At the invitation of President Park Geun-hye of the Republic of Korea (ROK), President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the ROK from July 3 to 4.
At the invitation of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov of the Republic of Azerbaijan will pay an official visit to China from June 30 to July 2.
Q: In the past, Chinese leaders usually first visited the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and then the Republic of Korea (ROK), but President Xi Jinping will only visit the ROK this time. What message does this convey? Can you brief us on the agenda of this visit?
A: During his visit to the ROK, President Xi Jinping will hold talks with ROK President Park Geun-hye and exchange views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common interest. Specific agenda is still in the making. Please follow relevant information which will be released in due course.
As a close neighbor to the Korean Peninsula, China maintains an objective and just position on the Peninsular issue, and is committed to safeguarding peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and supporting improvement of relations between the ROK and DPRK. China maintains friendly and cooperative relations with both the DPRK and the ROK, and we are willing to join hands with both sides to foster sound and stable development of Sino-ROK relations and Sino-DPRK relations. This serves the interests of our three countries and contributes to peace, stability and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and this region.
Q: On June 25, Libya held the election to form a new national parliament. How does China comment on this?
A: The election for national parliament in Libya was held successfully, signaling an important and active progress in the process of political transition of Libya, which China commends. Libya is a friendly country to China, and China sincerely hopes for a continuous process of political transition and economic reconstruction in Libya as well as early-restoration of long-term stability, prosperity and development to Libya.
Q: What topics will be discussed by leaders from China and the ROK during President Xi Jinping's visit to the country? What are China's expectations for this visit?
A: I have just answered the question about major topics to be discussed by the two leaders during President Xi's visit to the ROK. There are a wide range of common interests between China and the ROK. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have been following the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefits, peaceful co-existence and good neighborliness. We have registered remarkable achievements in cooperation covering various fields and formed cooperative partnership in many areas. China and the ROK present each other with important development opportunities and enjoy enormous potentials of cooperation with broad prospects. Enhancing understanding, trust and cooperation between the two countries can deliver more benefits to the two peoples and hold great significance to the promotion of peace, stability and prosperity in this region and Asia as well.
President Xi's state visit to the ROK is of much importance. The two leaders will make further plans and bolster exchanges and cooperation in various areas and bring the strategic cooperative partnership between China and the ROK to a new high.
Q: It is reported that there are Chinese employees being trapped in Samarra, Iraq. Can you tell us more specifics? What arrangements will China make regarding other Chinese workers in Iraq and will they be evacuated?
A: Yesterday my college has already covered some of the questions. Here I want to emphasize that following the eruption of the fighting in Iraq, the Chinese government attaches great importance to and is deeply concerned about the security of Chinese companies, institutions and personnel in Iraq. We have initiated the contingency mechanism, and meanwhile, we are in close communications with the Iraqi government and the army, requiring them to take concrete steps to ensure safety of Chinese institutions and personnel. We also make precise assessment with the Iraqi side on the local security situation, create conditions and coordinate with relevant parties to provide guarantee for the evacuation of Chinese employees to safe places. This is what we are doing now and we have made some progress. For security concerns, it is better for me not to disclose too much about the details. But I want to assure you that we will pay continuous and great attention and spare no efforts to ensure the safety of Chinese institutions, companies and personnel in Iraq as well as the safe, smooth and orderly running of relevant work.
Q: In a recent tourism forum held in Beijing, representatives from Russian tourism authorities said that they were studying on the vise-free policy for Chinese tourists who travel to Crimea. A majority of countries still take Crimea as Ukrainian territory, and what is China's comment on this?
A: I am not aware of this. Over the past long time, some regions and companies of China maintained personnel and commercial exchanges with Crimea. We hope that these exchanges and cooperation will proceed.
Our position on the Crimean issue is clear. We respect the territory and sovereignty integrity of Ukraine. Considering the complicated historical and realistic factors behind the Crimean issue, we hope that relevant parties can strive for the political settlement through dialogue and coordination.
Q: Sankei Shimbun reported on June 26 that China received numbers of Japanese visiting groups recently as a signal of China's softened policy towards Japan. How does China respond?
A: The newspaper you mentioned has a long-time record of making reports based on political needs rather than facts, and is devoid of public credibility. This is not the first time we see this kind of report by this news agency.
I'd like to reiterate that on Sino-Japanese relations, China's position is consistent and clear-cut. We solemnly urge the Japanese side act in accordance with the four political documents between China and Japan as well as relevant consensus reached between the two countries, properly deal with issues concerning history and the Diaoyu Islands, and take practical actions to remove the political stumbling blocks standing in the way of bilateral relations. Meanwhile, there are some Japanese in all walks of life with insight and vision who make positive efforts to improve bilateral relations, which we welcome.
Q: The Japanese government submitted to the ruling party this morning the final edition of the resolution on lifting the ban on the right to collective self-defense. If approved by the ruling party, the resolution will be officially passed on June 1. What is China's comment on this?
A: Due to historical and realistic reasons, Japan's moves in military and security fields attract close attention from China and other Asian neighbors. We are against any move by the Japanese side that undermines regional peace, security and stability.
Q: During a meeting between Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, they both underlined the importance of solving maritime disputes according to the "rule of law". Japan voiced its support for the Philippines' filing of disputes to the international arbitration court on the basis of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. What is China's comment?
A: China is committed to engaging with countries directly concerned and resolving relevant disputes on territory and maritime jurisdiction with its neighbors through bilateral consultation and negotiation on the basis of respecting historical facts and international laws. That is what we have been doing and will continue to do.
It is worth noting that recently some countries keep taking provocative actions and stirring things up, and at the meantime, they just cannot stop talking about the rule of law with a purpose of threatening and smearing China and swaying the public opinion. I want to remind everyone that China is a responsible country, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, an initiator and practitioner of the Five Principles on the Peaceful Co-existence, and an upholder and constructive participant of international rules. China values and fulfills its promises, and keeps a better record in abiding by the international laws than those countries. Be it facts or laws, what China has done is fully justified. Since some countries are so fond of the "rule of law", then I wonder what on earth is the "rule of law" that they keep talking about? Which provision of international laws has China violated?
We do not accept the alleged "international arbitration" advocated by certain country, and this is not because our positions are ill-based on laws. What we do is exercising the lawful right endowed by the Convention as a signatory state in order to properly handle relevant issue and maintain regional peace and stability. This is in consistence with the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). Certain countries infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of other countries under the cloak of "the rule of law" and disguise their illegal actions as "legal". I'd like to advise these countries to check their own doings against international laws and the basic norms governing international relations.
Are they abiding by the rule of law or subverting it?