Remarks of Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu at the Second Press Conference Hosted by the Press Center for the Events Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the[...]

Head of the Press Center for the events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War Shou Xiaoli: Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to the second press conference hosted by the Press Center for the events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Today, we are pleased to have Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu with us to introduce China's commitment to peaceful development and the efforts in building a community with a shared future for mankind, and take your questions.

Now, let me first give the floor to Mr. Ma Zhaoxu.

Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu: Good morning, Moderator and friends from the media. It is a great pleasure to attend today's press conference and share information on China's commitment to peaceful development and the efforts in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

The great victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression marks a historical turning point in the Chinese nation's journey from a grave crisis in modern times to a great rejuvenation. It has a significant and far-reaching influence on the great cause of securing victory in the Anti-Fascist War and striving for world peace by the people of all countries in the world. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), China has stayed committed to an independent foreign policy of peace, put forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, advocated a multipolar world and greater democracy in international relations, and made important contributions to the cause of world peace and development.

In the new era, the century-defining transformation is accelerating across the globe, with multiple risks compounding one another. Deficits in peace, development, security, and governance are getting wider, and human society has once again come to a critical crossroads. Standing at a historical vantage point, President Xi Jinping, bearing in mind the common interests of the Chinese people and people around the world, and with his broad strategic insight, extraordinary political wisdom and deep commitment to the world as the leader of a major party and a major country, has gained a deep understanding of the prevailing trends and laws governing the evolution of human society. With remarkable foresight, he put forward the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, answering the question raised by the world, by history, and by the times about where humanity should be headed. At this historical juncture, he has charted the course for world peace and development, forging a strong consensus for the common progress of humanity.

President Xi Jinping pointed out that humanity is a community with a shared future in which all prosper or suffer together. Countries are not riding separately in some 190 small boats, but rather, we are all in a giant ship on which our shared destiny hinges. Small boats may not survive wind and waves, but a giant ship is strong enough to brave the stormy seas. A community with a shared future for mankind means that the future of each and every nation and country is interlocked, so we should stick together through thick and thin and endeavor to build this planet of ours into a big harmonious family and actualize the aspiration of all peoples for a better life.

In 2013, President Xi Jinping first proposed at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations that "the world has increasingly emerged as a community with a shared future in which everyone's interests are closely intertwined". In 2015, at the 70th Session of the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly, President Xi Jinping clearly outlined a five-point proposal for building a community with a shared future for mankind. In 2017, President Xi Jinping further proposed five goals for shaping a better world in his speech at the U.N. Office in Geneva.

At the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs held in December 2023, President Xi Jinping delivered an important address, further establishing the pillars of building a community with a shared future for mankind as a scientific system: The goal is to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security and shared prosperity; the pathway is promoting global governance that features extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit; the guiding principle is to apply the common values of humanity; the basic underpinning lies in building a new type of international relations; the strategic guidance comes from the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative; and the platform for action is high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. On this basis, we hope to work with countries of the world to meet challenges and achieve prosperity for all.

The vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind inherits and promotes the diplomatic principles, strategic thinking, and fine traditions established since the founding of the PRC, and has continuously developed and grown richer amid the magnificent practice of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. This vision stems from a rational design of state-to-state relations. It is based on the common consensus and shared expectations of the international community. It also derives from China's sense of responsibility as a major country. It establishes a new approach to international relations, provides new wisdom for global governance, opens up new dynamics for international exchanges, and outlines a new vision for a better world. Such a vision rises above the exclusive rules of bloc politics, the hegemonic notion of "might makes right", and the "universal values" defined by a handful of Western countries, creating the greatest synergy for jointly building a better world.

With the joint efforts of all parties, building a community with a shared future for mankind has developed from a Chinese initiative to an international consensus, from a promising vision to substantive actions, and from a conceptual proposition to a scientific system. It has made a historic leap from bilateral to multilateral levels, from regional to global dimensions, from development to security, and from cooperation to governance, achieving ground-breaking results on every front.

It is now widely recognized in the international community that the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind transcends self-interest and protectionism. Instead, by presenting China's vision of the course of human development, it confronts the hegemonic thinking of certain countries that seek supremacy. It is therefore of great significance to promote solidarity and cooperation among all countries and create a better future for humanity. Many in the world have expressed that "the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind represents the voice of the international community" and "brings peace, development, and hope to the world". U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said that the purpose of practicing multilateralism is to build a community with a shared future for mankind. The vision has been written into resolutions of the U.N. General Assembly and declarations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit for eight years in a row, and into declarations of the BRICS Summit on eight occasions. With its core tenets included in the U.N.'s "Pact for the Future", the vision has become a major international public good with symbolic significance in today's world.

