Reuters: According to South Korean media reports, buses were spotted crossing the border from China into the DPRK. Could you share some information on that? When will the border between China and the DPRK reopen?

Wang Wenbin: Regarding what you asked about, I have no information to share at the moment.

Shenzhen TV: On August 16, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi attended the opening ceremony of the seventh China-South Asia Expo in Kunming and addressed the event. Director Wang Yi, upon request, met with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Lao Vice President Pany Yathotou, Nepalese Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang who are attending the Expo in China. Can you give us more information?

Wang Wenbin: The seventh China-South Asia Expo is being held in Kunming, Yunnan from August 16 to 20. The event is a shining name card of exchanges and cooperation between China and South Asian countries and the wider world. This year’s Expo, themed “Solidarity and Coordination for Common Development”, attracted representatives from 85 countries, regions and international organizations as well as more than 30,000 exhibitors online and offline, covering all South Asian and Southeast Asian countries and RCEP members. Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi attended and addressed the Expo opening ceremony. Director Wang Yi, upon request, met with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Lao Vice President Pany Yathotou, Nepalese Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang who are attending the Expo in China.

Director Wang Yi stated in his speech that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Expo’s launch and of the Belt and Road Initiative and our neighborhood policy of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness—both proposed by President Xi Jinping. In the past decade, China and South Asian countries have consolidated solidarity and cooperation, advanced Belt and Road cooperation, deepened friendly exchanges and created a new chapter of China-South Asia friendship for the new era. China welcomes South Asian countries to get on board the express train of China’s development and share in the dividends of China’s development. We stand ready to work with South Asian countries to seize historic opportunities, enhance solidarity and coordination, grow new dynamism for development, build a community of development and contribute to the long-term peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

Director Wang Yi made a four-point proposal for deepening cooperation between China and South Asian countries. First, we need to deepen strategic mutual trust, support each other in international and regional affairs, work together to advocate open regionalism, pursue closer regional cooperation, jointly safeguard the interests of developing countries, and defend international fairness and justice. Second, we need to deepen connectivity, advance the building of key routes, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and China-Nepal cross-border railway, speed up the building of key routes, key junctions and major projects, and ensure unimpeded and upgraded regional economic circulation. Third, we need to deepen economic and trade cooperation, further enhance trade facilitation and harmonize systems and standards, promote win-win investment and cooperation through mutual efforts, and make the global industrial and supply chains more closely connected. Fourth, we need to deepen people-to-people exchanges, pull countries closer to each other, strengthen traditional friendships and build a social foundation for regional cooperation with greater cohesion and diversity.

Participating parties stated that South Asian countries actively promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with China and have reaped fruitful results. The theme of the Expo follows the trend of the times and responds to countries’ development needs. They thanked China for forging an effective cooperation platform and welcoming South Asian countries aboard the express train of China’s development. They look forward to bolstering solidarity and coordination with China and contributing to the openness and inclusiveness, peace and stability and common development in the region.

The Expo consists of 15 exhibition halls and will host 14 events. We believe that through the Expo, participants will find more cooperation opportunities, achieve more cooperation results and jointly promote development and revitalization of Asia. 

AFP: According to reports, a delegation of DPRK athletes arrived in China yesterday, and they will attend an event in Kazakhstan. Can you confirm that? If so, could you share some details?

Wang Wenbin: I have nothing to share on that. 

Bloomberg: Regarding Argentina’s presidential front-runner candidate Javier Milei, he said in an interview with Bloomberg that he did not want to promote ties with those who don’t respect freedom. Does the Chinese foreign ministry have a comment on the remarks by the presidential front-runner in Argentina Javier Milei?

Wang Wenbin: Freedom is an important aspect of the common values of humanity and core socialist values. China is a country governed by law. Personal freedom of Chinese citizens, sacred and inviolable, is protected by our Constitution. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, China has created the two miracles of rapid economic growth and long-term social stability, and people enjoy a growing sense of happiness and security. I believe that if Mr. Milei can come to China and see the country for himself, he will find a totally different answer to the question of “whether or not Chinese people are free and China is safe.”

China News Service: It is reported that TEPCO recently has confirmed a leak of the nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant caused by a ruptured hose used to transport the nuclear-contaminated water. What is your comment?

