Editor’s note: Here are excerpts of media queries and the response of Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian at regular press conferences in Beijing during Sept 23-25.

Q-Sept 23: At the Quad summit in the US over the weekend, US President Biden made some remarks on China. He said that China continues to act aggressively and is testing the US and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region. What’s the Foreign Ministry’s comment?

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian: Quad is identified as the premier regional grouping that plays a leading role in the US’ Indo-Pacific strategy. It is a tool the US uses to contain China and perpetuate US hegemony. The Indo-Pacific strategy attempts to patch up forces to exclude and contain China by peddling the “China threat” narrative, and Quad tries to muster military and security cooperation under the pretext of maritime issues—same intention, same tactics. Though the US claims that it does not target China, the first topic of the summit is about China and China was made an issue throughout the event. The US is lying through its teeth and even the US media does not believe it.

China believes that cooperation between countries should not target any third party or even harm their interests. Any regional initiative should follow the overwhelming trend of the region and promote regional peace, stability, and prosperity. Ganging up to form exclusive groupings undermines the mutual trust and cooperation between regional countries, runs counter to the overwhelming trend of pursuing peace, development, cooperation and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific, and is bound to fail.

The US needs to get rid of its obsession with perpetuating its supremacy and containing China, stop using regional countries as its tool, stop glossing over the strategic intention behind all kinds of exclusive groupings, and act on its word that the revitalization of its alliances is not targeted at China, instead of seeking selfish gains at the expense of other countries’ strategic security interests and the well-being of the people in the Asia-Pacific.

Q-Sept 23: Quad leaders said in the joint statement that they are seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas, which apparently refers to China. Has China protested to relevant countries?

Lin: The situation in the East and South China Seas is generally stable. Some country outside the region keeps cobbling together small groupings and tries every means to meddle in maritime issues at China’s doorstep in order to incite bloc confrontation, escalate the situation, and undermine regional peace and stability. Let me stress that no interference from any force will weaken China’s determination in defending its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with law and keeping the region peaceful and stable.

Q-Sept 23: Further to what you spoke about the Quad summit in the US, the summit for the first time approved a joint coast guard cooperation at sea. And also they have rather agreed to strengthen cooperation in the Indian Ocean region and recognized India’s leadership in finalizing the (Indian Ocean Rim Association) Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and expressed support for that. Do you have any comment on this?

Lin: Cooperation between countries should be conducive to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region, rather than focusing on forming exclusive groupings that undermine trust and cooperation among regional countries.

China is open to normal cooperation between relevant countries at sea, but the cooperation should not target other countries or undermine regional peace and stability under any pretext.

Q-Sept 24: Southern and eastern Lebanon suffered massive attacks by Israeli military. As of last night, over 1,300 targets have been hit by Israeli airstrikes, leaving more than 2,000 dead or injured, including women and children. What’s China’s comment?

Lin: China is closely following the current tensions between Lebanon and Israel and feels deeply shocked by the heavy casualties inflicted by relevant military operations. China opposes any infringement on Lebanon’s sovereignty and security. We oppose and condemn any move that harms innocent civilians. We call on relevant parties to take measures immediately to cool down the situation, prevent further escalation of regional tensions, uphold peace and stability in the Middle East, and protect the safety of the people there.

Q-Sept 24: It’s recently reported by some US and European media outlets that the US is drafting a “New York Joint Statement” that is set to be signed later this month in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), and EU member countries are discussing whether to join the pledge or not. Countries signing the statement will promote “reliable and trusted cable components and services” and “encourage undersea cable network service providers and operations and maintenance providers to have transparent ownership, partnerships, and corporate governance structures.” They would also demand network operators to have supply chain security and data security measures in place. Some media believed that by doing so, the US attempts to exclude Chinese companies from the global undersea cable supply chain. What’s China’s comment?

Lin: International undersea cables are the most important type of information carrier in international communications of our time and the underpinning infrastructure for international digital economy and cross-border trade. Regrettably, however, the US has in recent years blatantly contravened international rules and business operation models, built a small yard with high fences targeted at China in the field of undersea cables, and kept abusing state power to go after and suppress Chinese companies, products and technologies. The fact that the US advocates the signing of such an exclusive joint statement on undersea cables during the UNGA says everything about its ill intention.

Undersea cables are typical international infrastructure for civilian uses, which bear on global cyber connectivity and the well-being of people around the world. China firmly opposes the US turning undersea cables into a political and security issue, which severely disrupts international market rules, threatens global digital connectivity and cybersecurity, and denies other countries, especially developing countries, the right to develop their undersea cable industry and independently choose undersea cable suppliers. China will, as always, firmly defend the lawful and legitimate interests of Chinese companies, support the international community in conducting undersea cable cooperation under the principles of fairness, justice, equality and inclusiveness, and firmly oppose the US’ unilateral and hegemonic moves.

