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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on December 20, 2022

2022-12-20 19:06

China News Service: The second part of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is held in Montreal, Canada. What are the outcomes of the meeting? What role has China played as President? Is China glad about the outcomes?

Mao Ning: The second part of COP15 is successfully held in Montreal, Canada from December 7 to 19. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted at the meeting. This Framework is ambitious, practical and balanced. The Framework is of milestone significance and offers a new blueprint for global governance on biodiversity. The international community has widely applauded the adoption of the Framework. Some have dubbed it the “Paris agreement for biodiversity”.

At COP15, over 60 resolutions were adopted. Parties agreed on key issues such as the targets of the Framework, resource mobilization and digital sequence information on genetic resources. The “30 by 30” pledge was made, which contains a series of targets including protecting at least 30% of Earth’s lands and waters by 2030. Strong measures were put in place to secure financial resources. The agreement made it clear that developing countries must receive the support they need in terms of financial resources, technologies and capacity building. The Framework will guide global efforts on jointly halting and reversing biodiversity loss, promoting biodiversity recovery and realizing the vision of “living in harmony with nature” by 2050.

President Xi Jinping addressed the opening of the High-level Segment of COP15 via video link, which provided important political impetus for the meeting to reach positive outcomes. As the President of COP15, China provided active political leadership, overcame various difficulties and challenges, encouraged parties to bridge differences and ensured positive outcomes of the negotiations on the Framework. Going forward, China will work actively to facilitate the implementation of the Framework, support the protection of biodiversity in developing countries, and step up exchanges and cooperation with developed countries, with a view to jointly building a community of all life on Earth.

TASS: The newly-appointed Guatemalan “Ambassador” to Taipei announced on Monday that Guatemala plans to host a summit for ‘Taiwan-friendly’ countries next March and hopes that the leader of Taiwan will attend. Do you have any response to this? 

Mao Ning: There is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The one-China principle is a widely accepted norm in international relations and a prevailing consensus of the international community. The DPP authorities will not succeed in political manipulation by using countries having so-called “diplomatic ties” with Taiwan. The relevant countries need to see where the world trend is moving and come to decisions that are in keeping with the trend.

AFP: Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong has called for China to release Australian citizens Cheng Lei and Yang Jun, and said that this would remove an obstacle to improving relations between the two countries. Does China have any response to this call?

Mao Ning: Yesterday I shared China’s expectations and relevant arrangements for the visit by Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. We hope the Australian side can work with China in the spirit of mutual respect and seeking common ground while shelving differences to bring the China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership back onto the track of sound and steady development. 

NHK: Australia has been asking China to remove the tariffs imposed on Australian exports. If this issue is mentioned during the bilateral talks duringAustralian Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s visit, howwill China respond to Australia's request?

Mao Ning: There is a great deal of interest in the Australian Foreign Minister's visit to China. I have just shared some of China’s expectations. China and Australia will exchange views on issues of common concern. We will release information on this visit in a timely manner. Please check back for updates.

Beijing Daily: It is reported that on December 19, a US State Department spokesperson said at a press briefing that the toll of the virus is of concern to the rest of the world given the size of China’s GDP and China’s economy. It’s not only good for China to be in a stronger position vis-à-vis COVID, but it’s good for the rest of the world as well. What is China’s comment?

Mao Ning: Over the past nearly three years, the Chinese government has put people and their lives first in its COVID response and formulated COVID policy that serves the interests of the vast majority of the Chinese people based on China’s national realities. What has happened shows that in the past three years, China’s COVID policy has provided maximum protection to people’s lives and health, minimized COVID’s impact on socioeconomic development, and bought precious time for understanding the virus on the basis of science, for research and development of vaccines and therapeutics, and for vaccinating more people across the country. We have achieved the most effective results at minimum cost. Currently, we are adapting our COVID response measures to the new developments in the epidemic, so as to better coordinate epidemic response and socioeconomic development. We believe that, with the Chinese people’s joint efforts and solidarity, we will usher in a new phase of steady and orderly economic and social development.

China is ready to work with the international community to deepen solidarity and cooperation, jointly address the COVID challenge, make greater efforts to protect people’s life and health, promote sound recovery and growth of the world economy, and advance the building of a global community of health for all.

Kyodo News: It is reported that the leader of Taiwan met with some visiting members of the European Parliament earlier today. Does the foreign ministry have any comment?

Mao Ning: Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The one-China principle is a universally recognized norm in international relations and the political foundation for China-EU relations. As an official institution of the EU, the European Parliament must abide by the one-China principle.

China firmly opposes official exchanges of any form between the EU and Taiwan. We urge the EU to earnestly observe the one-China principle and act prudently, so as to avoid disrupting the overall China-EU relations.

AFP: It’s also about the US State Department spokesperson’s comments that were brought up by another colleague earlier today. Those comments included the suggestion that the wide spread of COVID in China could cause new mutations or variants of the virus to emerge. Does China have any response to this concern expressed by the US? What steps are you taking to monitor the development of the virus?

Mao Ning: I would refer you to the competent authorities of China for the specifics you asked about. At the moment, relevant departments and local governments of China are delivering on the decisions and requirements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, implementing the 20 measures and 10 new measures for COVID response, and refining their work on the response. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and with the solidarity of the whole nation and well-tested medical treatment, we will steadily get through the peak of the infections.

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