Dragon TV: Over the past few years, China’s wind and solar power generation has been on the rise. Foreign media noted that China added as much new clean energy generation in the first half of this year as the UK produced from all sources in the same period last year, and the rapid growth of China’s renewable energy could be the world’s best hope yet of staving off climate catastrophe. What’s your comment?

Mao Ning: The burgeoning new energy sector has made China one of the countries with the fastest energy intensity reduction in the world. China has built the world’s largest and full-fledged industrial chain of the new energy sector, and provided the world’s 70 percent of PV components and 60 percent of wind power equipment. This gives a strong boost to global energy transition and green, low-carbon and sustainable development. In particular, China’s new energy products effectively boosted the green transition in countries of the Global South and enabled significantly better life for the local people. The many clean energy projects undertaken by China in Africa are helping more and more African countries get on course to green and low-carbon development. Kenya’s Garissa PV power plant undertaken by a Chinese company reduces CO2 emissions by 64,000 tonnes every year, and Guinea’s Kaleta hydropower plant has greatly eased the electricity shortage there.

The third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China stressed the need to ramp up the green transition in all areas of economic and social development, prioritize ecological protection, conserve resources and use them efficiently, and pursue green and low-carbon development. When pursuing green development at home, China will also continue to contribute to addressing climate change and improving global environmental governance. It needs to be pointed out that some countries use “overcapacity” as a pretext to go after China’s green industry. This is not conducive to the global response to climate change. The world needs no green barrier but joint effort for global green transition.

Reuters: An analyst at an institute overseen by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences has said the Philippines is showing the “distinctive characteristics” of what it commonly does before “stirring up trouble in the South China Sea” in expanding military infrastructure on the disputed Zhongye or Thitu Island. Would the Foreign Ministry like to comment on this?

Mao Ning: I’m not familiar with the specific comment you mentioned. On the disputes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, we’ve made clear China’s position on multiple occasions. I’d refer you to those previous statements.

Global Times: China’s economy has grown continuously over the years, and become an important engine for the global economy and a source of development opportunities for the world. However, we noted that recently some say that as the Chinese economy is set to stagnate, countries that benefit by riding China’s rise may now be facing risks. What’s your comment?

Mao Ning: China has for many years been among the fastest-growing major economies in the world and accounted for around 30 percent of global growth. It has become a major trading partner of over 140 countries and regions. This year, China’s economy continues to be on a generally steady, sound and upward trajectory.

The third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China put forward over 300 reform measures, which charted the course for the sustained and sound growth of China’s economy and sent a clear message of expanding high-standard opening up and advancing high-quality development. China will further ease market access, take proactive steps to further open up, and open our doors wider to the least developed countries, so as to make the pie of opening up bigger and the list of cooperation longer, and promote an open world economy through our own opening up. We will continue making active effort to support other developing countries’ capacity-building through international development cooperation. By “teaching others how to fish,” so to speak, we will help fellow developing countries foster the capability for self-driven development, and contribute to the common development of the world through our own development.

With a mega-size market, full-fledged industrial system and a sound business environment, China will provide greater dynamism for the world economy. We stand ready to work with all parties to jointly build a modernized world that enjoys peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation and common prosperity.

Reuters: Are you able to tell us whether China has invited Eswatini which maintains “diplomatic relations” with Taiwan to the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation?

Mao Ning: On the FOCAC Summit, there will be more details that we can share in due course. Please stay tuned. Let me stress that the one-China principle is a prevailing consensus in the international community. Around the world, 183 countries have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle. We hope the very few countries who still maintain so-called “diplomatic ties” with Taiwan will see clearly the trend of history and make a right decision that truly serves their own interests at an early date.

Bloomberg: I will just follow up on the FOCAC summit. My question is about mpox which has become a topic at least on the global health scene. How might that impact FOCAC and are there any plans to introduce sort of restrictions or guidelines or safety measures?

Mao Ning: Preparations for the FOCAC Summit are well underway. We will closely follow relevant developments and make sure the Summit will be a full success.

TV Tokyo: Tomorrow is one year since Japan began releasing “treated water” from the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Japan continues to call for the immediate lifting of the ban on seafood import. Are talks between the Japanese and Chinese governments progressing toward resolving the issue? Is there any concrete progress?

Mao Ning: Without full consultation with neighboring countries, Japan unilaterally started the discharge of the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, spilling the risk of contamination worldwide. This highly irresponsible move is a breach of Japan’s commitments, of international law and of the right way for neighboring countries to get along with each other. China firmly opposes the discharge and has expressed grave concerns to Japan more than once. The precautionary measures taken by China and some other countries in response to Japan’s move are aimed at protecting food safety and people’s health. These measures are entirely legitimate, reasonable and necessary.

China and Japan maintain consultations on the issue of the discharge. Let me stress that the more transparent and open Japan is on the issue, the easier it will be for Japan to alleviate international concerns. China once again calls on Japan to seriously respond to international and domestic concerns, fulfill its responsibilities and obligations, and offer full cooperation in setting up an independent international monitoring arrangement that remains effective in the long haul and has the substantive participation of Japan’s neighboring countries and other stakeholders.

Kyodo News: The head of Taiwan’s office of external affairs Lin Chia-lung and secretary-general of Taiwan’s security council Wu Jaushieh will arrive in Washington this week for talks with senior US government officials. This is Taiwan’s senior officials’ first visit to the US since Lai Ching-te took office as “president” in May. What’s China’s comments?

Mao Ning: First of all, there is no such thing as “president” of Taiwan. As for your question, China firmly opposes any form of official exchange between the US and Taiwan. This position is consistent and clear. We urge the US to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, deliver on the commitments made by the US leaders on the issues related to Taiwan, handle the Taiwan-related issues with utmost prudence, stop any official exchanges with Taiwan, stop upgrading its substantive relations with the region, and stop conniving at and supporting “Taiwan independence” separatist activities in any form.

AFP: A Philippine media outlet released a video of what they said was the Chinese side shooting a flare at a Philippine plane near Subi Reef in the South China Sea. Can you confirm that this incident took place and what comment does China have on this incident? 

Mao Ning: I’m not aware of what you mentioned.

News 1 Korea: August 24 marks the 32nd anniversary of ROK-China diplomatic relations. How does China view its relations with the ROK? Is there any plan between the two governments to hold any commemorative event?

Mao Ning: China and the ROK are close neighbors and each other’s important cooperation partners. Since diplomatic ties were established more than 30 years ago, the two countries have, under our joint efforts, enjoyed close and fruitful exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and established the strategic cooperative partnership. Maintaining and growing the friendly and cooperative ties serves the interests of both countries, and contributes to regional development and prosperity. China is ready to work with the ROK to deliver on the important common understandings between the leaders of our two countries, cherish the commitment that brought our two countries together 32 years ago, keep to the friendly ties and deepen mutually-beneficial cooperation for the sustained, sound and steady development of our bilateral relations.

AFP: Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic US presidential nomination on Thursday. What’s the Foreign Ministry’s comment on it?

Mao Ning: The presidential elections are the United States’ own affairs. We have no comment on that.

AFP: Thailand yesterday confirmed what seems to be Asia’s first case of the new mpox strain. Can you tell us what measures China has taken so far, and if China will take any new measures to stop the spread of mpox?

Mao Ning: I’d refer you to the competent authorities on that question.

(C) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The People’s Republic of China