CCTV: The Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation opened today. President Xi Jinping attended the Opening Ceremony and delivered a keynote address. Could you share more details with us?

Mao Ning: This morning, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) opened with the theme of “Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future.” President Xi Jinping attended the Opening Ceremony and delivered a keynote address.

President Xi Jinping noted that the friendship between China and Africa transcends time and space, surmounts mountains and oceans, and passes down through generations. Over the past 24 years since the inception of the FOCAC, especially in the new era, China and Africa have firmly defended our legitimate rights and interests in the spirit of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith as once-in-a-century changes sweep across the world. We get stronger and more resilient together by riding the tide of economic globalization, delivering tangible benefits to billions of ordinary Chinese and Africans. We have created touching stories of China-Africa friendship, and set a stellar example of a new type of international relations. Thanks to nearly 70 years of tireless efforts from both sides, the China-Africa relationship is now at its best in history.

President Xi Jinping stressed that China is going all out to build a great modern socialist country in all respects and pursue national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee lays out systematic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. This will profoundly further transform China. It will also provide new opportunities and new driving forces for African countries and for our joint pursuit of modernization. China and Africa should jointly advance modernization that is just and equitable, open and win-win and eco-friendly, puts the people first, features diversity and inclusiveness, and is underpinned by peace and security. In the next three years, China will work with Africa to take the ten partnership actions for modernization to deepen China-Africa cooperation and spearhead the Global South modernization.

President Xi Jinping announced that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China are now elevated to the level of strategic relations, and that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations is now elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. The Summit adopted the Beijing Declaration on Jointly Building an All-Weather China-Africa Community with a Shared Future for the New Era, and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027).

AFP: The Japanese and Australian foreign and defense ministers met in Australia today and agreed to enhance defense cooperation and support the work of the Philippine Coast Guard. In the context of the ongoing maritime tension between China and the Philippines, what’s China’s comment on that latest development?

Mao Ning: China believes that defense and security cooperation between countries should be conducive to keeping the region peaceful and stable and nurturing mutual trust between regional countries, and should not target any third party.

Trouw: According to the US Department of State, the PRC Ministry of Civil Affairs has notified the American government that since August 28, civil affairs departments across China will no longer carry out foreign adoption work. Could you confirm the stop? And if so, could you elaborate on it?

Mao Ning: The Chinese government has adjusted its cross-border adoption policy. Henceafter, apart from the adoption of a child or stepchild from one’s collateral relatives by blood of the same generation and up to the third degree of kinship by foreigners coming to China, China will not send children abroad for adoption. This is also in line with the spirit of relevant international covenants. We express our appreciation to those foreign governments and families, who wish to adopt Chinese children, for their good intention and the love and kindness they have shown. For more specifics, I’d refer you to competent authorities. 

AFP: According to a research paper published in Nature journal this week, 125 virus species were identified in animals from Chinese fur farms, including 36 new pathogens. According to a world famous virologist, the fur industry worldwide is likely to produce virus that can spill over to humans. Has China noticed this research and does China intend to raise the health standard of the fur industry?

Mao Ning: I’d refer you to competent authorities on that.

Trouw: We have seen a surge of adoptees coming back to China hoping to find their birth families. Will the stop of the adoption program in any way influence their attempts to visit China to view their files？

Mao Ning: I would refer you to competent authorities for answers to those specific questions. There are sound communication channels on this issue.