February 1, 2024*** Spokesperson Wang Wenbin.
Presided over the regular press conference.
foreign ministry spokesperson wang wenbin’s
regular press conference on february 1, 2024
AFP: Yesterday, the US claimed that it had disrupted a network of Chinese hackers targeting US public infrastructure. Separately, the director of the FBI said yesterday that China is the world's largest hacking country. Do you have any response to this?
afp: us authorities said yesterday they had dismantled a chinese network of hackers that targets us public infrastructure. besides, fbi director stated yesterday that china is the country that conducts the most hacking activities. what’s the foreign ministry’s response?
Wang Wenbin: China firmly opposes and cracks down on any form of cyber attacks in accordance with the law. In the absence of effective evidence, the US side has drawn conclusions and made groundless accusations and smears against China, which is extremely irresponsible and purely confuses right and wrong. China firmly opposes this.
wang wenbin: china firmly opposes and cracks down on all forms of cyberattacks in accordance with law. without valid evidence, the us jumped to an unwarranted conclusion and made groundless accusations against china. it is extremely irresponsible and is a complete distortion of facts. china firmly opposes this.
It is the United States that is the initiator and the master of cyber attacks. The U.S. Cyber Forces Command has blatantly listed other countries' critical infrastructure as legitimate targets for U.S. cyberattacks. Since last year, China's cybersecurity agencies have released reports revealing that the United States** has been carrying out cyber attacks on China's critical infrastructure for a long time. Such irresponsible policies and practices put the world's critical infrastructure at great risk. We urge the US to stop cyber theft and attacks around the world, and stop using cyber security issues to smear other countries.
the us itself is the origin and the biggest perpetrator of cyberattacks. the us cyber force command openly declared that the critical infrastructure of other countries is a legitimate target for us cyberattacks. since last year, china’s cybersecurity agencies h**e released reports revealing the us government’s long-running cyberattacks against china’s critical infrastructure. such irresponsible policy and practices h**e exposed global critical infrastructure to huge risks. we urge the us to stop its worldwide cyber espionage and cyberattacks, and stop smearing other countries under the excuse of cyber security.
Bloomberg: The US Department of Defense has added China's leading memory chip maker YMTC and artificial intelligence company Megvii Technology to its list of companies suspected of helping China. The list also previously included companies such as Huawei and SMIC. Do you have any comment on this?
bloomberg: the us pentagon has added china’s leading memory chip maker as well as ai company to a list of companies that it accuses of aiding china’s military. it added yangtze memory and me**ii. that list already has companies like huawei and smic on it. what’s the foreign ministry’s comment on this recent addition of companies to the list by the us pentagon?
Wang Wenbin: We firmly oppose the US side's generalization of the concept of ***, the establishment of discriminatory lists of various titles, the unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies, and the undermining of normal China-US economic and trade cooperation. The US has violated the principle of market competition and international economic and trade rules that it has always flaunted, undermined the confidence of foreign companies in investing and operating in the US, and harmed the interests of US companies and investors.
wang wenbin: china firmly opposes the us overstretching the concept of national security, setting up all kinds of discriminatory lists, going after chinese companies and disrupting normal economic and trade cooperation between china and the us. this is a complete departure from the principles of market competition and international trade rules that the us has long claimed to champion. such moves erode the confidence of foreign companies to invest and operate in the us, and undermine the interests of us companies and investors. it is bound to backfire.
In fact, the United States is the main driver of the military-civilian integration policy. The U.S. people-to-people integration policy can be traced back to before World War I, when the U.S. Department of Defense set up offices in Silicon Valley and other important science and technology towns to guide high-tech enterprises to accelerate the "militarization" and "actual combat" of technology. Many large U.S. multinational corporations are "civil-military integrations", and their business scope and product types span the military-civilian field.
in fact, the us government is the mastermind of military-civil fusion policy. this policy in the us dates back to before wwi, when the us pentagon set up offices in the silicon valley and other tech hubs to guide high-tech companies to accelerate the military application of technologies and their use in the battlefield. many large multinational corporations in the us are actors of the military-civil fusion policy, since their business scope and product portfolio go far beyond the civilian sector into the military sector.
We urge the US to immediately correct these discriminatory practices and provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese enterprises to operate. China will continue to firmly safeguard the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of its enterprises.
we urge the us to immediately correct these discriminatory practices and provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for chinese companies. china will continue to firmly safeguard the lawful and legitimate rights and interests of its companies.
Ukrainian News Agency: Russian ** reported that yesterday, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun told Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu that China supports Russia on the Ukraine issue. Can you tell us more about the specific support that China has given to Russia?
ukrainian news agency: according to russian media, china’s defense minister admiral dong jun told his russian counterpart sergei shoigu yesterday that china provides russia with support on the ukrainian issue. could you please share more detailed information on what kind of support was provided by the chinese side to russia?
Wang Wenbin: Regarding the phone call between the Chinese and Russian defense ministers, China's Ministry of National Defense has released a press release, which you can refer to.
wang wenbin: china’s ministry of national defense released the readout on the video call between chinese and russian defense ministers. you may refer to that.
China's position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear. We hope that all parties will work to ease tensions and create favourable conditions for a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. This position has not changed.
china’s position on the ukraine crisis is consistent and clear. we hope all parties will strive to cool down the tensions and create f**orable conditions for the political settlement of the crisis. this position has not changed.
Bloomberg: New Zealand has agreed to formally join the US-UK-Australia Trilateral Security Partnership (AUKUS), and Australia will soon send a delegation to New Zealand to discuss the possibilities. **Do you have any comment on New Zealand's willingness or plan to consider joining the US-UK-Australia Trilateral Security Partnership?
bloomberg: new zealand has agreed to officially explore joining aukus. australia, for example, will be sending a team of officials to new zealand soon to further discuss this possibility. does the foreign ministry h**e a comment on new zealand’s desire, plan or consideration of joining aukus?
