Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying held a regular press conference on August 4, 2022

Excerpts

CCTV: On August 3, the G7 foreign ministers and the High Representative of the EU released a statement saying they are concerned by China’s “announced threatening actions” which “risk unnecessary escalation”, and alleging “There’s no justification” to use Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan as pretext for aggressive military activity or coercion. They claimed its “normal” for legislators to travel internationally and “There is no change in the respective one China policies, where applicable, and basic positions on Taiwan of the G7 members”. Do you have any response to that?

Hua Chunying: Reading this statement is like being transported back in time. The foreign ministers of these countries clearly believe that they still live in the days of the Eight-Power Allied Forces over 120 years ago. We no longer live in a world where the imperialist powers could run roughshod over Chinese people on Chinese soil. Today’s China is not the old China humiliated and bullied over 100 years ago. It is time for these people to wake up from their imperial dream.?

The G7 must not forget that they are in no position to represent the global community. Their views only represent a tiny fraction of the world of nations. As Singaporean scholar Kishore Mahbubani wrote recently, “the G7 is dictatorial globally”. The latest statement is a case in point.

I need to remind the G7 foreign ministers again that we all live in the third decade of the 21st century now. There would be a problem if someone follows the mindset of over a century ago.?

Bloomberg: China often complains that too many in the West subscribe to what it calls the “China threat” narrative. But what would you say to those that will cite the military drills today, these missiles and weapons, as evidence of the threat that is posed by China?

Hua Chunying: Your question is a typical example of how certain people think in the West. This is an issue about fundamental facts and principles because it involves China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.??

China has made it clear many times that we are firmly opposed to Pelosi’s visit. And we made it clear that once the visit is made, it would be a serious violation of the one-China principle and grave infringement on China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. China will definitely take strong and resolute measures in response and all consequences shall be borne by the US side. So do not say that we have not said in advance about the implications of this incident.?

 China has done everything that is diplomatically possible to prevent this crisis which has been imposed on China. But we will not tolerate any act that harms our core interests and national rejuvenation. We will not sit by and watch the US play the “Taiwan card” to serve the US’s domestic politics and the selfish interests of some politicians. We will not tolerate moves to incite tensions, confrontation and separatism in this region. The host of measures China is taking and? will take are necessary, timely countermeasures that are defensive in nature which have gone through serious consideration and careful assessment, and they’re aimed at protecting our nation’s sovereignty and security.  

CGTN: Nancy Pelosi said in a statement on August 3 that the Congressional delegation’s visit to Taiwan should be seen as a strong statement that America stands with Taiwan. Do you have any comment?

Hua Chunying: We often hear US politicians say that they are standing together with so and so, but history and facts have repeatedly shown that whomever the US politicians claim they are standing together with would become the targets of chaos and disaster. Just look at Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Afghanistan, and also look at the people responsible for what Pelosi called “a beautiful sight to behold” in Hong Kong and the “Hong Kong independence” separatists. See what has become of them???

Phoenix TV: The US Senate has passed a resolution approving the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO. If the two countries do join the grouping someday, it will be NATO’s sixth expansion and the largest one since the 1990s. Do you have any comment?

Hua Chunying: On European security, China hopes that all parties will follow the principle of indivisible security and, on the basis of respecting each other’s reasonable security concerns, follow the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture for peace and lasting security in the region through dialogue and negotiation. That is why we have put forward the Global Security Initiative. This reflects our consistent position on regional security issues.?

About NATO’s role and function in world peace and security, there has been a lot of rethinking and reflection. NATO has its own narrative. But we all know that from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Kosovo, from Iraq to Afghanistan and Libya and so on, rough statistics show that ever since 2001, NATO has launched and?participated?in?wars that have resulted in over 900,000 deaths, including 400,000 civilians, and the displacement of tens of millions of refugees. What role should NATO play in maintaining world peace and security in the 21st century? In what way should it play its role? What mindset and vision should NATO be guided by? These are all serious questions for relevant NATO countries to think about.?

AFP: ASEAN foreign ministers expressed their concerns in a statement today against provocative action in the Taiwan Strait. They said the current situation could lead to miscalculation and serious confrontation. Is China concerned about such potential miscalculations or confrontations resulting from military exercises this week?