Wang Wenbin: We noted the reports. The legitimacy and safety of Japan’s ocean discharge plan have long been questioned by the international community. The latest reported leak of the nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has again heightened international concerns over the competence of TEPCO and the lack of effective regulation from the Japanese government.

People in Fukushima have pointed out many times that since the nuclear plant accident, TEPCO’s handling of the aftermath has been highly problematic. There have been several revelations about TEPCO’s covering up or tampering with data. People are questioning TEPCO’s ability to properly handle the nuclear-contaminated water. Can TEPCO handle the waste water in a safe and responsible way throughout the process? Can it manage the 30-year-long discharge without mistakes and errors? Can it ensure the long-term effectiveness and reliability of the treatment facility? Can it conduct waste water sampling and monitoring activities in strict compliance with the rules? The international community is very much doubtful about that. 

China again urges Japan to take seriously the legitimate concerns of the international community and the people in Japan, stop pushing through the ocean discharge plan, have full, sincere communication with neighboring countries, dispose of the nuclear-contaminated water in a truly responsible way, and accept rigorous international oversight.

AFP: China recently decided to suspend releasing unemployment figures for those aged 16 to 24 years old. Some think this lacks transparency. What is your response?

Wang Wenbin: The spokesperson of the National Bureau of Statistics responded to the same question earlier. You may refer to that.

Let me say that China has been open and transparent about its economic data. We have kept releasing various statistical data, which is highly recognized by parties including international organizations. In recent years, in light of progress in economic and social development, the authorities concerned have continued to reform and improve statistical systems and methods. In so doing, new indicators that speak to the high quality development of the economy have been added and at the same time some statistical indicators that no longer reflect the reality have been adjusted and removed. This is what often happens when the statistical work is being improved.

China is committed to greater openness and transparency of our statistical work and has actively responded to issues of interest to the public. We have released more statistical data and promptly added indicators that people need to know. For example, the statistics released this August includes an indicator for services retail sales, which effectively meets the public need for data in this regard.

CCTV: According to reports, Moody’s Analytics said that due to a surging demand for electric vehicles (EV) and China’s edge in EV production costs, China is on course to become the world’s top auto exporter by the end of 2023. What is your comment?

Wang Wenbin: We noted the reports. The global presence of Chinese new energy vehicles is an excellent result of China’s transition to green growth.

In recent years, China has been transforming and upgrading its social and economic development, adding a green touch to its high-quality development. In the first half of this year, 109 gigawatt of installed renewable energy capacity was added across China, accounting for 77 percent of the total newly installed capacity. Total installed capacity for renewable energy reached 1.322 terawatt, surpassing that for coal-fired power, which is a historic achievement. In July this year, on a year-on-year basis, new energy vehicle production increased by 24.9 percent, solar battery production grew by 65.1 percent and charging pile production was up 26.6 percent. China is building a modern industrial system, transforming and upgrading traditional industries with new technologies and new business models. The number of coal-fired boilers and kilns has dropped from nearly 500,000 to under 100,000 across the country, and the use of fire coal was reduced by over 400 million tonnes. Energy consumption per unit of the added value for industrial enterprises above designated size decreased by more than 36 percent over the past decade.

China’s green economic growth has contributed to global transition to green development. According to the report on the development of China’s green trade 2022, in 2021, with green trade volume standing at USD 1,161.09 billion, China became the world’s largest economy in terms of green trade. And China’s production and sales of new energy vehicles have topped the world for eight years in a row. China is the world’s biggest renewable equipment manufacturer, including for wind and solar power generation. China produces more than 70 percent of the world’s polysilicon, silicon wafers, batteries and modules. Over the past decade, China manufactured more than two thirds of the world’s wind power equipment, and the products were exported to 49 countries and regions globally. In the first half of this year, China accounted for more than 40 percent of the world’s newly installed wind power capacity. By setting up with cooperation partners the BRI International Green Development Coalition, which is committed to cooperation on transition to green, low-carbon development, we have provided a cooperation platform for in-depth exchanges on green development for countries along the Belt and Road.

Promoting green development is the common cause of all humanity. China will continue to uphold the innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared new development vision, accelerate modernization with man and nature coexisting in harmony, promote higher-quality, more efficient, fairer, more sustainable and safer development, and contribute more “green energy” to global sustainable development and building a clean and beautiful world.