The Foreign Ministry answered questions on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to China.
Q: Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a state visit to China. What’s your comment on this visit? Can you introduce the main results of the visit?
A: At the invitation of the Supreme Leader of president, Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a state visit to China on June 25th.
President Putin’s visit coincides with the 15th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-Russian Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Sino-Russian strategic cooperative partnership.
During the visit, the Chairman of the Supreme Leader held talks with President Putin, and the two heads of state reached a number of important consensuses on deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between China and Russia. The two sides agreed to maintain close high-level communication, give play to top-level design and play an important leading role, and promote the high-level operation of bilateral relations. The two sides agreed to support each other’s core interests and constantly consolidate and deepen mutual political and strategic trust. The two sides agreed to deepen pragmatic cooperation and interest blending, and further promote the docking of development strategies of the two countries and the docking cooperation between the "Belt and Road" construction and the Eurasian Economic Union construction, so that the benefits brought by the development of Sino-Russian relations will benefit the people of the two countries and regions. The two sides agreed to strengthen coordination and cooperation on major international and regional hotspot issues.
The Chairman of the Supreme Leader and President Putin also jointly signed and published the joint statement of the two countries and the joint statement on strengthening global strategic stability and promoting the development of information cyberspace through cooperation, and witnessed the signing of more than 30 cooperation documents in the economic and trade fields. The two foreign ministers also signed and issued a statement on promoting international law.
The results of the visit fully reflect the current closeness of Sino-Russian relations and the high degree of consistency between the two sides’ positions, and show the strong will and tangible results of China and Russia to adhere to the spirit of comprehensive strategic cooperation and the concept of friendship from generation to generation, increase mutual support, enhance political and strategic mutual trust, and unswervingly commit themselves to deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between China and Russia.
Over the years, China and Russia have always adhered to a new type of state-to-state relationship of non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting at third parties, and have always adhered to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership of equality, mutual trust, mutual support, common prosperity and friendship from generation to generation, which has brought tangible benefits to the two countries and their peoples, and has also become a model for big countries to build a harmonious, constructive, equal and trust, mutual benefit and win-win relationship. China is willing to thoroughly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries with Russia and make unremitting efforts to realize Sino-Russian friendship for generations and create a better tomorrow for Sino-Russian relations.
Q: During President Putin’s current visit to China, the foreign ministers of China and Russia signed and issued the Sino-Russian Statement on Promoting International Law. It is not common for the two countries to issue a joint statement on international law. What is the background of this statement? Is it related to the South China Sea arbitration case in the Philippines?
A: Under the background of the evolution of the current international order and the reform of the global governance system, it has become an international trend to promote the international rule of law and pursue fairness and justice. As two permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and Russia share common responsibilities in safeguarding and promoting international law. The "China-Russia Statement on Promoting International Law" issued by the two countries this time reflects the firm commitment of the two countries to international law, highlights the positive actions of the two countries in inheriting, innovating and developing international law, and also expresses the common concern of the two countries in the peaceful settlement of disputes, which has important practical significance and far-reaching influence.
Regarding the peaceful settlement of disputes, the Statement emphasizes that all countries should "use the dispute settlement methods and mechanisms in good faith in the spirit of cooperation and on the basis of national consent" and "should not abuse them to undermine their purposes". Regarding the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Declaration also emphasizes that "the integrity of the legal system established by the Convention cannot be undermined". These positions are radical, which will help the international community recognize the true face of the South China Sea "arbitration" farce directed and performed by some countries.
Q: It is understood that the third coordinator meeting of the G20 Summit in 2016 was held in Xiamen recently. Can you tell us something about it? What was discussed at the meeting?
A: From June 23rd to 25th, the third coordinator meeting of the G20 Summit in 2016 was held in Xiamen.
This coordinator meeting is a key meeting for the preparatory work of the Hangzhou Summit to enter the sprint stage, which is of great significance for locking in the progress of the results and ensuring the success of the Summit. The meeting informed the relevant arrangements such as the framework and schedule of the Hangzhou Summit, reached a principled consensus on the basic framework and elements of the leaders’ communique, exchanged in-depth views on the core achievements of the summit and locked in relevant progress, achieving the expected goals.
Under the topic of "innovative growth mode", all parties focused on enhancing the medium-and long-term growth potential of the world economy and tapping new impetus, and approved in principle the G20 innovation growth blueprint and innovation action plan, the new industrial revolution action plan and the digital economy development and cooperation initiative.