Hua Chunying: The root cause of the current tensions in the Taiwan Strait is the joint provocation of the US side and “Taiwan independence” separatist forces, which seriously violates the one China principle and infringes upon our sovereignty and territorial integrity. In the face of such flagrant provocation, we are compelled to take justified, necessary countermeasures to uphold our sovereignty and territorial integrity. All our measures are targeted against the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. Anyone who is concerned about regional tensions should be asking the US to immediately and credibly follow the one-China principle, stop violating China’s sovereignty and take real actions to uphold regional peace and stability. It is very clear here who is responsible for the incident and who is the provocateur. China is only being compelled to act in self-defence. I hope that you could see that fact.

As I said yesterday, many countries spoke up immediately in?various?ways?to express opposition to the visit, a serious and dangerous provocation, and reiterated the commitment to the one-China principle. ….

All this shows that the one-China principle is a universal consensus and what is a just cause can receive the support of many around the world. So I hope what I have shared with you will help you understand who is the provocateur and should be responsible for the tensions in the region.?

Hubei Media Group: According to reports, the Australian Space Agency has recently confirmed the space debris found in New South Wales belongs to a craft built by the US company SpaceX. Cassandra Steer, Deputy Director of the Australian National University’s Institute for Space, said the US side should be held accountable for the damage caused by the debris. Does China have any comment???

Hua Chunying: Space debris is a challenge to human’s sustainable exploration and use of outer space. China actively engages in space debris mitigation and international cooperation in this regard. We hope that the US and other countries in the world will take credible steps to minimize the safety risk caused by space debris and also shoulder the responsibilities in accordance with international law for the damage done by space activities.?

Bloomberg: The ROK President did not meet with Nancy Pelosi when she was in the ROK, although they did speak I believe by telephone. Does the Chinese foreign ministry have a view on the decision not to meet with Pelosi?

Hua Chunying: We have noticed relevant reports and China will be following closely the developments of this visit.?

Dragon TV: According to reports, the negotiations on resuming compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal will resume today in Vienna after a near five-month hiatus. How does China see the prospect of the talks??

Hua Chunying: China has always been firmly committed to upholding the JCPOA and we welcome the resumption of the talks in Vienna. This is a result of concerted efforts of all parties and is consistent with the expectation of the international community.?

With the resumption of the talks, there is a new opportunity to seek a political and diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. We hope that all parties can seize this opportunity, redouble diplomatic efforts and fully demonstrate goodwill and flexibility to seek a solution to the outstanding issues as soon as possible. The US is the country that created the Iranian nuclear crisis in the first place. It needs to fully rectify its mistake and respond actively to the reasonable concerns of Iran for the negotiations to produce early results.?

China has been in close touch with all sides and played an active role in advancing the negotiations. We will be constructively involved in future negotiation as well to contribute to bringing the implementation of the JCPOA back on track. We will at the same time resolutely?uphold our own lawful rights and interests.?

Reuters: Does China believe that these drills are conducive with winning the hearts and minds of the people in Taiwan?

Hua Chunying: Did you ask the Taiwan authorities, when they insisted on inviting Speaker Pelosi to Taiwan, had they asked the Taiwan people about their hearts and wills? I know that after Pelosi arrived in Taiwan, quite many people in Taiwan actually protested to that. Do Taiwan authorities put the expectations, wills and the welfare and interests of the Taiwan people close to its heart?

As I have said, the measures we have taken are justified, necessary and resolute. The aim is to protect our sovereignty and territorial integrity and send a message of warning to the provocateurs. These measures are directed at the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces and interference of foreign forces.?

Bloomberg: Just to clarify on the Japan issue. So, on the G7, are you saying that it’s only Japan that has been singled out for this treatment or will that extend to other countries?

Hua Chunying: I think I have been clear enough. Japan, along with the other G7 countries, issued this so-called statement that accuses China, confounds black and white and does not distinguish right from wrong, not to mention that Japan is historically responsible for its wrongdoing on the Taiwan question. That’s why the Chinese people have been extremely unhappy about it. Under those circumstances, we no longer plan to schedule the meeting between the Chinese and Japanese foreign ministers in Phnom Penh.??

In today’s world, global challenges like the COVID pandemic, the Ukraine crisis, and economic, energy?and?food?issues, and regional hotspot issues all call for better cooperation between China and the G7 countries. However, if the G7 decides not to respect, and even hurt China’s core interests on issues concerning its sovereignty and territorial integrity, then there is no way that such wrongdoing would not impact the?G7’s relations with China and cooperation on key issues.?

