The sixth China International Import Expo (CIIE) will be held in Shanghai from November 5 to 10. At the invitation of Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, foreign leaders including Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Cuba Manuel Marrero Cruz, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov and Prime Minister of Serbia Ana Brnabic will attend the opening ceremony of the CIIE and relevant events.

At the invitation of Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese will pay an official visit to China from November 4 to 7.

From November 7 to 11, Vice President Han Zheng will attend the sixth Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore and visit Singapore and Malaysia at the invitation of the hosts.

CCTV: The sixth China International Import Expo (CIIE) is about to open. You just announced the attendance of political figures from relevant countries at the CIIE. We also noted that the US, Honduras and other countries will send high-level officials to the CIIE for the first time. Can you share more information? What message would China like to send through this CIIE? 

Wang Wenbin: This morning, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced that Premier Li Qiang will attend the opening ceremony of the CIIE and relevant events, and deliver a keynote speech. We warmly welcome leaders, other guests and exhibitors from all countries to this grand event.

Since the CIIE was launched in 2018, its network of friends has kept expanding. President Xi Jinping announced a number of major opening-up measures at the opening ceremonies of the previous five CIIEs, which is a strong boost to China’s high-level opening-up and sends a strong message of China’s confidence and determination in advancing an open world economy. According to statistics, the previous five CIIEs attracted over 2 million registered visitors, 131 countries and international organizations who took part in the Country Exhibition, and more than 15,000 companies participating in the Business Exhibition. Over 2,000 new products, new technologies and new services were unveiled at previous CIIEs, and close to USD 350 billion worth of tentative deals were reached.

The CIIE contributes to sound domestic circulation and links it up with international circulation. The CIIE is a window into China’s economic vibrancy. It helps pump up the world economy and provides an important platform for foreign businesses to tap into China’s immense market potential. This year’s CIIE is expected to attract guests from 154 countries, regions and international organizations and more than 3,400 registered exhibitors and nearly 410,000 registered professional visitors. So far, more than 70 countries and international organizations across five continents have confirmed their participation in the Country Exhibition. Among them, 11 countries are participating for the very first time and 34 are participating physically for the first time. Nearly 300 Fortune 500 companies and market leaders are joining the event, exceeding the numbers in previous years. The Hongqiao Forum to be held concurrently aims to celebrate openness and reflect true multilateralism. Over 8,000 guests have registered for the forum. More than 300 prominent figures, including foreign leaders, heads of international organizations, Nobel Prize and Turing Award winners, and executives of Fortune 500 companies will gather together for in-depth discussions on the forum’s theme “Joining Hands in Development, Opening Up for the Future” and share insights on open global development. We welcome all interested parties to participate in the CIIE and share the dividends of China’s open development.

“Economies make progress through exchange and inter-connectivity.” The CIIE epitomizes China’s ongoing efforts to advance high-level opening-up, and sends out a strong message of promoting inclusive growth of the world economy. We stand ready to work with all parties to deliver a high-standard, high-quality, and high-level global trade event, create new market, investment and growth opportunities, and build synergy for common development.

AFP: US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Mr. Xie Zhenhua in California this weekend. Could you share with us China’s expectations for this meeting? Does China plan to announce any updated emissions reduction targets at the upcoming COP28?

Wang Wenbin: Climate change is a global challenge and calls for joint response. As agreed by China and the US, China’s special envoy for climate change Xie Zhenhua and US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry will hold talks in California from November 4 to 7. The two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on promoting actions and cooperation on climate change and supporting the success of COP28 in Dubai, and work together to meet challenges and jointly contribute to global climate governance and sustainable development.

Global Times: On November 2, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly for the resolution entitled “necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba” with 187 votes in favour, 2 against and 1 abstention. What is China’s comment?

Wang Wenbin: Since 1992, the UN General Assembly has adopted the resolution entitled “necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba” with an overwhelming majority for 31 times in a row. This speaks to the strong call for justice from the international community.

China stands for respecting all countries’ right to independently choosing social systems and development paths. The international order underpinned by international law must be upheld, and international fairness and justice must be safeguarded. We oppose unilateral compulsory measures against other countries through military, political, economic or other means. The US needs to listen to the international call for justice, respect the right to subsistence and the right to development of the people of Cuba and relevant countries, abolish completely its economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba immediately, and develop normal relations with other Member States of the UN in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the basic norms governing international relations.

AFP: The US announced sanctions on a new batch of Chinese companies for providing dual-use products to Russia. What is your comment on the sanctions?

Wang Wenbin: China firmly opposes the US move of overstretching the concept of national security and abusing state power to suppress Chinese companies. Over a very short period of time, the US imposed more unilateral sanctions on Chinese companies citing their relations with the Russian side. This is a typical move of economic coercion, unilateralism and bullying. The US needs to correct its wrongdoing immediately, and stop containing and suppressing Chinese companies. China will continue to do what is necessary to firmly safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies.

AFP: CNN reported that last Sunday, a Chinese warplane fired flares into the airspace where a Canadian military helicopter was flying over the South China Sea. What’s China’s response?

Wang Wenbin: I do not have information regarding what you described, but we did make our solemn position clear several times on Canadian warplanes’ frequent so-called reconnaissance activities close to Chinese airspace. We hope Canada will restrain its inappropriate behavior to prevent further complication of the situation.

CRI: Could you share more about the announced visit by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to China and his participation in the sixth China International Import Expo?

Wang Wenbin: We welcome Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to attend the sixth China International Import Expo and pay an official visit to China. It will be Prime Minister Albanese’s first visit to China after assuming office and also the first visit to China by an Australian Prime Minister since 2016. This visit, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of former Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam’s visit to China, is of great significance as it provides both sides a chance to review bilateral ties and chart the way forward. Chinese leaders will meet and hold talks with Prime Minister Albanese for in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest.

China and Australia are comprehensive strategic partners sharing extensive common interests and broad prospects for cooperation. A sound and stable bilateral relationship serves the fundamental interests of both countries and peoples and is good for regional and global peace and stability. Through this visit, China hopes to work with Australia in the spirit of mutual respect, seeking common ground while shelving differences and mutual benefit to strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, expand cooperation, deepen friendship, and keep bilateral ties on a steady course of improvement and progress.

The following question was raised after the press conference: China just announced that Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence of Ireland Micheál Martin will visit China. How does China view the current state of China-Ireland relations? What’s China’s expectation for this visit?

Wang Wenbin: China and Ireland are strategic partners for mutually beneficial cooperation and China-Ireland relationship is an integral part of China-EU relations. The relationship between our two countries is advancing steadily, maintaining high-level exchanges and interactions and deepening cooperation in such fields as business, trade and investment, green development and people-to-people exchanges. China stands ready to work with Ireland to take this visit as an opportunity to enhance dialogue and communication, cement political mutual trust, boost mutually beneficial cooperation and advance the sound and steady growth of relations with Ireland and with the EU.