At the invitation of Gambian President Adama Barrow, President Xi Jinping’s Special Representative and Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Zheng Jianbang will travel to the Gambia from May 4 to 5 to attend the 15th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Banjul.

CCTV: Sources said that the two Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas held reconciliation talks recently in Beijing. Can you share some details?

Lin Jian: At the invitation of the Chinese side, representatives of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah) and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) recently came to Beijing to have in-depth and candid dialogue on promoting Palestinian reconciliation. The two sides fully expressed their political will of realizing reconciliation through dialogue and consultation, had discussions on many specific issues, and made encouraging progress. They agreed to continue this dialogue process so as to achieve Palestinian solidarity and unity at an early date. They highly appreciated China’s firm support for the just cause of the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights, thanked the Chinese side for its efforts to help strengthen Palestinian internal unity, and reached agreement on ideas for future dialogue.

Beijing Daily: We noted that 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition is in full swing. Heads of famous international automakers, including BMW, Volkswagen, and Nissan, attended the exhibition in Beijing, which says a lot about their great interest in the Chinese market. What’s your comment?

Lin Jian: Over 1,500 Chinese and foreign companies have gathered at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition (Auto China 2024). Many world-known automakers have shown up with new products and technologies. Chinese and foreign customers and exhibitors have come to the booths of Chinese car makers in a steady stream. Statistics show that the Auto China 2024 is showcasing 278 new energy vehicle models and 117 global premieres, including 30 premieres by multinational companies. We also noticed that Germany’s Volkswagen and BMW have recently announced respectively to scale up investment totaling EUR 5 billion in China and increase input to produce electric and smart vehicles. These facts and statistics not only reveal global automakers’ optimism for the growth potential of China’s mega-sized market and their confidence in China’s development outlook, but are also the most convincing argument against the so-called “Chinese overcapacity.”

As Premier Li Qiang stressed when visiting the exhibition, China and global NEV markets are growing steadily and there is plenty of room for market demand. Intelligent connected NEVs are to some extent the product of global industrial cooperation. The future of NEVs relies on various parties leveraging their respective advantages and deepening the division of labor and collaboration. China will further build a unified national market, pursue higher-standard opening up, keep easing market access, and advance the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment. We will continue to treat Chinese and foreign-funded businesses as equals, and promote more extensive exchange and cooperation between Chinese and foreign automakers in capital, technology, management and human resources. They are welcome to share in China’s market opportunities, grow together in technological and industrial revolutions, and achieve mutual success.

We are confident that foreign businesses will continue to stay, invest and flourish in China. China will not slow down efforts to provide an even better business environment and stronger, more integrated support for foreign businesses. China will only open its door even wider to the world.

CRI: We noted that China Wildlife Conservation Association has recently released the information of pandas that are going to be sent to the San Diego Zoo in the United States. Can you brief us on the new round of cooperation between China and the US on giant panda conservation?

Lin Jian: We learned that based on the agreement on giant panda international conservation and research cooperation signed by China and the US in February, two giant pandas named Yun Chuan and Xin Bao from China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda have been chosen to be sent to the San Diego Zoo. Experts from both countries have conducted multiple rounds of field assessment and exchanges and will make full preparation in accordance with the requirements and technical standards for international cooperation on giant panda conservation to ensure the health and safety of giant pandas in the US.

The San Diego Zoo is the first US institution to have cooperation with China on giant panda research. Since the cooperation began, the two sides have carried out joint research on the conservation of wild giant pandas, rearing and breeding, and disease prevention and treatment. Together, they’ve overcome technical difficulties and successfully bred six cubs through six pregnancies, playing a positive role in improving the conservation of giant pandas and forging closer bonds and enhancing friendship between the two peoples.

This round of cooperation will focus on prevention and treatment of major diseases and protection of habitats and wild giant panda populations, and contribute to the building of giant panda national parks in China. We believe as China-US cooperation in this area deepens, it will enhance the capacity for cooperation and research on endangered wildlife and biodiversity conservation and contribute to the conservation of endangered wildlife and the friendship between Chinese and Americans.

Rudaw Media Network: In the past, there have been attacks on infrastructure in various parts in Iraq. However, it’s the first attack on the Khor Mor gas field on April 26 in Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Following this attack, do you have concern about your security like your institutions’ and companies’ security in the region, fearing they may become targets?