Bloomberg: So just now the Eastern Theatre Command announced that live fire training has been completed and that control of the airspace and sea in question has been lifted. So, the question basically is, does that mean that the exercises are over? Are the exclusions lifted? Or will there be more going forward? Because originally it was through August 7th. Does that mean these exercises are over?

Hua Chunying: I recommend that you follow the updates from the Chinese military.?

Reuters: You sort of suggested that if the G7 nations don’t respect China’s core interest on issues concerning China’s sovereignty, then this could affect relations. How might China’s relations with the seven countries be affected and for how long?

Hua Chunying: It would be very unwise for the G7 to say or do something improper on issues concerning China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Such things could easily remind the Chinese people of the days more than 100 years ago, in which China was invaded by the Eight-Power Allied Forces, a painful memory shared by all Chinese people.

It might be useful for the G7 countries to think about how the US managed to keep the country unified whatever the costs during the Civil War. The UK has the issue of Scotland, while Canada has the issue of Quebec. Some states are seeking independence from the US. So, on issues concerning sovereignty and territorial integrity, I hope these countries are fully aware of their own stakes and act prudently.

As to how these countries’ wrongful actions on the Taiwan question could affect their relations with China, and how long would it take before relations could become normal again, that’s entirely up to them, what they would do, whether they could quickly recognize the mistakes and whether they could take real actions to correct their mistakes.?

PTI: You took a question earlier on the status quo prevailing over Taiwan. There is a big report today in the Global Times, which says Pelosi’s visit changes the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. There is some kind of peace prevailing in the Taiwan Strait for a long time. So perhaps the status quo also means that. So, the drills, the military exercises, is it going to be a new normal of what we’re going to witness in that region?

Hua Chunying: About the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, I have said in detail what exactly the status quo is. The two sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same China. That is the real status quo of the Taiwan Strait.  

We have issued warnings many times. It is based on the experience and lessons we have learned from the past that we know we cannot let the US use this type of salami tactics to keep pushing the envelope on China’s red lines. So, in the face of such a provocation that seriously undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, we are left with no choice but to take resolute measures to demonstrate our resolve and capability to uphold our sovereignty and territorial integrity.

And will this become a new normal? It hinges on the action of the US side and the “Taiwan?independence” separatist forces. Unless they stop trying to split China, China will never stop taking resolute actions to uphold our sovereignty and territorial integrity, not even for a day. And we will not stop demonstrating our resolve, will and capability.?

AFP: Human Rights Watch said yesterday that it wants the UN Human Rights Council to set up an independent expert body to investigate violations in Xinjiang. What’s China’s response to this request?

Hua Chunying: I think everyone knows what Human Rights Watch is up to. The so-called assessment on Xinjiang is nothing but a stunt orchestrated by the US and some other Western countries.?

We have time and again used facts to refute the false narrative against China by anti-China forces. It is nothing but rumors and lies made up by the US side to contain China’s development and disrupt stability in China. They are indeed the lie of the century. We are firmly against fabricating false information to smear and attack China. Xinjiang is such a beautiful place where people from?all?ethnic?backgrounds?live a happy life today. I saw pictures online about tourists hitting the road in their own cars and pouring into Xinjiang this summer. There were even serious traffic jams on highways in Xinjiang with the best views. The rumors and disinformation about Xinjiang simply disappear in front of those facts. So for those who are trying to engage in political manipulation, smear China’s image and contain and suppress China using the Xinjiang-related issues, they will not succeed.?

Reuters: Taiwan’s Digital Minister Audrey Tang said the volume of cyberattacks on Taiwan government units on Tuesday was over 15,000 gigabits, 23 times higher than the previous daily record. What’s China’s comment? And is the Chinese government sponsoring these attacks?

Hua Chunying: I’m not aware of what you mentioned.??

AFP: Seeing as Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is already over, what does China feel needs to be done either by Taiwan or the US in order to make amends for its move?

Hua Chunying: Pelosi’s stunt ended very fast, but the grave damage and negative impact will not disappear any time soon. I believe the US and the Taiwan authorities know very well that the only way forward is to strictly abide by the one-China principle both in words and in deeds, and do nothing that will harm China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.?

Reuters: The Taiwan authorities are saying that there have been such a large number of cyber-attacks on them in recent days, is that a matter of concern for China and what does China make of suggestions that it may have been behind these attacks?

Hua Chunying: This is not a foreign policy question.###

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