Q: According to media reports, an official from the Indonesian Foreign Ministry said on March 10 that leaders from 17 countries have confirmed to attend the commemorations marking the 60th anniversary of the Bandung Conference in Indonesia in late April. What is China's expectation for the commemorations?
A: The Bandung Conference held in Indonesia in 1955 was the first international conference convened on the initiatives of Asian and African countries, a pioneering move in the history of international relations. The ten principles of handling international relations established during the Bandung Conference have laid a solid foundation for the building of a new international political and economic order that is fair and rational. The "Bandung Spirit" featuring "unity, friendship,and cooperation" as advocated by the conference has prompted Asian and African countries to unite for self-improvement, and advanced world peace and development.
China consistently supports Asian and African countries in strengthening unity and cooperation, maintaining peace and stability and realizing common prosperity of Asia and Africa. The Chinese side hopes that the commemorations celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Bandung Conference can be held successfully, and more contributions will be made to carry forward the Bandung Spirit in the new era, deepen practical cooperation, facilitate the common development of Asia and Africa and move forward the building of a new model of international relations featuring win-win cooperation.
Q: Heiner Bielefeldt, special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief of the UN said that he is disconcerted by the Chinese government's crackdown over the Uighurs in Xinjiang, and there has been no progress on his request to visit China. What is China's response to that?
A: The Chinese government protects its citizens' freedom of religion or belief as well as normal religious activities in accordance with the law and fully respects the customs of ethnic minorities. The so-called crackdown on the Uighurs is absolutely baseless.
As for the visit to China, I believe you are referring to the visits by the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council. China attaches importance to cooperating with the UN human rights mechanisms. The Human Rights Council has as many as 53 Special Procedures, many of which have requested to visit China. China has been taking full consideration of all the requests, and has sent out invitations in a methodical and orderly way. In recent years, China has hosted the special rapporteur on the right to food, the working group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice and others. We has extended invitations to the special rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, the special rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation and the independent expert on the effects of foreign debt to visit China when it is convenient for them. We are now in communication with the above-mentioned Special Procedures for the arrangements of their visits.
Q: The China-Brazil Joint Action Plan 2010-2014 is about to be renewed this year. Can you tell us what is the focus of this renewed plan?
A: In recent years, the strategic cooperation between China and Brazil has been strengthening, especially after the successful visit President Xi Jinping paid to Brazil last year which injected strong momentum to the development of China-Brazil relations. We are implementing the outcomes of President Xi Jinping's visit to Brazil. We believe that through concerted efforts of both sides, China-Brazil relations can make new strides. The two sides are cooperating in many fields including major infrastructure building and productivity projects. We hope all these cooperation projects can achieve major progress.
Q: The 10th Trilateral Senior Foreign Affairs Officials' Consultation among China, Japan and the ROK was held in Seoul on March 11. The trilateral foreign ministers' meeting is said to be held from March 20 to 21. Can you confirm this? Does the agenda of the foreign ministers' meeting include preparation for a trilateral leaders' meeting among the three countries?
A: The 10th Trilateral Senior Foreign Affairs Officials Consultation among China, Japan and the ROK was held in Seoul on March 11. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin, ROK's Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Lee Kyung-soo, Japanese Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Shinsuke Sugiyama as well as Secretary-General Shigeo Iwatani of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat attended the consultation.
The focus of this consultation is to make preparations for the upcoming 7th foreign ministers' meeting to be held in late March. Senior officials from the three countries held in-depth discussion on the arrangements of the foreign ministers' meeting and reached initial consensus, agreeing on keeping close communication and coordination and ensuring a successful foreign ministers' meeting.
Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said that the trilateral foreign ministers' meeting will be convened very soon thanks to the joint efforts of the three sides. This will be the first foreign ministers' meeting after a two-year suspension, a hard-won result that should be cherished by all. The Chinese side sets great store by this foreign ministers' meeting, and hopes that the three countries can hold this meeting in the spirit of actively pushing forward cooperation and not shying away from problems so as to move forward the sound and stable development of trilateral cooperation on the right track. As for the leaders' meeting you mentioned, I have nothing to offer to you at this moment.
After the press conference, the following question was raised: On March 11, Martin Lee, the opposition leader of Hong Kong testified at a hearing on Hong Kong-related issues held by the Canadian House of Commons foreign affairs committee. What is China's comment on this?
Hong Lei said that since the return of Hong Kong to the motherland, the practice of "one country, two systems" has scored tremendous achievements which are recognized by the international community. It will be a historic step forward for Hong Kong's democratic development if its Chief Executive can be elected through universal suffrage in 2017 in accordance with the Basic Law and the decision made by the NPC Standing Committee. The Chinese central government stays committed to supporting the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in electing its Chief Executive through universal suffrage in accordance with the law.
I also want to stress that Hong Kong is China's Special Administrative Region. Hong Kong affairs are China's domestic affairs. The Canadian side has no right to interfere.