On the afternoon of September 26, 2011, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei held a regular press conference.
Q: Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda pledged to deepen China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations in 2012. What is China’s comment?
A: We have noted Prime Minister Noda’s commitment to developing China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit. China is willing to work with Japan to enhance bilateral dialogue, exchanges and cooperation in various fields at all levels in accordance with the spirit enshrined in the four China-Japan political documents so as to constantly advance China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit.
Q: Please brief us on the significance and itinerary of DPRK Cabinet Premier Choe Yong Rim’s visit to China.
A: At the invitation of Premier Wen Jiabao, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Premier Choe Yong Rim, Member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee will pay an official goodwill visit to China from September 26 to 30.
Premier Wen Jiabao will hold talks with Premier Choe Yong Rim this afternoon. President Hu Jintao and other Chinese leaders will also meet with him. Apart from Beijing, Premier Choe Yong Rim and his delegation will also visit Shanghai, Jiangsu Province and other places.
China and the DPRK are friendly neighbours. Our bilateral relations have enjoyed sound development over the years with ever deepening exchanges and cooperation across the board. We believe that Premier Choe Yong Rim’s visit will give a boost to China-DPRK friendly and cooperative relations.
Q: US Treasury Secretary Geithner said at a forum last weekend that the Chinese Government’s effort to protect Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) was inadequate. What is China’s comment?
A: The Chinese Government attaches great importance to the protection of IPR by setting up a relatively full-fledged IPR protection system and constantly enhancing law enforcement on IPR. China will further optimize the institutions and mechanisms as well as the regulations and laws of IPR protection so as to provide investors and rights holders with stronger and more effective protection.
Q: The Dalai Lama has made some new remarks on reincarnation. How does China respond?
A: Out of ulterior political motives, the 14th Dailai Lama wilfully distorts and denies history. His action has caused severe damage to the normal order of Tibetan Buddhism and blasphemed the succession system of the Dalai Lama.
The reincarnation of living Buddhas is a unique form of succession of Tibetan Buddhism. China adopts the policy of religious freedom, which includes respecting and protecting this succession form of Tibetan Buddhism. The title of the Dalai Lama is illegal if not conferred by the Central Government. The 14th Dalai Lama was also approved by the then Government of the Republic of China. There is a complete set of religious rituals and historical conventions on the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. There is no such practice of a living Dalai designating his own successor. According to the Regulations on Religious Affairs and the Management Measures for the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism enacted by our country, the reincarnation of any living Buddha, including the Dalai Lama, should follow the religious rituals, historical conventions as well as laws and regulations.
Q: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said at the Ministerial Meeting on the Horn of Africa Famine that the Chinese Government had provided a total of RMB 443.2 million worth of food aid to the disaster-hit countries of Africa. Will China provide further assistance?
A: China follows closely the developments of the disaster and will provide further assistance as its capacity allows. Apart from food aid, China will actively consider providing assistance such as medical equipment and medicine in light of the need of the disaster-affected countries.
Q: The Brazilian Government has reportedly issued a decree recently to impose more tariff on imported cars, which may also impact China’s car export to Brazil according to the media. What is China’s comment?
A: China-Brazil economic cooperation and trade is highly complementary and enjoys great potential. Our bilateral trade has grown rapidly over recent years. China-Brazil economic cooperation and trade has played an important role in keeping the stable and relatively fast growth of our respective economies and effectively tackling the international financial crisis. China values its economic cooperation and trade with Brazil and pursues a mutually beneficial resolution of disputes through dialogue and cooperation. We would like to handle disputes appropriately through friendly consultation and press ahead with the stable and sustained development of bilateral trade together with Brazil.
Q: US Ambassador to China recently made repeated remarks on China’s trade and investment environment. How does China comment?
A: China is committed to the basic state policy of reform and opening-up, an open economy and the win-win strategy of opening-up. This is the basic policy of the Chinese Government and a successful experience China has gained in its sustained and rapid economic development over the past more than three decades since reform and opening-up. By the end of 2010, there had been close to 700,000 foreign-funded enterprises in China with paid-in investment of nearly US$ one trillion. Opening-up and attracting foreign investment is mutually beneficial. For China, continuous foreign investment has provided funding, technologies, managerial expertise and a great number of international professionals necessary for its modernization drive. For foreign-funded enterprises, they have gained handsome returns. The surveys of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development for many years in a row have shown that China is currently the most attractive investment destination across the globe.
At present, China is committed to fostering a better and more open investment environment. First of all, China will continue to build an open and transparent legal environment. China’s socialist market economy is an economy under rule of law and its investment environment will be protected by law in a more open and transparent manner. Second, China will continue to build a market environment of fair competition. The Chinese Government’s policy of encouraging independent innovation covers all enterprises within the borders of China, and therefore applies to all foreign enterprises set up in China in accordance with law. Third, China will continue to create a stable and orderly environment for business operation. The Chinese Government attaches great importance to IPR protection and will continue to improve its market mechanism to protect the rights and interests of investors.
Q: The Durban Conference at the end of this year is unlikely to reach a comprehensive agreement on tackling climate change. Some countries propose to set 2015 as the deadline of reaching such a deal. Does China support setting such a deadline?
A: China believes that the Durban Conference should focus on implementing the Bali Roadmap. First of all, developed nations should make explicit commitment on the emission reduction targets of the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol and make progress in that respect. Second, within the framework of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the developed nations that are not parties to the Kyoto Protocol should make pledges of emission reduction comparable to other developed nations. China also hopes that the Conference can implement the institutional arrangements decided by the Cancun Conference and make substantive progress in adaptation, technology transfer and funding, particularly long-term funding. China is ready to work with other parties for concrete outcomes in the Conference.
Q: Palestinian President Abbas has formally summited Palestine’s application to the United Nations to be a full UN member. How does China comment?
A: China understands, respects and supports Palestine’s statehood bid to the UN. At the same time, the international community should step up mediation efforts so that Palestine and Israel can get back to the negotiating table at an early date.
Q: Please brief us on the first meeting of China-India Strategic Economic Dialogue and the current China-India relations.
A: This morning, the first meeting of China-India Strategic Economic Dialogue was held in Beijing. The meeting was co-chaired by Chairman Zhang Ping of the National Development and Reform Commission and Deputy Chairman Ahluwalia of the Indian Planning Commission. After the meeting, Premier Wen Jiabao will meet with major members of the Indian delegation in the Great Hall of the People. Relevant information will be released in due course.
Currently, China-India relations have maintained the momentum of steady growth. There is enough room in the world for the common development of China and India and for China-India cooperation. We are ready to work with the Indian side to continuously further our bilateral relations.