President Xi Jinping pointed out that dreams and wishes may be far, but they can be fulfilled with dedicated pursuit. Building a community with a shared future for mankind is a goal that requires efforts from generation after generation. China is willing to work with all countries around the world to uphold the vision of a shared future, draw wisdom from history, undertake the responsibility for our times, stay united in overcoming challenges, move forward hand in hand, and make unremitting efforts toward the great goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Thank you.

Shou Xiaoli: Thank you, Vice Minister Ma Zhaoxu, for your introduction. We will now move on to the Q&A session. Friends from the media, please ask your questions, and kindly state your news organization before asking. The press conference will provide a full range of simultaneous interpretation. If any reporters ask questions in English, the questions will be interpreted consecutively into Chinese. Now, please raise your hands to ask questions.

China Daily: Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), President Xi Jinping has personally engaged in a series of remarkable head-of-state diplomacy activities. We have also learned that there will be a range of bilateral and multilateral diplomatic activities during the upcoming SCO Summit. May I ask how you view the strategic guiding role of head-of-state diplomacy in building a community with a shared future for mankind? Thank you.

Ma Zhaoxu: Head-of-state diplomacy is the highest form of China's diplomacy and plays a decisive role in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, President Xi Jinping has made personal efforts to plan and lead a series of high-profile head-of-state diplomacy activities with numerous highlights. He has made 55 overseas visits to 72 countries across five continents and hosted more than 230 foreign heads of state on state visits to China.

President Xi Jinping has engaged in in-depth strategic communication with leaders from various countries, reached out to the people of other countries, and elaborated on the principles of peaceful development, the path of win-win cooperation, and the strategy of "working together for this one and only planet Earth". His efforts have injected forces of peace, stability, and progress into a world fraught with changes and turmoil.

President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin took a high-speed train together and watched an ice hockey match. He also celebrated the birthday of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and signed the book "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" carried by Chilean President Gabriel Boric, creating memorable diplomatic moments. From state visits to home-court diplomatic events and from international multilateral summits to important domestic conferences, President Xi Jinping has profoundly elaborated on the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, continuously enriching the theoretical base of this vision and deepening international consensus.

At present, China and the world are standing at a new starting point, heading toward a shared future. We must thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, follow the guidance of head-of-state diplomacy, and forge ahead in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

China Review News: Currently, international and regional hotspot issues are emerging one after another, impacting global peace and stability. How does China apply the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind to address peace and security issues? Thank you.

Ma Zhaoxu: Over the past 80 years since the end of World War II, the world has largely maintained peace. However, the world today is far from tranquil. Regional hotspots and conflicts are frequent, while traditional and non-traditional security threats are intertwined and compounded, making the international security environment more severe and complex. President Xi Jinping, for the future and welfare of humanity, put forward the Global Security Initiative, advocating that all countries should stay committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security; stay committed to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries; stay committed to abiding by the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter; stay committed to taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously; stay committed to peacefully resolving differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation; and stay committed to maintaining security in both traditional and non-traditional domains. This provides China's solution for eliminating the root causes of international conflicts, addressing global security challenges, and improving global security governance. Currently, the Global Security Initiative has gained the support of over 130 countries and regional and international organizations. It has been written into over 140 bilateral and multilateral documents between China and other countries or international organizations.

Since the founding of the PRC, China has never started a war, or occupied an inch of land of others. China is the only country around the world that includes in its Constitution the commitment to the path of peaceful development, and China is the only country among the major nuclear-weapon states that is committed to no-first-use of nuclear weapons. China has all along upheld the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter. China has dispatched the most peacekeepers among the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, and is the second largest contributor to the U.N. peacekeeping budget. China has made outstanding contributions to maintaining global peace.

As we will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, we aim to remember history, honor the fallen heroes, cherish peace and create a better future, while upholding a correct historical perspective on World War II and gathering strengths for safeguarding peace. China stands ready to work with all parties to ensure the sound implementation of the Global Security Initiative, injecting more stability and certainty into the international community and jointly building a world of lasting peace and universal security. Thank you.

Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation: Currently, global development faces multiple challenges such as unilateralism and protectionism, and the implementation of the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is progressing slowly. Under the current circumstances, how will China play a greater role in promoting global development?