Under the topic of "more efficient global economic and financial governance", all parties approved the G20 advanced principles of anti-corruption pursuit and recovery, agreed to set up an anti-corruption pursuit and recovery research center in China, and approved in principle 2017— 2018 anti-corruption action plan, entrepreneurship action plan, energy accessibility action plan, renewable energy action plan, energy efficiency leading plan, etc.
Under the topic of "strong international trade and investment", all parties supported the strengthening of the G20 trade and investment mechanism, approved the work responsibilities of the Working Group on Trade and Investment, exchanged in-depth views on the G20 global trade growth strategy and global investment guiding principles, and agreed to revitalize the role of trade and investment as an economic engine.
Under the topic of "inclusive and coordinated development", all parties focused on development issues and the needs of developing countries, and adopted in principle the G20 Action Plan to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the initiative to support the industrialization of Africa and the least developed countries.
The meeting also discussed issues such as climate change, public health, refugees and counter-terrorism financing.
Q: Spain held another general election on Sunday. The People’s Party won the election, but it did not get an absolute majority.. What’s your comment on this?
A: We have taken note of the Spanish parliamentary elections. In recent years, China-Spain relations have developed well. China has always attached great importance to China-Spain relations, and is willing to work together with the West to deepen political mutual trust, strengthen pragmatic cooperation and promote the healthy and stable development of China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership.
Q: We have noticed that the Tashkent Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization issued the Tashkent Declaration on the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on June 24th, supporting China’s relevant position on the South China Sea issue. At the same time, South Africa, as a regional power and one of the BRICS countries, also publicly expressed its support for China’s position on the South China Sea issue. What is China’s comment on this?
A: The Tashkent Declaration issued by the Tashkent Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization confirmed that the maritime legal order should be maintained on the basis of the principles of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. All relevant disputes should be settled peacefully by the parties through friendly negotiations and consultations, and internationalization and external interference should be opposed. To this end, the SCO member States call for abiding by all the provisions of the above-mentioned conventions, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and the guidelines for the implementation of the declaration. The Tashkent Declaration of the SCO reflects the common concerns and positions of the SCO and six member States on the South China Sea issue.
South Africa’s Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation also issued a statement on the 22nd, saying that South Africa supports the countries directly involved in the South China Sea issue to resolve relevant disputes through direct negotiation and consultation on the basis of respecting historical facts and international law, and to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
This once again strongly proves that there are not a few countries that hold an objective position and insist on safeguarding the international rule of law, representing the mainstream voice of the international community. I hope that relevant parties will listen to the international objective, fair and rational voices and not deviate from the right path in dealing with the South China Sea issue.
Q:According to reports, a spokesman for the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that India is convinced that only one country is a nuclear supplier.At the plenary session of the groupoppositionIndia joined the group.Several countries have raised some procedural issues concerning India’s accession, but only one country has raised objections. What’s your comment on this?
A: As far as we know, at the plenary session of the Nuclear Suppliers Group in Seoul, many countries expressed their views on the accession of countries that are not parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). They thought that a consensus should be reached on this issue first, and then the application of specific countries should be discussed. This is what we know about the trend of this meeting.
For a period of time, including the Seoul Plenary Session of the Group, China has been actively promoting the Group to fully discuss the accession of countries such as "non-NPT parties" in order to reach a consensus and make a decision by consensus.
Q:According to reports, the Nuclear Suppliers GroupcompleteWill appoint the ambassador of Argentina asgroupThe new chairmanassistant,Assist in discussing the joining of new members.What is China’s comment on this?
A: Regarding how to deal with the accession of "non-NPT States parties", the just-concluded annual plenary session of the Nuclear Suppliers Group issued a press release, saying that "the meeting discussed ‘ Technical, legal and political problems of non-NPT parties joining the bloc ’ And agreed to continue relevant discussions. " Besides, we haven’t heard of any other next steps.
Q:Chinese and Russian journalists went to border port cities for a large-scale interview on the 25th. What is China’s comment on this?
A: Chinese and Russian media play an important role in enhancing bilateral relations and people’s friendship. The media of the two countries jointly launched this reporting plan, which will have an important and extensive impact on the two sides to further understand each other’s countries, promote exchanges between neighboring areas of the two countries, enhance cooperation in pragmatic fields, and deepen mutual friendship between the people. We hope that this interview will be a success and inject new important forces into Sino-Russian friendship and the development of Sino-Russian relations.
