At the invitation of Vice President Han Zheng, Vice President of the Federative Republic of Brazil Geraldo Alckmin will pay an official visit to China from June 4 to 8.

At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yván Gil Pinto will visit China from June 4 to 7.

CCTV: The Chinese side said publicly last week that it will not attend the Summit on Peace in Ukraine organized by Switzerland. Does this mean China does not support Switzerland and Ukraine in holding this summit? Some believe that not attending the summit means not supporting peace and standing on the side of Russia in opposition to Ukraine. What is China’s comment on this?

Mao Ning: China believes that all efforts that are conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis should be supported. We have attached great importance to Switzerland’s organizing the Summit on Peace in Ukraine from the very beginning and have been in close communication with Switzerland, Ukraine and other relevant parties on this. China has repeatedly stressed that the international peace conference needs to meet the three important elements, namely, recognition from both Russia and Ukraine, equal participation of all parties, and fair discussion of all peace plans. As far as China is concerned, the meeting does not yet seem to meet these three elements and that is exactly why China would not be able to take part in the meeting. Let me stress that China’s position on the peace conference is fair and just. Our position does not target any party and certainly not this particular summit. China’s decision on participation is purely based on our assessment of the meeting itself, and we believe relevant parties can understand our position.

Whether one supports peace or not should not be judged by a particular country or on the basis of a particular meeting. China sincerely hopes that a peace conference will not turn into a platform used to create bloc confrontation. Not attending it does not mean not supporting peace. For certain countries, even if they do participate, they do not necessarily whole-heartedly want the conflict to stop. What matters is what kind of action that is being taken. What has happened shows that China has been most firmly and actively committed to promoting talks for peace. China has never sat idly by or fueled the flames, still less profiteered from the conflict. Instead, we have worked relentlessly for a ceasefire, and this has been highly commended by various parties, including Russia and Ukraine.

Xinhua News Agency: To follow up on the announcement of Brazil’s Vice President Geraldo Alckmin’s visit to China. What’s the program and China’s expectation for the visit?

Mao Ning: During the official visit of Brazil’s Vice President Geraldo Alckmin to China, Vice President Han Zheng will have talks with him, and the two vice presidents will co-chair the 7th meeting of the China-Brazil High-level Coordination and Cooperation Committee.

China and Brazil are both major developing countries and important emerging markets, and are each other’s comprehensive strategic partners. This year marks the 50th anniversary of China-Brazil diplomatic ties and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Brazil High-level Coordination and Cooperation Committee. China hopes that this visit will help further consolidate political mutual trust, strengthen strategic communication, and deepen practical cooperation in various fields between the two sides for the sustained growth of our bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. 

Beijing Youth Daily: A question on Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yván Gil Pinto’s visit to China. What’s the program of the visit and how does China view its current relations with Venezuela?

Mao Ning: China and Venezuela are all-weather strategic partners. Last September, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro paid a successful state visit to China. Under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Nicolás Maduro, bilateral relations have entered a new historical period. This year marks the 50th anniversary of China-Venezuela diplomatic ties. We welcome Foreign Minister Yván Gil Pinto to visit China and attend the events celebrating that anniversary. We hope and believe the visit will be a good opportunity to continue to implement the important common understandings reached between the two presidents, carry forward our traditional friendship and provide sustained driving force for our all-weather strategic partnership.

NOS: Last week, a Dutch marine ship passed through first the South China Sea then the Taiwan Strait as part of a bigger freedom of navigation exercise in the region. Is China aware of this transit through the Taiwan Strait? Have Chinese marine vessels for instance also monitored the ship? How does China view this passing?

Mao Ning: I’d refer you to competent authorities for the specifics. Let me say that China respects countries’ right to navigation in accordance with international law, but firmly opposes undermining China’s sovereignty and security in the name of freedom of navigation. The Asia-Pacific is a shining example of peace and development. We hope countries outside the region will do things that are conducive to regional peace and stability, instead of making provocations and stirring up trouble for the peace and stability in the region.

China News Service: The US State Department Spokesperson announced new visa restrictions on officials of the Central Government and the Hong Kong SAR government in a statement released last week on the verdict issued by the Hong Kong court on some of those involved in the case of conspiring to commit subversion. What’s China’s comment?

Mao Ning: The US has deliberately attacked the principle of One Country, Two Systems, smeared the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong SAR, irresponsibly commented on democracy and freedoms in Hong Kong, sought to meddle with Hong Kong SAR’s judicial matters and abused visa restrictions. Such moves blatantly interfere in China’s internal affairs, and violate international law and basic norms governing international relations. China strongly deplores and opposes it.

Let me be clear, the so-called “primary election” organized by those involved in the case who are anti-China and sought to destabilize Hong Kong amounts to a serious challenge to the constitutional order in Hong Kong and endangers national security. Among the defendants involved in the case, 31 have already pleaded guilty. It is reasonable and lawful for the law enforcement and judicial authorities in the Hong Kong SAR to carry out their duties in accordance with the law and punish all acts that undermine national security. The central government firmly supports this.

I would like to stress that Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s domestic affair that brooks no external interference. We urge the US to earnestly respect China’s sovereignty and the rule of law in Hong Kong, and abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations. The US should not in any way meddle with Hong Kong affairs. If the US implements the visa restrictions on officials of the Central Government and the Hong Kong SAR government, China will take firm countermeasures. 

BBC: Can you tell us anything more about this case of the alleged courting of spies in Britain by the UK’s intelligence service MI6? There was a public announcement about this. Do you know anything about the case? Who the people are? Who they work for? Why MI6 might want to use these people as spies? Are we going to see any sort of response from the Chinese government in terms of retribution or something like that?

Mao Ning: Relevant authorities have released detailed information on the case you mentioned. I have nothing to add.

Dragon TV: On June 2, defense ministers of the US, Japan and the ROK held a trilateral meeting in Singapore and issued a joint press statement, in which they blamed China, saying “they strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the waters of the Indo-Pacific,” “emphasized the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” “called for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues,” opposed “unlawful maritime claims” in the South China Sea, and stressed the importance of fully respecting international law including the freedom of navigation and overflight.” The media note of the US-Japan-ROK Trilateral Vice Foreign Minister-Level Dialogue held in Washington on May 31 contains similar negative content on China. US Deputy Secretary of State Campbell claimed that they asked for China to weigh in on Pyongyang to ask them to refrain from the provocative actions and to accept the offers of dialogue that the US, Japan and the ROK have put on the table. What is China’s comment on this?

Mao Ning: We noted this. The US, Japan and the ROK used their trilateral defense ministers’ meeting and trilateral vice foreign minister-level dialogue to advance the so-called “Indo-Pacific Strategy,” point fingers on the Taiwan question, grossly interfere in China’s internal affairs, once again deliberatel