Ma Zhaoxu: As you mentioned, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, impacting the global economic recovery. International development cooperation is lacking momentum, and the implementation of the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is severely delayed. The cause of humanity's sustainable development is facing severe challenges.

President Xi Jinping pointed out that China cannot develop in isolation from the rest of the world, nor can the world achieve prosperity without China. Based on its new development, China constantly offers new opportunities to the world and promotes modernization in countries around the world through Chinese modernization. China stays committed to expanding high-standard opening up, pushing for an open world economic system, advancing trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, upholding the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its center, and keeping global industrial and supply chains stable and unimpeded. We have made solid progress in pursuing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. With over 150 countries joining the big family of Belt and Road cooperation, this road to happiness is growing ever broader. China announces eight actions to support global development and to grant zero-tariff treatment to all least developed countries having diplomatic relations with China for 100 percent tariff lines.

President Xi Jinping put forth the Global Development Initiative with an aim to refocus international attention on the issue of development and reaffirm commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Over 100 countries and international organizations have supported and participated in cooperation on the initiative, and more than 80 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative. Practical cooperation within the framework of the initiative has delivered tangible benefits to people in various countries.

At present, global economic growth remains sluggish, and the development gap continues to widen. We should revisit the original intent of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, reinvigorate global partnerships for development, and implement the Global Development Initiative, so as to bring more benefits to people in all countries around the world. Thank you.

Guangming Daily: In recent years, the "clash of civilizations", "superiority of certain civilization" and other rhetoric are resurfacing, and the conflicts and challenges facing the development of human civilization have become more complex. What are China's positions and propositions regarding eliminating estrangement between civilizations and promoting mutual learning and exchanges among civilizations? Thank you.

Ma Zhaoxu: In 2023, President Xi Jinping put forth the Global Civilization Initiative, calling for jointly advocating the respect for the diversity of civilizations in the world, the common values of humanity, the importance of inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. This initiative provides important guidance for advancing exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and offers a fundamental guideline for fostering friendly exchanges among people of all countries.

The Global Civilization Initiative has increasingly become a global consensus, being included in U.N. resolutions and various bilateral and multilateral documents on multiple occasions. In 2024, the 78th Session of the U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution to declare June 10 the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations. On July 10 this year, the Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting opened in Beijing, to which President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter, pointing the way forward for dialogue and exchanges among different civilizations. Since President Xi Jinping proposed the initiative of "50,000 in five years" in 2023, more than 30,000 young Americans have visited China, made friends with Chinese youth, and witnessed a real China. As China grants a unilateral visa-free entry or implements a complete mutual visa exemption with 75 countries and issues a visa-free transit policy for 55 countries, "China Travel" gains growing popularity. Black Myth: Wukong, Ne Zha 2, Labubu and other cultural products have gained worldwide popularity, continuing the touching stories of exchanges and mutual learning between China and the rest of the world.

All civilizations are rooted in their unique cultural environment. Each embodies the wisdom and vision of a country or nation, and each is valuable for being uniquely its own. Human beings are different only in terms of skin color and the language used. No civilization is superior over others. As human society has entered the 21st century, preaching or even creating "clash of civilizations" is nothing but backpedaling.

China stands ready to work with all countries to uphold the values of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, and practice the Global Civilization Initiative, thereby making greater contributions to the progress of human civilization. Thank you.

China Central Television: We've also noted that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. In the face of emerging global challenges, some argue that multilateral mechanisms, represented by the United Nations, have failed to play their due role. How does China view the status and role of the United Nations?

Ma Zhaoxu: Everyone may remember that China was the first country to sign the U.N. Charter. Over the past 80 years since its founding, the United Nations has shouldered the earnest aspirations of people worldwide for peace and development. To this day, the United Nations remains the most universal, authoritative and representative inter-governmental organization.

Eighty years later, human civilization has made significant progress, yet realizing the promising vision depicted in the U.N. Charter remains a long and arduous task. In particular, a certain country is bent on unilateral acts, withdraws from treaties and organizations, and follows a selective approach toward the United Nations, which severely undermines the international order and system. In recent years, a series of major crises and challenges have repeatedly reminded us that the role of the United Nations must be strengthened, not weakened. Its status must be upheld, not replaced. The key to whether or not the United Nations can play its due role lies in whether its member states can uphold the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter and act in accordance with international law and basic norms governing international relations. At the same time, the United Nations needs reform and improvement to better address global challenges and enhance the representation and voice of developing countries in international affairs.

The vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind put forth by President Xi Jinping is highly consistent with the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter. China leads by example in practicing true multilateralism and firmly supports the United Nations in playing a central role in international affairs. Within the framework of the United Nations, China has made significant contributions to promoting the political settlement of hotspot issues, reforming the international economic and financial systems, safeguarding the interests of developing countries, and tackling global challenges such as climate change. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly stated that China is a mainstay of international cooperation and multilateralism.

As the United Nations moves toward its next 80 years, China stands ready to work with all parties to strengthen the role of the United Nations and make global governance more just and equitable. Thank you.

Zhinews of Shenzhen Satellite TV: This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, and global climate governance has reached a new crossroads. Although the United States has once again withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, it is a shared view of the international community that the trend of green and low-carbon development is irreversible, and all parties are still jointly promoting the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality. How will China continue to maintain and lead the global climate governance process? Thank you.

Ma Zhaoxu: China is a staunch doer of and a significant contributor to the world's green development. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, China has steadily advanced the twin goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, established a "1+N" policy framework, and built the world's largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system as well as the world's largest and most complete new energy industrial chain. China also leads the world in the speed and scale of "greening", contributing a quarter of the world's newly-added area of afforestation. Nowadays, one out of every three kilowatt-hours of electricity in China is green electricity.

China actively conducts international climate cooperation. Since 2016, China has provided and mobilized project funding of more than RMB177 billion yuan for developing countries to address climate change. At present, Chinese new energy enterprises provide 80 percent of the photovoltaic components and 70 percent of the wind power equipment for the global market, driving down the global photovoltaic power generation cost by over 80 percent and wind power cost by over 60 percent.

No matter how the international situation changes, China's proactive actions to address climate change will not slow down, its efforts to promote international cooperation will not weaken, and its practice of advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind will not cease. We will follow the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement, focus on green and low-carbon development, and jointly address the climate crisis through multilateral governance. We will deepen international cooperation to ensure the free flow of quality green technologies and products, so that they can be accessible, affordable and beneficial for all countries, especially the vast number of developing countries. At the same time, developed countries have the obligation to provide assistance and support to developing countries and make due contributions to the global shift toward green and low-carbon development. Thank you!

China News Service: My question is on Taiwan. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the restoration of Taiwan. Currently, the international consensus on upholding the one-China principle continues to be consolidated, while some countries still attempt to obscure and hollow out the one-China principle. How does China's diplomacy in the new era resolutely curb external forces from interfering in the Taiwan question and firmly defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity? Thank you.

Ma Zhaoxu: Just as you said, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the restoration of Taiwan. Taiwan's restoration to China is a victorious outcome of World War II and an integral part of the post-war international order. A series of instruments with legal effect under international law, including the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, have all affirmed China's sovereignty over Taiwan. The historical and legal fact that Taiwan belongs to China brooks no challenge.

The one-China principle is a prevailing consensus in the international community and a basic norm governing international relations. It serves as the political foundation and prerequisite for China to establish and develop diplomatic relations with other countries around the world. Up to now, 183 countries have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle. In 1971, the 26th session of the U.N. General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority, deciding to restore all the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations and to expel forthwith the representatives of the Taiwan region from the United Nations and all its affiliated organizations. This resolution once and for all resolved the issue of representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, in the United Nations, and completely eliminated any possibility of creating "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan". The authority of U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758 brooks no challenge.

The Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests. Resolving the Taiwan question and realizing the complete reunification of the motherland is the common aspiration of all sons and daughters of the Chinese nation. Safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests is the sacred mission of China's diplomacy. At present, the international consensus on upholding the one-China principle has become more consolidated. The Chinese people's just cause of opposing "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and striving for national reunification has gained widespread understanding and support from the international community.

I would like to reiterate that the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair and brooks no external interference. A small number of external forces' attempt to use the Taiwan question to contain China is to play with fire. Those who play with fire will perish by it. The trend towards China's ultimate and inevitable reunification is unstoppable. Thank you.

Hong Kong Bauhinia Magazine: The solidarity and cooperation among major countries have played an irreplaceable role in winning the World Anti-Fascist War, building the post-war international order, and maintaining world peace and stability. How does China assess the current relations between China and Russia, China and the United States (U.S.), and China and Europe, and what positions and propositions does China uphold for further developing relations among major countries? Thank you.

Ma Zhaoxu: As President Xi Jinping pointed out, relations among major countries bear on global strategic stability, and all major countries shoulder special responsibilities. China has worked actively for fostering major-country dynamics featuring peaceful coexistence, overall stability and balanced development.

