Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian’s Regular Press Conference on June 19, 2024 |
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2024-06-19 19:43 |
CCTV: The fifth China-EU High-Level Environment and Climate Dialogue was held in Brussels yesterday. Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang led a delegation to the dialogue. We noted that this is the first high-level dialogue between China and the EU after the European Commission’s pre-disclosure of proposed duties last week based on its anti-subsidy investigation on China’s electric vehicles. Can you share more information about the dialogue? Is the dialogue helpful to resolving the trade frictions between China and the EU on electric vehicles? Lin Jian: On June 18, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council Ding Xuexiang met with Executive Vice President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič in Brussels, Belgium, and they co-chaired the fifth China-EU High-Level Environment and Climate Dialogue. Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang noted that in recent years, President Xi Jinping and EU leaders have met several times, reaching multiple common understandings on enhancing China-EU cooperation on green transition. We need to jointly deliver on these important common understandings, work for more fruitful outcomes in our cooperation on green transition, and consolidate the momentum of steady improvement in China-EU ties. China and the EU have extensive common interests and huge space for cooperation in green transition. It is important to effectively leverage the role of the high-level dialogue mechanism, seek common ground while shelving differences, work in the same direction, keep the positive momentum of environmental and climate cooperation going, and deepen the green partnership between China and the EU. Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang emphasized that electric vehicles are a landmark product of the green and low-carbon energy transition. The EU’s plan to impose additional duties on imports of Chinese electric vehicles is typical protectionism, which is not conducive to the EU’s green transition and would undermine the global cooperation on climate change. He expressed hope that the EU will enhance the consistency of its policies on environmental, climate, trade and economic cooperation with China, avoid economic and trade frictions that could delay the green transition process, and refrain from establishing green barriers that would interfere with normal trade and economic cooperation between China and the EU. The two sides need to properly address trade frictions through dialogue and consultation. China is firm in its resolve to safeguard its legitimate and lawful rights and interests. Šefčovič said the EU appreciated China’s strong measures and notable results in promoting green and low-carbon development, and is willing to deepen cooperation with China in areas such as tackling climate change and protecting the ecological environment, and to work together to ensure the success of UNFCCC COP29. The EU side attaches great importance to the electric vehicle industry and is willing to properly handle differences with China through dialogue. Yonhap News Agency: The ROK-China diplomatic and security dialogue was held in Seoul yesterday. According to the readout from the ROK Foreign Ministry, China noted at the dialogue that its policy on the Peninsula issue remains unchanged and China is ready to continue to play a constructive role in solving the Peninsula issue. The Chinese side also met with ROK Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, and said that China hopes the engagement between the DPRK and Russia will contribute to regional peace and stability. Has China stated its position that the engagement between the DPRK and Russia will contribute to regional peace and stability? What does China believe are the outcomes of the dialogue? Lin Jian: On June 18, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Sun Weidong and Deputy Director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of the Central Military Commission Zhang Baoqun co-chaired the first China-ROK 2+2 vice-ministerial level diplomatic and security dialogue with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Hong Kyun and Director General of International Policy Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense Lee Seung-buhm of the ROK in Seoul. The two sides communicated their diplomatic and security policies, and had candid and in-depth exchanges of views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest. On the same day, Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong and relevant officials also met with ROK Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul. Both sides stressed that they value and would like to grow the good neighborly relations and mutually-beneficial cooperation between the two countries. They agreed to actively carry out dialogue and exchanges at all levels and in various areas, step up communication, enhance political mutual trust and advance practical cooperation through dialogue mechanisms including the high-level strategic dialogue between the foreign ministries, the 2+2 diplomatic and security dialogue and the track 1.5 dialogue, and promote the sound and steady development of the China-ROK strategic cooperative partnership. The two sides agreed to enhance exchanges at the sub-national level and between the youth to steadily improve the friendly relations between the two peoples. China stated its solemn position on issues bearing on China’s core interests and major concerns, such as the Taiwan question, and asked the ROK to handle these issues properly. The ROK reiterated that it remains unchanged in its position of respecting the one-China principle. The Chinese side pointed out that China champions the common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security vision, practices true multilateralism, advocates that countries’ legitimate security concerns should be respected, advances global security cooperation through dialogue and consultation, and opposes hegemonism, unilateralism and power politics. China and the ROK, having both benefited from economic globalization, need to jointly safeguard the stable and unimpeded global industrial and supply chains, reject turning economic issues into political or security issues, and oppose all forms of trade protectionism and moves to build walls and set up obstacles. The two sides communicated their positions and views on the Korean Peninsula issue. China stressed that safeguarding peace and stability on the Peninsula is consistent with the common interests of all parties, including China and the ROK. How the Korean Peninsula issue developed into the current situation and where the crux lies is clear. The pressing task is to cool down the situation, avoid escalation of confrontation and rivalry, and keep to the major direction of political settlement. China has always determined its position on the merits |