Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian held a regular press conference on July?5, 2022.

EXCERPTS

AFP:?During the call between Vice Premier Liu He and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen this morning, did the US say it will remove tariffs on Chinese imports? And Did the Chinese side say it will change what is called its non-market behavior?

Zhao Lijian: China has put out a readout on the video conversation between Vice Premier Liu He and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen this morning. I?do not have?more information to?share?at the moment.

We?have noted?the accusation of?“non-market economic practices”?from?the US readout.?What the US said?does not comport with facts.?What has happened?over the past 40-plus years?shows?that the success of China’s economy is?also?the success of the reform and opening-up policy, and the success of?marrying the?market?with?the role of government. This is?the?valuable experience?from?China’s economic development.  

On?tariffs, China’s position?is consistent and clear. Lifting all the additional tariffs on China?is good for?both China and the US?and?good for?the world.?According to the?estimates?of?US think tanks,?the removal of tariffs on imported Chinese goods will strip 1% off inflation in the US.?Given the high inflation in the US, the sooner these?tariffs?on China are removed, the sooner?it will benefit American?consumers and businesses.?

TASS: A follow-up on the call between Vice Premier Liu and US Treasury Secretary Yellen. China said earlier that the exchange was constructive. How does the foreign ministry think of China’s practical cooperation, dialogue and communication with the US?

Zhao Lijian:?The exchange was constructive. The two sides agreed that as the world economy is facing severe challenges, it is of great significance for China and the US to strengthen macro-policy communication and coordination. Jointly maintaining the stability of the global industrial and supply chains is in the interest of both countries and the whole world. The Chinese side expressed its concern about issues including the lifting of additional tariffs on China and sanctions by the US side, and fair treatment of Chinese enterprises. The two sides also agreed to maintain dialogue?and?communication.

Kyodo News:?On the morning of July 5, Chinese coast guard ships entered Japan’s territorial waters off the Senkaku Islands and approached?a?Japanese fishing boat in the area. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi has made a protest with the Chinese side. Do you have any response?

Zhao Lijian: Diaoyu Dao and its affiliating islands have?always?been part of China’s territory. In recent years, right-wing Japanese fishing boats have repeatedly?entered?China’s territorial waters?off Diaoyu Dao?illegally. This has seriously violated China’s sovereignty. The on-site law enforcement activities of Chinese coast guard vessels?with regard to?the right-wing Japanese fishing boats?were a lawful and legitimate measure?to protect China’s sovereignty.

Associated Press of Pakistan:?Pakistan’s?investment minister in an interview said that Chinese investment has increased ever since the present government took charge in April. He also said that the government will soon announce more facilities for Chinese investment. Do you have any comment on that?

Zhao Lijian:?I have?noted reports on what you mentioned and appreciate those remarks. China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners that enjoy extensive and in-depth cooperation across the board. China is ready to continue to enhance economic, trade and investment cooperation with Pakistan to achieve mutual benefit, win-win outcomes and common development.?

CRI:?Yesterday the seventh Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held in Myanmar. How does China think of the outcomes reached at the meeting?  

Zhao Lijian: Over the past year, guided by the spirit of drinking from the same river and sharing a closely linked future, our six Lancang-Mekong countries have worked closely together to combat COVID-19, promote high-quality connectivity, boost sub-national cooperation, and implement livelihood projects. LMC has enjoyed excellent progress and become a golden model of success for regional cooperation.  

At yesterday’s foreign ministers’ meeting, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced that China will take six measures to benefit the Mekong countries, which are?cooperation programs on agricultural expertise, harnessing water resources for better livelihood, digital economy, aerospace, talent training, and public health. Through these programs, China aims to share the benefits of cooperation with Mekong countries and?inject?fresh impetus to shared development.

Going forward,?our?six countries will jointly navigate through?the rapid, enormous?changes in the world, continue to capitalize on the opportunity brought by booming regional cooperation, keep?the foundation of our cooperation solid and strong?and?plan for the long term.  

China News Service:?Recently, Black young man?Jayland Walker?in?Ohio?was killed by a barrage of more than 90 shots fired by eight Police. This incident has triggered large-scale protests in many places in the US. Do you have any comment?

Zhao Lijian: I?am shocked by the incident. Police violence in law enforcement against minorities is not uncommon in the US. According to statistics, US police has killed 2,563 people in law enforcement since 2020, among?whom?565 are Black people, accounting for over 22%. Since the beginning of this year alone, 49 Black people were shot and killed by the police in the US.?

From the heinous slave trade,?historical?expulsion and slaughtering of American?Indians to the dreadful conditions and miserable sufferings of people of African descent and other minorities today, “white supremacy” and the “great replacement theory” are growing more rampant and systemic and prevalent racial discrimination is aggravating in the US.

“Human rights” and “fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion” are highlighted in in Article I of the UN Charter. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said “dark forces” including racism “menace democratic values, social stability and peace” at the commemorative meeting of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this year. As a party to the?UN?International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the US?is yet to?take effective measures to redress systemic racism. This is?a serious?violation of the?US’s?obligations under the convention.

As Martin Luther King?said?perceptively, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The serious racial discrimination, unfairness and injustice in the US epitomize the unfairness and injustice it?has inflicted on?the world.?We wonder, how many?more?George Floyds?and Jayland Walkers?have to die before the US government can?truly reflect on itself?and take concrete measures to?get rid of its?arrogance and prejudice?and?achieve fairness and justice?for all??

China Daily: Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), recently wrote in an op-ed that?“the one-China policy is a lie”?and?“Taiwan was never part of China”. He wrote, the 1951 Treaty of San Francisco after the Second World War read that?“Japan renounces all right, title and claim to Formosa and the Pescadores … however, the Treaty did not transfer sovereignty to any other state.”?What is China’s comment?

Zhao Lijian:?Let me first say that to tell a lie, it often requires some sort of camouflage.?The AEI op-ed?has told?a lie?under an academic?camouflage. The article is written?in the name of a?research?fellow?from?a?research?institute, yet its content?is?clearly inconsistent with?historical and legal facts, and deliberately?misinforms and misleads its readers.?The article has a clear motive: to grab attention,?hollow out and obscure the one-China principle,?echo?anti-China forces’ attempt?to?use?the Taiwan question?to?contain China, and embolden?“Taiwan-independence”?forces?to solicit US support.  

The facts about the Taiwan question and the?history of the?one-China principle are crystal clear. History cannot be tampered with, and?truth?cannot be distorted. Any attempt to challenge the one-China principle?which is recognized?internationally will prove futile. China’s efforts to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity brook no foreign intervention.?

MASTV: We have noted some interactions between Chinese and Australian officials recently. How do you evaluate China-Australian relations going forward?

Zhao Lijian: A?sound and steady relationship between China and Australia meets the fundamental interests and common aspiration of the two peoples.?There is no “auto-pilot” mode?in?improving?China-Australia relations. A reset requires concrete actions. This meets the aspirations of people in both countries and the trend of our times.??

We hope Australia?will?view China and its relations with China in a rational and positive light, work with China in the spirit of mutual respect and seeking common ground while putting differences aside, and ensure sound and steady development of China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership.

https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/202207/t20220705_10715827.html