Q-Sept 23: I’ve learned that a delegation of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was invited to visit China. Could you share more details with us?

Lin: From Sept 17 to 22, OPCW director-general, chairperson of the OPCW Executive Council, chairperson of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and diplomatic envoys and representatives from 13 member states of the OPCW Executive Council visited China.

The visit of the delegation aims to thoroughly and completely destruct chemical weapons abandoned by Japan in China as early as possible, uphold the authority of the CWC, and realize the goal of creating “a world free of chemical weapons.” During their stay in China, the delegation made a field visit to the sites where the ACWs (abandoned chemical weapons) have been excavated, recovered and destructed. All parties stressed that the CWC clearly stipulates Japan’s obligation to destruct the Japanese ACWs, and supported the OPCW in continuing its serious review, monitoring and verification in order to ensure the effective implementation of relevant articles.

Let me stress that during the war of aggression against China, the Japanese army used and abandoned a huge quantity of chemical weapons in China, the grave harm of which still haunts this land. To remove the hazardous Japanese ACWs is Japan’s unshirkable historical, political and legal responsibility. Japan needs to strictly abide by the CWC and the relevant MOU between the governments of China and Japan, act with greater urgency and a sense of responsibility, and do everything possible to speed up the full chain disposal of the ACWs so that the day will come sooner when the hazardous Japanese ACWs are destroyed completely and thoroughly, and the Chinese people no longer have to live on soil tainted by ACWs.

China looks to the OPCW playing a greater role in monitoring Japan’s fulfillment of its commitments under relevant convention and continuing striving for the lofty goal of creating “a world free of chemical weapons.”

Q-Sept 24: Regarding the fatal stabbing of a Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at the meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa in New York, “The Japanese side should view this calmly and rationally and avoid politicization and exaggeration.” So could you elaborate on what politicization and exaggeration means in this case?

Lin: Let me reiterate that it’s an individual case, and China is investigating and handling the case in accordance with the law. We noted that some in Japan have been linking this individual case with so-called “anti-Japan” comments on Chinese social (media) networks, and exaggerating and sensationalizing so-called “safety risks”. This type of rhetoric is clearly not what the facts have shown. I made clear China’s position yesterday. I want to stress again that China will as always protect the safety of all foreign nationals in China, and we hope Japan can view this individual case in a calm and rational way, and avoid the case from being politicized or inflated.

Q-Sept 24: The Biden administration proposed new rules blocking the sale or import of connected vehicle software and hardware originating from China and Russia to prevent the threat of hacking. The (US) Department of Commerce believes that it concerns national security. What’s the Foreign Ministry’s comment?

Lin: I’d refer you to competent authorities for the specifics. I have elaborated our position on this issue yesterday. The discriminatory practices of the US targeting particular companies and products of certain countries violate the basic principles of the WTO, disrupt international trade and investment, destabilize global industrial and supply chains and will eventually undermine the US’ own interests.

What the US needs to do is to stop bringing down and containing other countries in the name of national security and create an open, fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for companies from all countries. China will firmly safeguard its lawful rights and interests.

Q-Sept 25: On Sept 24, at the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council, over 100 countries spoke up to support China’s position on issues related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Xizang, and to oppose politicizing human rights issues. What’s China’s comment?

Lin: On Sept 24, at the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council held in Geneva, in response to the attacks and smears on China’s human rights situation by the US and a handful of countries, over 100 countries supported China’s just position and opposed the politicization of human rights issues in various ways, including making separate and joint statements. Cuba delivered a joint statement on behalf of nearly 80 countries. They stressed that issues related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Xizang are China’s internal affairs. They spoke against the politicization of human rights issues, the application of double standards and interference in other countries’ internal affairs in the name of human rights.

China delivered a joint statement on behalf of member states of the Group of Friends on the Promotion of Human Rights through Dialogues and Cooperation. They called on the UN Human Rights Council to play its due role for countries to accumulate trust and advance cooperation through dialogue and exchanges. Statements were made in support of China’s position by Uganda on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, and Gambia on behalf of the African Group.

The fact that over 100 countries spoke up once again for justice and voiced support for China at the UN fully shows that the US and a handful of Western countries politicizing human rights issues find no support in the international community, and such move is doomed to fail. China urges the US to deeply reflect on and earnestly address its domestic human rights issues, stop interfering in other countries’ internal affairs and play a constructive role in international human rights cooperation.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS