Source: Chinese Embassy in Cyprus
Charge d’affaires, a.i. Mr. Wang Sheng receives an interview with Mr. Chris Michael, and shares Chinese attitudes on relevant questions.
Q. Hong Kong-related news has been the focus of attention recently. The National Peopleโs Congress of China passed the Hong Kong National Security Law. Elections of the Hong Kong Legislative Council was postponed. The United States and some other countries issued statements and even imposed sanctions on officials responsible for Hong Kong related affairs. What’s the Embassy’s comment on this?
A: Over the past 23 years since Hong Kong returned to Chinese Mainland, the practice of “One country, Two systems” has proven to be a universally recognized success. Hong Kong residents enjoy unprecedented democratic rights and freedom in accordance with law. In recent years, however, some rioting elements in Hong Kong colluded with foreign anti-China forces and resorted to violence to disrupt Hong Kong’s normal social order and endanger national security of China. When national security in Hong Kong is undermined and confronted with real threats and the Hong Kong SAR government for some reason had difficulty in drafting the national security law on its own, the Chinese Central Government took decisive measures to establish and improve at the state level a legal system and enforcement mechanism to safeguard national security in Hong Kong. It was completely justified, reasonable and legitimate, and also in line with international practice. The Hong Kong natinal security law targets a very small number of criminals that gravely jeopardize national security and protects the basic rights of the vast majority of law-abiding Hong Kong residents.The Hong Kong SAR Government’s decision to postpone the 7th Legislative Council election in the face of the severe pandemic is a justified and necessary step to ensure people’s safety and health as well as a safe, fair and just election. There have been many precedents around the world where elections were put off due to pandemic or natural disasters. So far, more than 60 countries and regions have postponed national or local elections due to outbreak of COVID-19. It is typical โdouble standardsโ that certain countries chose to misinterpret or even politicize the Hong Kong SAR Government’s decision.According to statistics from the Hong Kong Social Sciences Research Centre, 65.7% of the surveyed Hong Kong residents expressed opposition to any sanction by the United States on Hong Kong. The United Statesโ gross interference in China’s internal affairs and unscrupulous sanctions have met with unanimous strong opposition and condemnation from the Chinese people, including those in Hong Kong. The hegemonic and bullying behavior of the US has been denounced by all the ranks of people in China and the vast majority of the international community.It needs to be stressed that Hong Kong is a part of China and Hong Kong related affairs are entirely China’s internal affairs which allow no foreign interference. At a recent UNHRC session, 70 countries supported China’s promulgation of the Hong Kong national security law and condemned interference in China’s internal affairs by manipulating Hong Kong-related issues. This reflects the common voice and just position of the international community. We urge certain countries to fully understand the situation, correct mistakes, and immediately stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs.
Q. The United States recently promulgated the “Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020”, accusing the Chinese Government of “surveillance” and “forced labor” against the Uyghurs. The US State Department and Treasury Department also announced sanctions on officials from Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC). What’s the Embassy’s comment on this?
A: The USโ allegation is purely fabricated and has no factual basis. It is a common international practice to use modern scientific and technological products and big data to improve social governance. The installation of cameras in public places in accordance with law in Xinjiang doesn’t target any specific ethnicity and it aims to improve social governance as well as prevent and fight crimes. This is fundamentally different from the USโ massive, organized and indiscriminate cyber theft, surveillance and attacks against foreign governments, companies and individuals in breach of international law and basic norms of international relations. The rights and interests of workers from ethnic minority groups in Xinjiang as part of China’s workforce are protected by law. They are free to choose a job and can decide on where to work out of their own free will. There is no restriction whatsoever on their personal freedom. Their customs, religious beliefs and spoken and ethnic language are all protected by law. The local governments have taken active measures to ensure their labor and employment rights to what they can. How can anyone call this “forced labor”? The USโ groundless allegation is to find excuses for undermining Xinjiang’s prosperity and stability and interfering in China’s internal affairs. Xinjiang-related issues are never about human rights, ethnicity or religion, but about counter-terrorism, anti-separatism and de-radicalization. The government of Xinjiang Autonomous Region has been lawfully fighting violent and terrorist crimes while addressing the root causes of terrorism and advancing de-radicalization. These measures have proven effective. Over the past three years, there has not been a single violent terrorist case in Xinjiang. They have safeguarded to the greatest extent the fundamental rights of the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, including their rights to life, health and development.Xinjiang affairs are purely China’s internal affairs, and the US has no right and no ground to interfere. The XPCC has made important contributions to promoting Xinjiang’s development, ethnic unity and social stability. The US allegation is nothing but rumor-mongering and mud-slinging. Sanctions by the US are entirely an interference in Chinaโs internal affairs. If the US keeps on behaving like this, China will resolutely fight back. The Chinese government is resolute in upholding its sovereignty, security and development interests, in fighting violent terrorist, separatist and religious extremist forces, and in opposing any foreign interference in Xinjiang affairs and China’s other internal affairs.
