Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang speaks at a news conference on the sidelines of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress, March 7, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
BEIJING – China rejects "decoupling," opposes severing industrial and supply chains, and opposes imposing unilateral sanctions, the Chinese foreign minister said on Tuesday.
The international currencies should not be used as "a trump card" for unilateral sanctions, still less a byword for bullying and coercion, Qin Gang said at a press conference on the sidelines of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress.
China stands firmly against any form of hegemonism and power politics, against the Cold War mentality and camp-based confrontation, and against containment and suppression, he said.
China will take multilateralism as the way forward and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, said the foreign minister.
As China's domestic COVID-19 situation turns for the better, China has steadily resumed exchanges with foreign countries, and the country’s diplomacy has pressed the "acceleration button" and sounded the clarion call, he said.
China-Russia relations
China and Russia have found a path of major-country relations featuring strategic mutual trust and good neighborliness, setting a good example for a new type of international relations, Qin said.
The more unstable the world becomes, the more imperative it is for China and Russia to steadily advance their relations, he added.
The China-Russia relationship is not a threat to any country, nor is it subject to any interference or discord sown by any third party, he added.
READ MORE: Russia commends high-level ties with China
With China and Russia working together, the world will have the driving force toward multipolarity and greater democracy in international relations, and global strategic balance and stability will be better ensured, he stressed.
China-US ties
China hopes the US will explore the right way to get along with China to the benefit of both countries and the entire world, he added.
The United States was in contravention of international law and customary international practice and created a diplomatic crisis that could have been avoided, he said.
We hope the US government will listen to the calls of the two peoples, rid of its strategic anxiety of 'threat inflation,' abandon the zero-sum Cold War mentality, and refuse to be hijacked by 'political correctness’.
Qin Gang, Foreign Minister, China
The China-US relationship should be determined by common interests and shared responsibilities of the two countries, and by friendship between the two peoples, rather than by the US domestic politics or hysterical Neo-McCarthyism, he said.
Beijing hopes Washington will explore the right way to get along with China that benefits both countries and the world, said Qin.
China will continue to follow the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation to pursue a sound and stable relationship with the US, he said.
"We hope the US government will listen to the calls of the two peoples, rid of its strategic anxiety of 'threat inflation,' abandon the zero-sum Cold War mentality, and refuse to be hijacked by 'political correctness’.”
China's rejuvenation
Containing and suppressing China won't make the US great, and it will not stop the rejuvenation of China, said Qin.
Saying that the US’ China policy has entirely deviated from the rational and sound track, he said: "The US claims that it seeks to out-compete China but does not seek conflict. Yet in reality, its so-called 'competition' means to contain and suppress China in all respects, and get the two countries locked in a zero-sum game.”
The US rhetoric of "establishing guardrails" and "not seeking conflict" simply means China should not respond in words or action when slandered or attacked. "That is just impossible," he said.
"If the US does not hit the brake but continue to speed down the wrong path, no amount of guardrails can prevent derailing and there will surely be conflict and confrontation.”
China is firmly opposed to such competition, which is a reckless gamble with the stakes being the fundamental interests of the two peoples and even the future of humanity, he said.
"If the US has the ambition to make itself great again, it should also have a broad mind for the development of other countries," he added.
Interference in Taiwan affairs
No country has the right to interfere in Taiwan affairs as resolving the Taiwan question is China's own business, he said.
The US should stop containing China by exploiting the Taiwan question and return to the fundamental of the one-China principle, said Qin.
The Taiwan question is at the very core of China's core interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-US relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in bilateral relations, he stressed.
The US has unshirkable responsibility for having caused the Taiwan question, he said, adding that the reason why China raises this question to the US is to urge it to stop interfering in China's internal affairs.
China will continue to show the utmost sincerity and make the utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification, but it will reserve the option of taking all necessary measures, added Qin.
This photo shows members of the media attending a press conference given by Foreign Minister Qin Gang on the sidelines of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing, March 7, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
Russia-Ukraine conflict
Saying categorically that China has not provided any weapons to either side of the Ukraine conflict, Qin said China is not the creator of the crisis, nor a party directly concerned.
The Ukraine crisis is a tragedy that could have been avoided, he said. It is in essence an eruption of problems in European security governance, he added.
China chooses peace over war, dialogue over sanction, and lowering the temperature over fanning the flame in order to solve the issue, the Chinese diplomat, adding that China always makes a conclusion independently based on the merits of the matter.
What is needed now is calmness, reason and dialogue, and the process of peace talks should begin as soon as possible for the Ukraine crisis, he said.
