The 13th China-Russia-India Foreign Ministers Meeting will be held in Beijing on February 2. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj will attend the meeting.
At the invitation of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Foreign Minister Swaraj of the Republic of India will pay an official visit to China from January 31 to February 3.
Q: Small and medium-sized enterprises in China worry that China's ban of VPN services will deliver a blow to their operation. What is your comment on that?
A: This question is not about diplomatic affairs. Officials from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology answered a question in this regard at the press conference held by the Information Office of the State Council days ago. You may check online for the answer.
Q: The newly-elected Greek government announced that it would halt the sale of the stake of the Piraeus Port to China's Cosco Group and other four suitors and review Cosco's stock purchase deal. What is China's comment on that?
A: We have noted the relevant report and are checking with the Greek side on that. Since the Cosco Group won the concession to expand the second and the third container terminals at the Piraeus Port in 2008, Cosco's project at the port has become a good example of mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation, thanks to the concerted efforts of the two sides. The Chinese side believes that the Chinese government and the Greek government are willing to go hand in hand to advance practical cooperation in an all-round way and deliver benefits to the two countries and two peoples.
Q: China and the African Union (AU) signed an MOU on infrastructure cooperation on January 27. There are commentaries saying that the signing of the MOU will enable China to further increase its involvement in Africa's economic development. Reports say that China is conducting "concrete diplomacy" in Africa in pursuit of Africa's mineral wealth to meet the needs of its development. What is China's comment on that?
A: China and Africa recently signed an MOU on the promotion of infrastructure cooperation at the AU headquarters. President Xi Jinping when putting forward the vision of cooperation with Africa said that the phoenix will come if the nest is built and that teaching one to fish is better than giving him a fish. Premier Li Keqiang also made the proposal of China and Africa cooperating on three major networks of high-speed railway, expressway and aviation in Africa. The signing of the MOU is an important step taken by China to implement the vision and the proposal and also a solemn commitment made by China to promoting connectivity and integration of Africa, breaking the development bottleneck of Africa and helping Africa realize independent and sustainable development.
"Wealth is not far away if roads are built." This is what we have learned and what we have been practicing over the past 30-odd years of reform and opening up and rapid economic growth. This is also a prerequisite for Africa's development. Some say that China is conducting "concrete diplomacy" by helping Africa with infrastructure development. I believe that is what badly needed by Africa in pursuing economic growth. China has long been helping Africa with infrastructure development. We have completed 1,046 projects, built railways with the total length of 2,233 km and highways with the total length of 3,530 km in Africa, making tangible contributions to the improvement of living and working conditions in Africa. We hope that more countries will make earnest efforts to help Africa with infrastructure development as China does and work with China to help Africa realize independent and sustainable growth.
Q: Many European countries held activities yesterday to commemorate the International Holocaust Day and the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. German President Joachim Gauck said that there is no German identity without Auschwitz, and the Holocaust belongs to the history of this country. German Chancellor Angela Merkel regarded what has happened as a disgrace to the Germans. What is China's comment on that?
A: This year marks the 70th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. Countries and people around the world hold relevant activities to commemorate the victims of war, pray for enduring peace of the world and enable people to draw historical lessons from the unheard-of calamity 70 years ago so that the tragedy will not repeat itself. We appreciate German leaders' sincere attitude toward WWII.
Q: What will be talked about at the China-Russia-India Foreign Ministers Meeting?
A: China, Russia and India are all emerging markets who share similar or common views on many international and regional issues. Foreign ministers will have in-depth discussions on international and regional issues of common interest and trilateral cooperation during the meeting. We hope and believe that the meeting will produce broad consensus, enhance political mutual trust and push forward practical cooperation.
Q: Please give us more details about Indian Foreign Minister Swaraj's visit to China. Will the two sides touch upon any topics concerning bilateral relations during the visit?
A: Foreign Minister Swaraj will pay an official visit to China from January 31 to February 3 and attend the 13th China-Russia-India Foreign Ministers Meeting in Beijing. This visit by Foreign Minister Swaraj will be her first visit to China since assuming the office last year, to which both sides attach great importance. During the visit, Chinese leaders will meet with Foreign Minister Swaraj, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will hold talks with her. The two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and issues of common interest. Foreign Minister Swaraj will also attend the launch ceremony of the "Year of Tourism in India" and the opening ceremony of the second China-India media forum.
China and India are two largest developing countries and major emerging economies of the world. China-India strategic partnership of cooperation for peace and prosperity has achieved sound growth over recent years. Over the past year, bilateral relations have made strides in quite a few areas, political mutual trust between the two sides has been constantly deepened, bilateral cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results and the two countries have maintained sound coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs. Last September, President Xi Jinping paid a successful state visit to India during which a strategic framework of cooperation for the next five to ten years has been set up, injecting new impetus to the development of China-India relations. The Chinese side is ready to work with the Indian side to sustain the sound momentum of the development of bilateral relations, build a more closely-knit partnership for development and realize peaceful, cooperative and common development.
Q: Will there be bilateral meetings between Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and Foreign Minister Wang Yi? What specific topics will they discuss?
A: During his attendance at the China-Russia-India Foreign Ministers Meeting, Foreign Minister Lavrov will meet with Chinese leaders. Foreign Minister Wang Yi will hold bilateral talks with him. Both sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues. We will release relevant information in a timely fashion.
Q: Satellite photos reveal that China is building a military base on the Nanji Island. Some say that the military base is prepared for an attack on the Diaoyu Islands. What is China's comment on that?
A: The Nanji Island is located 30 nautical miles off the mouth of Aojiang River near Pingyang County, Zhejiang Province. There is no need to over-interpret China's normal constructions on its own territory and in its own house.