CCTV: Can you give us more details on the program of King of Malaysia His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim’s visit to China? How does China view the current China-Malaysia relationship and what’s China’s expectation for the visit?

Lin Jian: China and Malaysia share time-honored friendship and are good neighbors and good partners who have always supported each other and pursued win-win cooperation. In March last year, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim reached important common understandings on building a China-Malaysia community with a shared future, charting the course for the growth of bilateral relations in the new era. This year marks the 50th anniversary of China-Malaysia diplomatic ties and the Year of China-Malaysia Friendship, and Premier Li Qiang paid a successful official visit to Malaysia in June, injecting new impetus to the growth of China-Malaysia relations.

King of Malaysia His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim’s upcoming visit is his first visit to a non-ASEAN country after he swore in. President Xi Jinping will hold a welcoming ceremony and a banquet for him, and the two heads of state will hold talks. Premier Li Qiang will meet with His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim. China stands ready to work with Malaysia to carry forward the traditional friendship, deepen the synergy of development strategies and expand mutually beneficial cooperation through this visit, in order to further enrich the China-Malaysia comprehensive strategic partnership and strive for new progress in building a China-Malaysia community with a shared future.

Kyodo News: According to information released by the Japanese government, a student at a Japanese school in Shenzhen was stabbed by a man this morning and taken to hospital. Can you provide more details about the incident? This is the second attack against Japanese student in China this year. How does China view this kind of incident? 

Lin Jian: As we have learned, on the morning of September 18, a ten-year-old student from the Shenzhen Japanese School was stabbed by a man at a spot about 200 meters from the school gate. The wounded student was immediately sent to hospital and is being rescued with all-out efforts. The perpetrator was caught at the scene. The case is under investigation, and relevant authorities of China will handle the case in accordance with law. 

TASS: The US army chief said earlier that the US is considering the possibility of deploying medium and short-range missiles in Japan. What’s the Foreign Ministry’s comment? If the US decides to do so, what joint measures can Russia and China take to ensure their own security?

Lin Jian: In recent years, the US has been hellbent on advancing military deployment, including Mid-Range Capability missile system, in the Asia-Pacific to pursue absolute military advantages. This move will heighten arms race, exacerbate regional tensions, threaten peace and security in this region, and disrupt global strategic balance and stability. China has made clear its opposition more than once.

We urge the US to give up its deployment plan, and call on relevant country to have a clear understanding of the real intention of the US, act prudently in fields related to military and security and take concrete actions to uphold regional and international peace and stability. China will keep a close eye on relevant developments, and firmly safeguard its security, rights and interests.

China News Service: It’s reported that in a statement issued on September 17, US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said that the US State Department approved a military sale to Taiwan of return, repair, and reshipment of spare parts for aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost totaling US$ 228 million. What’s China’s comments?

Lin Jian: The US’s arms sale to China’s Taiwan region seriously violates the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, especially the August 17 Communiqué of 1982. The sale severely undermines China’s sovereignty and security interests, harms China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a wrong message to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. China strongly condemns and firmly opposes this, and has lodged strong protests to the US side. As a firm countermeasure, China has announced sanctions against nine US military companies.

The US’s frequent arms sales to Taiwan embolden Lai Ching-te and the DPP authorities as they cling to the stance of “Taiwan independence” and make deliberate provocations on the one-China principle. This once again shows that the separatist moves for “Taiwan independence” and connivance and support for such moves from US-led external forces are the biggest threat facing cross-Strait peace and stability and cause the greatest disruption to the real status quo in the Taiwan Strait. Let me be clear, the DPP authorities’ attempt to seek independence through military buildup and what the US has done to assist that agenda will only backfire and lead nowhere.

The Taiwan question is at the core of China’s core interests, and the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-US relations. No one should underestimate China’s firm determination and ability to oppose “Taiwan independence” and safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. China urges the US to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, immediately stop the dangerous trend of arming Taiwan, stop conniving at and supporting “Taiwan independence,” and stop endangering cross-Strait peace and stability. We will take strong and resolute measures to firmly defend our national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.

AFP: Japan’s Defense Ministry said today that China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier entered the contiguous zone in Japan’s Okinawa region. Can you confirm this? What is China’s comment?

Lin Jian: I’d refer you to competent authorities for your question. Let me stress that relevant activities of China are consistent with China’s domestic law and international law.

Beijing Youth Daily: The 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) was held in Beijing from September 12 to 16. World leading companies as well as SMEs exhibited their latest outcomes, technologies and applications at CIFTIS and explored cooperation with potential partners. As global free trade faces both opportunities and challenges, how does China view the significance of such platforms to expanding high-standard opening up?

Lin Jian: It has been 12 years since CIFTIS was launched in 2012. Over the past decade and more, CIFTIS has attracted more than 900,000 exhibitors and audience from 197 countries and regions. In the same period of time, China’s trade in services grew at an average annual rate of 6.2 percent, higher than the global average. As President Xi Jinping noted in his congratulatory letter, CIFTIS is a vivid portrayal of the high-quality development of China’s service industry and service trade, making positive contributions to the building of an open world economy.

CIFTIS is an epitome of China’s commitment to high-standard opening up. On the one hand, China has opened its door wider to the world. We have set up 22 Pilot Free Trade Zones, established the Hainan Free Trade Port, and worked vigorously for the signing and entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. On the other hand, China has eased access for foreign businesses. We have cut short the negative list for foreign investment several times, and worked to eliminate all restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector. We have also hosted a number of fairs, including the China International Import Expo, the Canton Fair, the China International Consumer Products Expo, and the China International Supply Chain Expo, contributing to global development through Chinese modernization. 

Openness makes China’s super-sized market a strong magnet in global trade, and turns Chinese modernization into new opportunities for the world development. Since the founding of New China 75 years ago, especially the reform and opening up, China has explored paths of opening up to the wider world and actively engaged in international trade and economic cooperation. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has been pursuing a more proactive strategy of opening up and working to build an open world economy. The third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China this year spelled out in detail the next steps in improving the institutions and mechanisms for high-standard opening up. We stand ready to continue working with other countries to ride on economic globalization, share opportunities, explore cooperation and promote development through opening up, and contribute our part to global modernization.

Bloomberg: An indictment announced recently by the US attorney claims that the employee of one of China’s state-owned defense contractors tried to hack NASA, the US military and other targets to obtain computer software and source code. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment?

Lin Jian: I’m not aware of the specifics.

Bloomberg: Chinese officials will be speaking with EU officials in Brussels and US officials here in Beijing about Chinese industrial capacity and export tariffs. What messages does China hope to convey and what is China hoping to achieve with the talks?

Lin Jian: I’d refer you to competent authorities for the specifics. Let me stress more broadly that this probe is a typical protectionist and politically-motivated move. It disrespects facts, ignores WTO rules, contravenes the trend of history, and undermines the EU’s green transition process and global response to climate change. China has, since the very beginning, shown utmost sincerity, been committed to settling the issue through dialogue and consultation, and made flexible proposals. The EU, however, has on the one hand, claimed it is willing to resolve differences through dialogue, while on the other hand, turned down the Chinese side’s offers time and again without putting any meaningful counter offer on the table. We hope the EU will show sincerity, take actions, and take a serious look at the Chinese EV sector’s legitimate concerns and proposals. If the European Commission is bent on the wrong decision, China will take what is necessary to firmly safeguard the lawful rights and interests of our companies and the EV sector.

Regarding the dialogue between the Chinese and US economic authorities, I’d refer you to them.