CCTV: We noted that General Secretary and President Xi Jinping successfully concluded his state visit to Viet Nam. Can you further brief us on the visit and its important outcomes?

Mao Ning: From December 12 to 13, General Secretary and President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Viet Nam upon invitation. Foreign Minister Wang Yi gave a detailed overview of the visit and its important outcomes. As the most important political agenda for China-Viet Nam relations this year, this successful visit is of great historic significance and marks a new milestone in the relations between the two parties and countries.

The Vietnamese side attached great importance to this visit. The warm reception extended by Viet Nam was unprecedented and of the highest level. The international media closely followed the visit and widely believe that this visit to Viet Nam is of significance to the region and beyond, and will have an important and far-reaching impact on the growth of relations between the two parties and countries, as well as on the whole region and even the global landscape. Three highlights of the visit are as follows:

First, the China-Viet Nam relations are brought to a new level. The highlight moment of the visit is when leaders of the two parties and the two countries made the major historic decision to build a China-Viet Nam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. During the visit, General Secretary Xi Jinping and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong held long, in-depth strategic communication and heart-to-heart talks as comrades to share governance experience. Both sides agreed that the two parties and countries should grasp the special strategic significance of China-Viet Nam relations from the height of strengthening world socialist forces and ensuring the steady advancement of the two countries’ socialism causes. The two General Secretaries set the new characterization of the relations between the two parties and two countries, and announced the decision to build a China-Viet Nam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance on the basis of deepening the China-Viet Nam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. As the most important political outcome of the visit, the new characterization is a continuation and buildup of the 15-year-long China-Viet Nam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. It is a natural result that echoes the trend of the times and serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples. The China-Viet Nam relationship is now in a new phase with new goals and new impetus. 

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and other Vietnamese leaders stated clearly that the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and other important global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping aim to safeguard humanity’s common interest. The Vietnamese side firmly supports and will actively participate in these initiatives. The Vietnamese side emphasized that China is the only country that can contribute to all the priorities of Vietnamese diplomacy and growing relations with China is the top priority and strategic choice made by Viet Nam, which will not be disturbed or sabotaged by any external forces. This sets a solid political foundation for building a China-Viet Nam community with a shared future.

Second, practical cooperation produced new results. General Secretary Xi Jinping and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong identified six goals for China-Viet Nam relations under new circumstances, namely stronger political mutual trust, more substantial security cooperation, deeper practical cooperation, more solid public support for bilateral relations, closer coordination and collaboration on multilateral issues and better solutions for managing differences. Concrete steps were also proposed to realize those goals. During the visit, the two sides signed more than 30 cooperation agreements, covering the Belt and Road Initiative, development cooperation, digital economy, green development, transportation, inspection and quarantine, defense and law enforcement cooperation, and maritime cooperation, etc.

During the visit, President Xi Jinping elaborated on the intrinsic requirements and distinctive features of Chinese modernization. He pointed out that modernization of the over 1.4 billion Chinese people is a huge opportunity for the world; The remarkable development achievements of China and Viet Nam are a result of an open and inclusive world, especially a peaceful and stable Asia Pacific; China and Viet Nam need to step up coordination on multilateral affairs, uphold true multilateralism, safeguard the global free trade system and build safe, secure, stable, unimpeded, efficient, open and inclusive global industrial and supply chains that benefit all.

These important common understandings added new dimensions to the China-Viet Nam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and will produce a more solid material foundation for the building of a China-Viet Nam community with a shared future.

Third, a new chapter was written for the traditional friendship between China and Viet Nam. General Secretary Xi Jinping noted that it is important to take a systematic approach to advance people-to-people friendship between China and Viet Nam; China-Viet Nam cooperation needs to be weighted toward livelihood areas; The two sides should step up cooperation on youth and at subnational levels. The two General Secretaries and their wives took time out of their tight schedule to jointly meet with over 400 representatives of young Chinese and Vietnamese and people who have contributed to China-Viet Nam friendship, during which they encouraged the youths of the two countries to carry forward China-Viet Nam friendship, play their part in promoting the development of the Asia Pacific, and be pioneers in promoting human progress. We believe that under the strategic guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and with the joint support from people of all sectors of the two countries, the traditional friendship between China and Viet Nam will be passed from generation to generation, keep flourishing, and provide a solid public foundation for the building of a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

General Secretary and President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Viet Nam is a great success. It is yet another vivid example of China pursuing neighborhood diplomacy featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and another successful practice of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. China and all Indo-China Peninsula countries have been committed to building a community with a shared future both bilaterally and multilaterally under the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation mechanism. This represents an important and substantive progress in building a community with a shared future with our neighbors, and also another important step in building a community with a shared future for mankind. The visit marks a successful ending for this year’s overseas trips by China’s head of state which are full of highlights, and promises another year of fruitful diplomacy of China.

