At the invitation of Premier of the State Council Li Keqiang, Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, will pay an official visit to China starting from November 1. 

Dragon TV: You just announced the upcoming visit by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to China. Can you share more information on the visit? How does China see its relations with Pakistan? What’s the expectation for this visit?

Wang Wenbin: This visit will be Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s first trip to China after taking office and a continuation of the sound momentum of close high-level exchanges between our two countries. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is among the first foreign leaders to visit China upon invitation after the successful conclusion of the 20th CPC National Congress, which speaks to the special friendship and strategic mutual trust between China and Pakistan. During the visit, President Xi Jinping will meet with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Premier Li Keqiang will hold talks with him, and Chairman Li Zhanshu will meet with him. The leaders will have in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common interest, and jointly chart the course for and steer the growth of China-Pakistan relations. 

China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners and iron-clad friends. Over the past 70-plus years since the establishment of diplomatic ties between our two countries, no matter how the international landscape has evolved, we have always rendered each other mutual understanding, mutual trust and mutual support. In recent years, in the face of changes in our world, our times, and history, China and Pakistan have marched forward shoulder-to-shoulder. We have jointly responded to the challenges of COVID-19 and major natural disasters, pursued high-quality CPEC cooperation, deepened exchanges and cooperation across the board and worked in close coordination in international and regional affairs. China looks forward to working with Pakistan to take this visit as an opportunity to further advance our all-weather and high-level strategic cooperation, build an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future and make greater contribution to upholding regional peace and stability and international fairness and justice. 

Reuters: The United States, Japan and South Korea warned on Wednesday that if North Korea conducts a seventh nuclear bomb test, that would warrant an unparalleled response. My first question is, does the foreign ministry have any comment on this warning to North Korea? Second, does the foreign ministry share the concerns of the US and its allies that North Korea could be about to resume nuclear bomb testing for the first time since 2017?

Wang Wenbin: We hope the parties concerned will face squarely the root cause and timeline of events of the protracted impasse on the Korean Peninsula and do more to enhance mutual trust and address parties’ concerns in a balanced way. 

AFP: According to the White House website, US President Biden spoke with the UK’s new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak yesterday, and the two sides agreed to address the challenges posed by China together. Do you have any comment on this?

Wang Wenbin: China is a development partner and an opportunity for other countries, not a threat or challenge. We urge the US to abandon the zero-sum mentality and embrace the trend of our times. Instead of propagating the obsolete “China threat” theory and piecing together small blocs that are bound to fail, the US might as well try to adopt a new vision featuring openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation and do more to contribute to a more peaceful and prosperous world. 

CCTV: It is reported that a Taiwan university’s research vessel New Ocean Researcher 1 was interfered with and demanded to leave by a patrol ship of the Japan Coast Guard when operating in waters east of Taiwan. The patrol ship claimed that the research vessel should not conduct research activities in what it called Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) without Japan’s consent. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: The incident you mentioned occurred in waters only 60-plus nautical miles off the coast of the island of Taiwan. Chinese research institutions, including those from Taiwan, have the right to carry out scientific research activities in those waters free from foreign interference. China and Japan have not yet carried out maritime delimitation in waters east of Taiwan. China does not accept the notion of the so-called “Japanese EEZ” and the so-called exercise of jurisdiction. The Chinese side has made démarches to the Japanese side and asked Japan not to interfere with the research activities of Chinese vessels, including the vessels from the Taiwan region, in those waters. 

AFP: The first question is about a potential deal between China’s COSCO and Hamburg’s container terminal. A source has told AFP that the German government could consider allowing COSCO to buy a 24.9% stake in the terminal. Do you have any comment on this possibility? And the second question is about Dutch media reports that say China is running two illegal police stations in the Netherlands. Can you confirm if China has any police operations there? Do you have any response to these reports?

Wang Wenbin: On your first question, cooperation benefits both sides. We hope relevant parties will view China-Germany practical cooperation in a rational light and stop groundless hype. 

On your second question, the allegation is simply untrue. Chinese public security authorities are fully committed to fighting transnational crimes in accordance with the law, while strictly observing international law and fully respecting the judicial sovereignty of other countries.

With regard to what you referred to as “overseas police stations”, they are in fact overseas Chinese service centers. It is learned that due to COVID-19, a large number of overseas Chinese nationals are unable to return to China in time for services such as renewing their driving license. As a solution to these particular difficulties, relevant sub-national authorities have opened up an online licensing platform. The purpose of the service centers is to help overseas Chinese nationals in need access the platform to have their driving licenses renewed and receive physical examinations. I would refer you to the competent authorities if you need more details.

CCTV: We have noted that the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has included in the Party Constitution the statement on holding dear humanity’s shared values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom. Why does China underline humanity’s shared values? Why are they relevant to our times? And what are their significance for human development and progress?

Wang Wenbin: The 20th CPC National Congress, which was successfully concluded a few days ago, deliberated and unanimously adopted the revised Constitution of the Communist Party of China, which included in the Party Constitution the statement on advancing humanity’s shared values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom. This is a strong message from the CPC with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core to respond to the questions and changes of our times in light of China’s national rejuvenation endeavor and the global changes of a magnitude not seen in a century. It reflects the deep sense of commitment and responsibility of Chinese communists to the common good of the world and humanity.

Peace is the common aspiration of people in the world and humanity’s long-cherished dream. Like air and sunshine, peace is hardly noticed when we are benefiting from it. But none of us can live without it. Development is an eternal theme of humanity and provides what is essential for promoting people’s wellbeing in the world. Equity and justice are the cornerstones of the international order and are vital to the moral foundation of international relations. Democracy and freedom are political ideals and an unremitting pursuit of humanity. They are humanity’s common rights, not a patent possessed by a few countries or individuals. They are about achieving common and well-rounded development for all, not a privilege of a few. As President Xi Jinping stressed, peace and development are our common cause, equity and justice our common aspiration, and democracy and freedom our common pursuit. This is the essence of humanity’s shared values of our times.

China is a staunch advocate and active practitioner of humanity’s shared values. Over the past decade since China entered the new era, we have put forth the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, practiced true multilateralism and worked to build an open world economy, make international relations more democratic and boost exchange and mutual learning between civilizations. The list goes on and on. What China has proposed and done are inspired by its cultural heritage which informs us that a just cause always finds great support and that all people under heaven are of one family. They are also inspired by the CPC’s commitment to contributing more to human progress. They are evidence of the bright prospects of humanity’s shared values.

Humanity’s shared values embody the common aspiration for a better life shared across civilizations. They transcend the hypocrisy of Western-centrism and civilizational superiority. They transcend the arbitrariness of Cold-War mentality, bullying and hegemonism. They transcend exporting values and stoking ideological confrontation. They provide the true yardstick for identifying right from wrong and good from evil. 

We are firmly convinced that as long as we stand on the right side of history and human progress, countries in the world will seek common ground while reserving differences, live in harmony, pursue win-win cooperation, and promote mutual understanding and affinity. The world will work together to build a human community with a shared future and jointly make the world a better place.