Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian’s Regular Press Conference on February 3, 2026

China Daily: Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi had strategic communication with Secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council Sergei Shoigu. Shoigu said that Russia firmly opposes Japan's attempts to accelerate remilitarization. What's China's comment?

Lin Jian: China and Russia have highly similar positions on certain issues concerning Japan. Japan's quickened remilitarization threatens regional peace and stability and has put the international community and regional countries on high alert.

Regarding Japan's faster moves to remilitarize itself, some basic facts need to be stressed. First, a series of treaties with full effect under international law, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, contain clear stipulations on Japan's postwar obligations. Japan's Constitution also has strict restrictions on Japan's military strength, right of belligerency and right to war. Second, after WWII, Japan has never made a clean break with militarism. The Yasukuni Shrine still honors 14 convicted Class-A war criminals. The right-wing forces in Japan try to whitewash and gloss over its history of aggression by revising textbooks of history and other moves. Third, Japan has accelerated its military buildup. Japan's defense budget has increased for 14 consecutive years up by over 60 percent in the past five years, reaching US$58 billion. The defense expenditure accounts for two percent of GDP. Japan has kept advancing the conversion of its frigates into aircraft carriers, developed and purchased intermediate-range missiles with a range of over 1,000 km, and built a combat system covering land, sea, aerial, space, cyber and electromagnetic domains. In 2025, Japan exported Patriot missiles and frigates for the first time and broke through the restrictions on deadly weapons exports. Japanese officials even clamored for the possession of nuclear weapons and sought to revise the three Non-Nuclear Principles.

These facts demonstrate that Japan has been pushing for remilitarization with an actual roadmap and concrete steps. The lessons of the history are still fresh in memory. China and all other peace-loving countries must jointly reject the Japanese right-wing forces' ambitions to remilitarize Japan and defend the outcomes of the WWII victory and hard-won peace in the world.

AFP: The U.S. is expected to launch a critical mineral stockpile with US$12 billion in initial funding. This comes as Washington seeks to lower reliance on China for rare earths and other resources. Does the Chinese Foreign Ministry have a comment on this?

Lin Jian: On maintaining the stability and security of global critical mineral industrial and supply chains, China's position remains unchanged. All sides have the responsibility to play a constructive role in this regard.

China-Arab TV: Pakistan's military has recently said that multiple attacks by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a terrorist organization, in Quetta, Gwadar Port and other places in the province of Balochistan killed 15 security personnel and over 18 civilians. The BLA claimed that 84 Pakistani security personnel were killed. What's China's comment?

Lin Jian: China strongly condemns the attacks. We mourn for the lives lost, and our hearts go out to the injured and those who lost their loved ones.

China firmly opposes any form of terrorism and will as always firmly support Pakistan in combating terrorism, maintaining solidarity and social stability, and protecting the safety of the people.

Telesur: It has been one month since the bombing carried out by the United States against civilian population and military targets, as well as critical infrastructure in Venezuela, followed by the invasion that led to the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. What is the Chinese government's assessment of these developments after one month, and what role is China playing to help ensure the release of the presidential couple?

Lin Jian: A month ago, the U.S. blatantly launched military strikes against Venezuela and forcibly seized President Maduro and his wife. Such hegemonic moves seriously violated international law, infringed upon Venezuela's sovereignty and threatened peace and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean. China firmly opposes this. China supports Venezuela in safeguarding its sovereignty, dignity and lawful rights, and will work with the international community to firmly defend the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, the fundamental principles of international justice, and international fairness.

Nippon TV: Yesterday Japan has succeeded mining mud which is estimated to contain rich rare earths. It is reported they are aiming to lower reliance of rare earth supply from China. Does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have any comment on this?

Lin Jian: We've noted that there have been similar reports in Japan in recent years.

RIA Novosti: The Russia-U.S. New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty expires on February 5. Russian President Vladimir Putin previously announced that Russia was prepared to continue adhering to the New START treaty restrictions for one more year. But the United States has not yet responded to Russia. I wonder what's China's view on how will the absence of any arms control agreement between the two largest nuclear powers affect global strategic stability in the future?

Lin Jian: China noted the constructive proposal Russia put forward regarding the arrangement after New START expires. We hope the U.S. will actively respond to the proposal and truly uphold global strategic stability.

RIA Novosti: Earlier the Financial Times reported that U.S. President Donald Trump wants to maintain the nuclear weapon restrictions and include China in arms control negotiations. What's your position?

Lin Jian: China's position on a trilateral negotiation with the U.S. and Russia on nuclear arms control is clear. China's nuclear strength is by no means at the same level with that of the U.S. It is neither fair nor reasonable to ask China to join the nuclear disarmament negotiations at this stage.