to continue playing a constructive role in promoting the proper settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue through peaceful means.

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