Chinese diplomacy
There is no shortage of kindness and goodwill in China's diplomacy, but in face of "jackals or wolves," Chinese diplomats would have no choice but to confront them head-on to protect the motherland, Qin said refuting the claim that the country adopted the so-called "wolf warrior" diplomacy.
The so-called "Indo-Pacific Strategy" seeks to gang up to form exclusive blocs, stir up confrontation, and undermine regional integration, said Qin
It is never China that should be accused of creating the so-called debt traps, he said while responding to a question on the Belt and Road Initiative.
China is willing to promote security and stability, be a partner for development and prosperity, and boost unity and strength in the Middle East, he said.
Sino-Japan relations
Should some people from the Japanese side choose the beggar-thy-neighbor approach rather than pursue a friendly partnership, and take part in a new Cold War to contain China, the bilateral relations would only suffer new wounds when the old ones are yet to be healed, he warned.
China and Japan should promote win-win cooperation and jointly ensure stable and smooth industrial and supply chains, said Qin.
The Chinese people will never accept any form of historical revisionism that challenges the postwar international order and international justice, he said while responding to a question about the China-Japan relationship.
ALSO READ: China urges Japan not to arbitrarily discharge nuke water
The foreign minister also urged Japan to properly handle the disposal of Fukushima nuclear wastewater in a responsible manner.
‘Indo-Pacific Strategy’
The US’ "Indo-Pacific Strategy" claims to safeguard regional security, but in fact it provokes confrontation and seeks to create an Asia-Pacific version of NATO, said Qin.
The so-called "Indo-Pacific Strategy" seeks to gang up to form exclusive blocs, stir up confrontation, and undermine regional integration, he added.
The Chinese minister cautioned that no Cold War should be reignited and no Ukraine-style crisis should be repeated in Asia.
A journalist asks a question during Foreign Minister Qin Gang’s press conference on the sidelines of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress on March 7, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
Partnership with Europe
Saying that China will continuously deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership with Europe, the foreign minister underscored that China-Europe relations are not targeted at, dependent on, or subjected to a third party.
No matter how the situation develops, China always regards Europe as a comprehensive strategic partner and supports European integration, he said.
China hopes Europe truly achieve strategic autonomy and lasting security and stability, he added.
China is willing to work with Europe to uphold true multilateralism and to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership, he said, adding that China hopes Europe truly achieve strategic autonomy and lasting security and stability.
No worry about China's economy
Saying that it is unnecessary to be concerned about China's economic outlook, Qin said as China accelerates high-quality development, promotes high standard opening-up and fosters a new development paradigm, it will surely bring new opportunities to all countries in the world, especially regional countries.
China’s modernization
The modernization of China, with a population of over 1.4 billion, is an unprecedented feat in the human history and of great significance to the world, said the foreign minister.
Pointing out that Chinese modernization suits the country’s reality, he said Chinese modernization has provided important inspirations for other countries by putting the people first and as the modernization of common prosperity for all.
The process of Chinese modernization is a boost to global peace, justice and progress, he said.
Chinese modernization has provided important inspirations for other countries by upholding peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, as well as harmony between humanity and nature, according to Qin.
This is a whole new approach different from the Western-style modernization, he added.
Belt and Road Initiative
The Belt and Road Initiative is a high-quality public good initiated by China and jointly built by all partners, whose benefits are shared by the world, said the Chinese minister.
The initiative has created some 420,000 jobs in countries along the routes and helped lift nearly 40 million people out of poverty over the past decade, he said.
The Belt and Road Initiative has attracted the participation of over three-fourths of countries in the world and 32 international organizations, he added.
China’s global role
China will always maintain a global vision and play an active part in global governance, the Chinese foreign minister told the media.
China will build on extensive partnerships and promote a new type of international relations, he said.
Foreign Minister Qin Gang (second left) touched upon a range of national and global issues, including China’s foreign policy and diplomatic relation, during the press conference. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
Call for cooperation
The Chinese foreign minister called on the international community to stay united.
With solidarity and cooperation, the world can beat COVID-19, address climate change, tackle the deficit in peace, development, security and governance, and build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity, he said.
Developing countries should have broader representation and stronger voice in international affairs, said Qin.
UN Charter
The Chinese minister said global governance should abide by the principles of international law embodied in the United Nations Charter, uphold fairness and justice, and oppose hegemony and selfish gains.
The international community should stay in unity and avoid confrontation and conflicts, he said.
China to host 2 key diplomatic events
China will follow the guidance of head-of-state diplomacy and ensure the success of two major diplomatic events that the country will host, the first China-Central Asia Summit and the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, to show the distinctive character of China's diplomacy, the minister told the media.