Wang Wenbin: We have stressed many times that the establishment of the so-called "trilateral security partnership" between the US, the UK and Australia to promote cooperation on nuclear submarines and other cutting-edge military technologies is a typical Cold War mentality, which will only stimulate the arms race, undermine the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, and undermine regional peace and stability. Peace-loving countries have expressed strong concern and general opposition to this. For the sake of their own geopolitical interests, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia have ignored the concerns of the international community and gone further and further down the wrong and dangerous path. We hope that relevant countries will cherish the hard-won peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, be prudent in their words and deeds on relevant issues, and take concrete actions to safeguard regional peace, stability and development.
wang wenbin: we’ve repeatedly said that the establishment of the so-called aukus security partnership between the us, the uk and australia to promote cooperation on nuclear submarines and other cutting-edge military technologies reveals a typical cold war mentality. it will only exacerbate arms race, undermine the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and hurt regional peace and stability. peace-loving countries h**e expressed gr**e concern and extensive opposition. the three countries, for their own geopolitical interests, h**e totally disregarded the concerns of the international community and gone further down the wrong and dangerous path. we hope that relevant countries will cherish the hard-won peace and stability in the asia-pacific, be prudent in words and actions on relevant issues and adopt concrete actions to uphold the overall peace, stability and development in the region.
AFP: According to the Vatican's latest announcement, three new Catholic bishops in China have been ordained in accordance with the agreement reached between the Vatican and China in the past week. Do you have any comment on the above announcement and the current relationship between China and the Vatican?
afp: according to vatican’s latest announcement, three newly appointed chinese catholic bishops were consecrated over the past week in accordance with an agreement between the vatican and the chinese government. what’s your comment on the announcement and the current relations between china and the vatican?
Wang Wenbin: In recent years, China and the Vatican have maintained communication, and the provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops signed between the two sides has been well implemented. China is ready to work with the Vatican side to promote the continuous improvement of China-Vatican relations in the spirit of mutual respect and dialogue on an equal footing.
wang wenbin: in recent years, china and the vatican h**e maintained communication and the provisional agreement between the holy see and the people’s republic of china on the appointment of bishops has been well implemented. china stands ready to improve the relations with the vatican based on the spirit of mutual respect and equal-footed dialogue.
CCTV: Yesterday, the United Nations Inter-Agency Standing Committee, composed of the WHO, THE FOOD AND Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN Human Rights Office and other UN specialized agencies and relevant non-governmental organizations, issued a statement saying that the suspension of funding by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) would have catastrophic consequences, and called on them to reconsider their decisions. The statement called on the world to "not abandon the people of Gaza." Do you have any comment?
cctv: the inter-agency standing committee, which brings together the world health organization (who), the food and agriculture organization (fao), the office of the high commissioner for human rights (ohchr) and other un agencies and non-governmental bodies, in a joint statement issued yesterday said that suspension of funds for the un relief and works agency for palestine refugees in the near east (unrwa) by relevant countries would result in disastrous consequences and asked these countries to reconsider their decisions. the statement called on the world “not to abandon the people of gaza.” what’s china’s comment?
Wang Wenbin: The current round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has dragged on for nearly four months, and the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip is unprecedented. In the current situation, there is no second option to de-escalate the crisis except for a ceasefire and an end to the fighting; There are no more urgent priorities than the protection of civilians. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East has played an indispensable and irreplaceable role in alleviating the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Data show that two thirds of the more than 2 million people in the Gaza Strip have benefited from UNRWA. Ensuring the proper and orderly functioning of the Agency's work is a matter of continuity of humanitarian work, of the basic livelihood of the people of Gaza and of the last hope of the refugees on the verge of despair.
wang wenbin: as the ongoing palestinian-israeli conflict drags on into the fourth month, gaza faces unprecedented humanitarian disaster. under the current circumstances, there’s no other choice than a ceasefire that can deescalate the crisis and there’s no other task that is more pressing than protecting civilians. the un relief and works agency for palestine refugees in the near east (unrwa) has made important effort in easing the humanitarian situation in gaza, playing an indispensable and irreplaceable role. data shows that two thirds of the over two million people in gaza received assistance from unrwa. ensuring the normal and orderly operation of the unrwa means ensuring the continuity of the humanitarian relief work and preserving the most basic life guarantee for the people in gaza and the last string of hope for the almost desperate refugees.
We note that the United Nations has initiated an investigation and taken appropriate measures in response to allegations of involvement of UNRWA staff in the attack of 7 October. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said UNRWA was the "backbone" of all humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip. We support independent, impartial and objective investigations by the United Nations. At the same time, it is important to avoid collective punishment of the people of Gaza. We call on the international community, in particular the major donor countries, to put the lives of the people in Gaza first and to reconsider the decision to discontinue funding and to continue to support the Agency's work. The Agency's work must not be completely denied because of the actions of individuals, the population of Gaza must not be allowed to be subjected to additional collective punishment and the humanitarian situation in Gaza must not be allowed to worsen.
we noted that the un has launched an investigation and adopted measures concerning the allegation that unrwa personnel were involved in the october 7 attack. un secretary-general antónio guterres said that unrwa is the “backbone” of all humanitarian response in gaza. we support the un in conducting an independent, just and objective investigation. that said, collective punishment against the people in gaza should be **oided. we call on the international community, especially major donors, to prioritize the lives of the people in gaza, reconsider the decision to suspend funding, and continue to support the work of unrwa. we must not deny all of the work of unrwa because of the moves by certain individuals. we must not allow more collective punishment against the people in gaza. we must not sit idly by and see the humanitarian situation in gaza get worse.