Q. Recently, the United Statesโ Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar visited Taiwan. Also, the US again plans to sell weapons worth over US$600 million to Taiwan. What is the Embassy’s comment on this?
A: The Taiwan Issue bears on Chinaโs sovereignty, territorial integrity and core interests, and is the most important and sensitive issue in China-US relations. China firmly opposes any official interactions between the US and Taiwan. This position of ours is consistent and clear. China has made stern representations with the US in both Beijing and Washington. We urge the US to adhere to the One China principle and the Three Joint Communiquรฉs, stop making official interactions of any kind with Taiwan, handle Taiwan-related issues prudently and properly, and not to send any wrong signals to “Taiwan independence” forces. US arms sales to Taiwan seriously breach the One China Principle and the Three Joint Communiquรฉs, especially the August 17 Communiquรฉ, severely undermine China’s sovereignty and security interests, and gravely violate basic norms of international relations. China firmly opposes it. We urge the US to earnestly abide by the One China Principle and the Three Joint Communiquรฉs and stop arms sales to and military ties with Taiwan, to avoid causing greater harms to China-US relations and cross-Strait peace and stability.China has firm resolve in upholding its sovereignty and security, and will take firm countermeasures in response to the wrongdoings of the US. The One China Principle is the political foundation of China-US relations and is universally recognized by the international community. Any attempt to ignore, deny or challenge that principle is doomed to fail. The US will only shoot its own feet by deliberately playing the “Taiwan card”.
Q. The whole world is concerned about the trend of China-US relations and the risks of a “new cold war”, hoping that the current tensions will gradually cool down and stabilize. What is the Embassy’s view on the prospect of China-US relations?
A: The relations between China and the United States are among the most important bilateral relationships in the world. To safeguard and stabilize China-US relations concerns the welfare of the Chinese and American people and people around the world. It also bears on world peace, stability and development. Nonetheless, for some time, some politicians in the US have stitched up lies to misguide the American people and fool international public opinion for their own interests. They have taken a series of erroneous moves that interfere in Chinaโs internal affairs, undermine Chinaโs interests and seriously disrupt China-US relations. They have deliberately distorted and even attempted to write off the history of China-US relations for the past 50 years, putting the relationship between the two countries in a most complex and grave situation since the establishment of diplomatic ties. The Chinese nation is one that loves peace and cherishes development. China’s development goal has always been to seek happiness for its people and for the national rejuvenation, rather than replacing the US in the international fora. The US move to turn China into an adversary is a fundamental strategic miscalculation. The US is channeling its strategic resources in the wrong direction. In the end, bolstering the international status of the US depends on itself, not others. The current situation in China-US relations is not what China and the international community desire to see, and the US is responsible for all this.Regarding China-US relations, Mr. Yang Jiechi, member of the Politbureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee recently published a signed article. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi also gave an exclusive interview by Xinhua News Agency. History repeatedly proves that cooperation is the best choice for both sides. China and the US both stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. China’s policy stance on developing China-US relations has been consistent and stable. At the same time, we also stand ready to face some setbacks in China-US relations. China is always ready to work with the United States in the spirit of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation to promote bilateral relations based on coordination, cooperation and stability, but in no way will we let our sovereignty, security and development interests be trampled upon. We urge the US to discard its outdated Cold War mentality, arrogance and prejudice, view China and China-US relations in an objective and rational way, and move in the same direction with China to bring bilateral relations back to the right track of coordination, cooperation and stability.
