Xinhua News Agency: Recently there has been a lot of attention on China-Africa poverty reduction cooperation among African media and scholars, who think China-Africa cooperation brings new hope to Africa for realizing food self-sufficiency, poverty reduction and better life. What is your comment on this? What’s the significance of China-Africa cooperation to poverty reduction in Africa?
Lin Jian: Eliminating poverty is the common mission of mankind and common aspiration of the African people. From the ten cooperation plans to the nine programs of China-Africa cooperation, poverty reduction has always been an important part. Over the years, under the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests, we have taken active effort to implement the Program for Strengthening Cooperation on Poverty Reduction between China and the African Union, and carried out poverty reduction exchanges and cooperation under the framework of FOCAC, which produced remarkable results.
Under the poverty reduction and agricultural development program, China has set up and implemented 47 poverty reduction and agricultural projects, trained close to 9,000 agricultural personnel, shared over 300 advanced and applicable technologies, and benefited over 1 million smallholders in Africa. China’s juncao technology has enabled hundreds of thousands of local people to increase their income. China’s hybrid rice has helped increase the rice yields in many African countries from an average of 2 tonnes to 7.5 tonnes per hectare. Chinese experts are setting up demonstration villages of rice cultivation for poverty alleviation to help realize the dream that “every mouth has food and every pocket money.” The agricultural cooperation parks and agricultural products processing plants set up by Chinese companies added much value to local agricultural products. China also opened “green lanes” for African agricultural products which allowed the import of a number of quality African agricultural products to China. Under the initiative of “100 Companies in 1,000 Villages,” Chinese companies in Africa rolled out 320 corporate social responsibility projects, benefiting over 10,000 villages and communities. China has also held several seminars on poverty reduction and development for African officials to share our experience in poverty reduction.
China-Africa cooperation also helps countries in the African continent advance the industrialization process and better stand on their own feet in economic growth. Nigeria’s Lekki Free Trade Zone, the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, and other cooperation zones, which have the investment from China, make African countries a much stronger magnet for foreign investment, and formed industry clusters that took “made in Africa” worldwide. China has also set up 17 Luban Workshops in 15 African countries, which improved local employment.
China is always a staunch supporter of Africa’s exploration of new paths to modernization and an important contributor to Africa’s effort to find new ways of poverty alleviation. We stand ready to continue working with Africa at the upcoming 2024 FOCAC Summit to advance poverty alleviation and create a brighter future for the African people.
AFP: Jake Sullivan, the American presidential security advisor, will visit from 27 to 29. Can you provide any further information on his visit and what will be discussed?
Lin Jian: On National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s visit to China, the leading official of MFA’s Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs gave a briefing which you may refer to. As for the specific arrangement, we will release information in due course.
Folha de S.Paulo: Foreign Minister Wang Yi, meeting his counterparts from Thailand, Myanmar and Laos recently, said that collaborative operations have arrested tens of thousands of suspects in online scam cases. Can you confirm if that includes the Chinese working in Laos, extradited to China, as reported by Bloomberg? And can you tell me if there are Brazilians among those working on these digital scam operations in Southeast Asia?
Lin Jian: China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand discussed cross-border crimes at the Informal Discussion Between the Foreign Ministers of China, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Thailand held in Chiang Mai, Thailand earlier this month. The parties agreed to build on what has been achieved through the joint efforts of combating cross-border crimes, enhance cooperation, maintain close coordination and step up efforts in cracking down on such crimes as online gambling, telecom fraud, drug trafficking and human trafficking, so as to jointly safeguard regional peace and security. On your specific question, I’d refer you to competent Chinese authorities.
CRI: It was reported that after Venezuela’s Supreme Court ruled on August 22 that President Nicolás Maduro won the country’s presidential election, countries including Russia, Cuba and Nicaragua supported the ruling while the US and several Latin American countries refused to accept it. What is China’s comment?
Lin Jian: I have shared China’s position on Venezuela’s election. The Venezuelan people’s choice should be respected and Venezuela’s right to independently choose development path should be respected. We believe the Venezuelan government and people are capable of handling their internal affairs.
AFP: The Chinese Coast Guard yesterday accused a Philippine ship of deliberately colliding with the Chinese Coast Guard vessel near Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea. They also said that China rescued Philippine personnel from the water. The Philippine side said this was “completely unfounded.” What is the Foreign Ministry’s response to this incident?
Lin Jian: Xianbin Jiao is part of China’s Nansha Qundao. On August 25, an official vessel of the Philippines’ Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, ignoring China’s firm opposition and repeated dissuasion, intruded into the adjacent waters of Xianbin Jiao of China’s Nansha Qundao, and acted dangerously by deliberately ramming the China Coast Guard vessel that was carrying out law enforcement operation. The responsibility of causing the collision fully lies with the Philippines. China Coast Guard took necessary measures in accordance with domestic and international law. Its maneuvers at the scene were professional, restrained and appropriate.
For some time, the Philippines has repeatedly sent Coast Guard vessels and official vessels to intrude into the adjacent waters of Xianbin Jiao in an attempt to send supplies to the Philippine Coast Guard vessel, which has been anchoring in the lagoon of Xianbin Jiao for a long time, and seek long-term presence there. The Philippines’ move seriously infringes on China’s sovereignty, violates the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and threatens the peace and stability in the South China Sea. China urges the Philippines to stop the infringement and provocation activities at once, and withdraw the vessel immediately. China will continue to take resolute measures in accordance with law to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and uphold the sanctity of the DOC.
As for the specifics you mentioned, competent authorities of China have released information on that.
Global Times: We noted that a recent article released by a US media outlet commented that China’s increasing investment in manufacturing will exacerbate overcapacity, squeezing businesses around the world and raising the specter of a new global trade war. What’s your comment?
Lin Jian: We noted the report. The popularity of “made in China” worldwide is the result of persistent investment in research and development and cultivating comparative advantages rather than subsidized dumping, still less cornering the market through protectionist measures. With our full-fledged industrial chain in manufacturing, we have helped keep the global industrial and supply chains stable and turbocharged technological progress and industrial upgrade in the world. For 15 years running, the global market share of China’s exports of goods has ranked first and that of China’s imports of goods has ranked second. It is widely considered that China has played an important role in the steady and sound growth of the global economy.
Whenever the US is in trouble, some Americans and media outlets in the country will scapegoat other countries to divert the attention. This is not uncommon. The US has adopted the Inflation Reduction Act to resort to discriminatory subsidies, kept impeding the appointment of new judges to the WTO’s Appellate Body, and arbitrarily imposed high tariffs on goods from other countries. Facts show clearly that these US practices are the biggest source of concern for a new round of trade war in the world. Statistics also speak loudly. Last year among WTO members, the US alone notified 454 measures to the Technical Barriers to Trade Committee, more than the following five members combined.
By resorting to protectionism, the US will not be able to reap the benefits alone but will only lose the opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation. Over the years, China’s growth has been deeply connected with global development. Going forward, we will further expand high-standard opening up and foster new driving forces for global growth. An open China embracing cooperation will consistently provide opportunities to the world.
TASS: It was reported that Chinese leader will visit Kazan, Russia and attend the 16th BRICS Summit in October. What is your comment on this? Can you confirm it?
Lin Jian: China supports Russia in hosting various events of BRICS cooperation in 2024 as the rotating chair. China stands ready to work with BRICS partners to make the 16th BRICS Summit a full success.
(C) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The People’s Republic of China