Lin Jian: China expresses concern over the attack on the gas field in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region and grief for the victims. China stands ready to work with Iraq to protect the safety and security of Chinese institutions, projects and personnel in Iraq.

Xinhua News Agency: During his visit to China, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly expressed his concern to the Chinese side about the global economic consequences of China’s “industrial overcapacity”. He said that the question of “overcapacity” is the one that is “front and center” in the China-US relationship, “This is a movie that we’ve seen before, and we know how it ends — with American businesses shuttered and American jobs lost.” What’s your comment?

Lin Jian: During Secretary Blinken’s visit, China made its position clear on this issue. The “China overcapacity” accusation may look like an economic discussion, but the truth is, the accusation is built on false logic and ignores more than 200 years of the basic concept of comparative advantage in Western economics. All countries produce and export products of their comparative advantage and this is the nature of international trade. If a country should be accused of overcapacity and asked to cut capacity whenever it produces more than its domestic demand, then what would countries trade with? If exporting 12 percent of Chinese-made EVs is called overcapacity, then what about Germany, Japan and the US who export 80, 50 and 25 percent respectively of their automobiles? Wouldn’t that be considered more serious overcapacity? Let’s not forget that according to the statistics of the International Energy Agency, to realize carbon neutrality, the world will need 45 million NEVs by 2030, 4.5 times that of the demand of 2022. When the global capacity is still far below the market demand, how could there be “overcapacity”?

The US knows full well that this “overcapacity” allegation is against economic common sense and industry facts, yet still labels China with it. The US claim of “China overcapacity” is not a market-driven conclusion, but a crafted narrative to manipulate perception and politicize trade. The real purpose is to hold back China’s high-quality development and deprive China of its legitimate right to development. There isn’t a “China overcapacity”, but a US overcapacity of anxiety stemming from lack of confidence and smears against China.

As President Xi Jinping pointed out, China welcomes a confident, open, prosperous and thriving United States, and hopes the United States will also look at China’s development in a positive light. The US said it does not seek to contain China’s economy or bar China’s progress in science and technology. We urge the US to honor those words, and stop spreading the false “overcapacity” narrative, stop going after China’s new energy sector with unfair and non-market means and stop impeding the global effort to achieve green transition and development.

Reuters: Two questions from Reuters. So the Chinese Coast Guard said it expelled Philippine Coast Guard ships and vessels that intruded into waters near the Scarborough Shoal. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment? A second question. According to reports, French President Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet President Xi in Paris. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment?

Lin Jian: On your first question, Huangyan Dao has always been China’s territory. The Philippine Coast Guard vessel and official vessel entered waters of Huangyan Dao without Chinese permission, which seriously infringed on China’s sovereignty. China Coast Guard took necessary measures to expel them in accordance with the law. China urges the Philippines to stop making infringement and provocations at once and not to challenge China’s resolve to defend our sovereignty.

On your second question, since last year, China and the EU have fully resumed in-person exchanges at all levels and activated dialogues and cooperation in various fields. China-EU relations have shown sound momentum of steady progress, which is in the interest of both sides and what the international community expects of us. China-EU relations carry strategic significance and global influence. They are crucial to world peace, stability and prosperity. In a world fraught with uncertainties and instability, China and the EU need to form the right perception of each other, enhance mutual understanding and trust, focus on consensus and cooperation, overcome obstacles and difficulties, properly manage differences, and work together to address global challenges.

During his visit to France, President Xi Jinping will hold a trilateral meeting upon request with President Macron and President Von der Leyen. China stands ready to work with France and the EU to take this meeting as an opportunity to make the China-EU relations more strategic, stable, constructive and mutually beneficial, promote steady and sustained progress in China-EU relations, and contribute to the prosperity of both China and Europe and a peaceful world.

Bloomberg: Just want to follow up on the South China Sea. We understand the Philippines’ ship was damaged. Could you comment on the damage? And the Philippines said that three Chinese Coast Guard ships fired water cannon at two Philippine vessels in the South China Sea. And as a result, one of the ships suffered damage. Could you comment on this? 

Lin Jian: I answered that question just now. Let me stress that China Coast Guard took necessary measures in accordance with the law, and the way it handled the situation was professional, proper and lawful.

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In observance of the Labor Day, the MFA regular press conference will be adjourned from May 1 (Wednesday) to 3 (Friday), and resumed on May 6 (Monday). During the holiday, you can reach the spokesperson’s office by fax, email or WeChat as usual. 

Wish everyone a happy holiday.