AFP: Hong Kong police yesterday issued arrest warrants for five overseas-based activists accused of national security crimes. US officials expressed strong condemnation. The UK Foreign Secretary called the move “a threat to our democracy and fundamental human rights”. What’s your comment?

Mao Ning: We strongly deplore and firmly oppose certain countries’ flagrant slandering against the national security law for Hong Kong and interference in the rule of law in the Hong Kong SAR.

The five anti-China rioters who have fled overseas are suspected of endangering national security. The Hong Kong police issued arrest warrants for these destabilizing elements in accordance with the law. This is a necessary and legitimate act that is in line with the international law and customary practice. National security laws of other countries, including the US and the UK, also have extraterritorial effect. The five destabilizing elements engage in acts that endanger national security under the pretext of democracy and human rights. The US and the UK by endorsing and supporting these people have exposed their ill intention of destabilizing Hong Kong.

I want to stress that Hong Kong is China’s Hong Kong. Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs that brook no external interference. China is determined to safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests. Relevant countries should respect China’s sovereignty and the rule of law in Hong Kong and stop interfering in China’s internal affairs.

TASS: Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday at the Direct Line call-in show and the press conference that the cooperation between Russia and China have reached an unprecedented level. He stressed that Russia and China have cooperation in military, economic and humanitarian fields, but will not establish any alliance or target any third country. What’s the Foreign Ministry’s comment?

Mao Ning: We noted and appreciate President Putin’s positive remarks on China-Russia relations. Under the strategic guidance of the two presidents, China-Russia relationship has maintained sound and steady growth. The two sides always uphold the principle of non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party and advance bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples and playing a positive role in advancing global common development.

Global Times: According to reports, the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia issued a joint statement on December 7 saying that the two countries reconfirm their intention to normalize relations and to reach the peace treaty on the basis of respect for the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. The joint statement said that the two countries have reached an agreement on taking tangible steps towards building confidence and will continue their discussions regarding the implementation of more confidence building measures. What’s China’s comment?

Mao Ning: Both Azerbaijan and Armenia are friendly cooperative partners of China. We sincerely hope that the two sides will work with each other to address their differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation, safeguard regional peace and stability and ensure their people can live in peace.

AFP: US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen yesterday called on China to shift its economic policy, saying that “too strong a role for state-owned enterprises can choke growth and an excessive role for the security apparatus can dissuade investment.” What’s China’s comment?

Mao Ning: China believes keeping China-US economic and trade ties sound and stable is conducive to our two countries and the wider world. We stand ready to work with the US to uphold the principle of mutual respect, peaceful co-existence and win-win cooperation, deliver on the common understandings reached at the San Francisco summit and advance the sound and steady development of bilateral economic and trade relations. Meanwhile, we also hope that the US will honor its words instead of sanctioning Chinese companies while claiming it wants cooperation and won’t decouple with China.

NHK: Are there any casualties concerning foreign citizens in the subway accident on the Changping line in Beijing that happened last night?

Mao Ning: Relevant department of Beijing has released information concerning the subway accident on the Changping line. We are collecting information about whether there are casualties concerning foreign citizens. 

AFP: ASEAN and Japanese leaders will hold talks this weekend. According to the draft of the final statement, they are expected to enhance security cooperation, including on maritime issues. What is China’s comment?

Mao Ning: China believes that all cooperation should help enhance mutual trust between countries in the region, promote common development, and contribute to the region’s peace and stability. No cooperation should target any third party.

TASS: Russian President Putin also said yesterday that “we see attempts by the West to shift NATO activities to Asia and towards Asia, which clearly go beyond the charter goals of this organization.” What is the Foreign Ministry’s comment?

Mao Ning: NATO’s attempt to make eastward inroads into the Asia-Pacific is not consistent with its mandate as a regional defensive organization and will only bring bloc confrontation into Asia and sabotage regional peace and stability. The China-Russia relationship rises above the model of military and political alliance in the Cold War era and is fundamentally different from the exclusive groupings and bloc confrontation practiced by NATO.

The following question was raised after the press conference: On December 14 local time, Guyanese President Irfaan Ali and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro held a meeting in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to exchange views on territorial disputes between the two countries. The two sides reached consensus over avoiding escalated conflict and dispute and using peaceful means to address differences. The two sides agreed to keep the momentum of dialogue on the issue of Essequibo. What’s China’s comment?

Mao Ning: I noted the reports. Guyana and Venezuela are both good friends of China. China is glad to see Guyanese President Irfaan Ali and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro have direct talks on the territorial disputes between the two countries which produced positive progress. We commend the effort made by relevant countries and organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean. China always supports Guyana and Venezuela in properly settling the delimitation of their boundaries through friendly consultation. This is in line with the interests of the peoples of the two countries and conducive to stability, cooperation and development of Latin America and the Caribbean.