The China-Russia relationship, with the richest strategic substance, is the most stable and mature set of major-country relations in today's turbulent and changing world. Eighty years ago, the peoples of China and Russia made tremendous sacrifices and significant historical contributions to the establishment of the post-war international order. Both sides will carry forward the correct historical perspective on World War II, defend the outcomes of the victory of World War II, advance the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era, and make greater contributions to the cause of human progress.

This year, President Xi Jinping has had two phone calls and multiple correspondences with U.S. President Donald J. Trump, steering the course for the giant ship of China-U.S. relations. President Xi Jinping pointed out that China and the United States share extensive common interests and broad space for cooperation. The two sides can become partners and friends and do more big, practical and good things that benefit the two countries and the world. We are willing to uphold mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation with the United States, while firmly safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests. To exert pressure or coercion on China will not work and cannot be achieved. Attempts to contain China's development and growth and hinder the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation are doomed to end up in failure. We are willing to work with the United States in the same direction, follow through on the important common understandings reached between the two heads of state, maintain communication, manage differences, expand cooperation, and continue to explore the right way for the two countries to get along with each other in the new era.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union (EU). When meeting with EU leaders, President Xi Jinping summed up important experience and inspiration based on a thorough account from the 50-year development of China-EU relations, which are mutual respect, seeking common ground while reserving differences, openness and cooperation, and mutual benefit and win-win results. China is willing to deepen strategic communication with the EU, enhance understanding and mutual trust, remain each other's partners, open up wider to each other, properly handle frictions and differences, and strive to push forward the development of China-EU relations. Thank you!

Associated Press of Pakistan: In April this year, the Central Conference on Work Related to Neighboring Countries was convened in Beijing. President Xi Jinping emphasized the need to focus on building a neighborhood community with a shared future and to strive to break new ground in the work related to neighboring countries. Could you please share with us the progress of building a neighborhood community with a shared future?

Ma Zhaoxu: China has all along put the neighborhood as a priority in the overall diplomacy and has consistently been committed to promoting regional peace, stability, development and prosperity. As you said, the Central Conference on Work Related to Neighboring Countries held in April this year clarified the general approach, goals and tasks for the work related to neighboring countries in the coming period, emphasizing the need to promote the building of a neighborhood community with a shared future and work together with neighboring countries to create a bright future.

At present, the building of a neighborhood community with a shared future is constantly making new progress and reaching new heights. President Xi Jinping has visited almost all the neighboring countries. His first overseas visits after the 18th, 19th and 20th National Congresses of the Communist Party of China were all to neighboring countries, leading China's relations with neighboring countries into the best period since modern times. China and many neighboring countries have announced joint efforts to build bilateral communities with a shared future and promote the building of a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future. China has achieved full coverage of building a community with a shared future with all countries on the Indo-China Peninsula and in Central Asia at both bilateral and multilateral levels.

China has signed Belt and Road cooperation agreements with 25 neighboring countries and is the largest trading partner of 18 countries. China and ASEAN have been each other's largest trading partner for five consecutive years. Negotiations on Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area have been fully completed, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership has been implemented with high quality. Economic cooperation industrial parks, cross-border e-commerce hubs and smart agriculture networks have been established in the surrounding region, creating a large number of jobs for local areas. It has become a consensus among neighboring countries that cooperation with China is both respected and beneficial.

China advocates a model of security for Asia that features sharing weal and woe, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and engaging in dialogue and consultation, actively contributing China's wisdom and strength to promoting the political settlement of regional hotspot issues such as the Korean Peninsula and Afghanistan.

China promotes the Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness. China has taken measures to facilitate personnel exchanges, successively implemented the "Lancang-Mekong visa" and "ASEAN visa" policies, and mutually exempted visas with some Southeast Asian countries. Exchanges in culture, tourism, youth, media, think tanks and at the sub-national level have continuously expanded.

China will actively seek an amicable, secure and prosperous neighborhood, follow the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and share weal and woe with our neighbors, and join hands with neighboring countries to write a new chapter in building a neighborhood community with a shared future.

Brasil de Fato: How does China view the role of the Global South in building a community with a shared future for mankind? How will China work to promote the development of the Global South countries and play a greater role in relevant international organizations?

Ma Zhaoxu: As President Xi Jinping pointed out, China will always be a member of the Global South and the developing world. In recent years, the Global South stands out with a strong momentum. Its economic output accounts for over 40 percent of the global total, and its contribution to world economic growth has reached 80 percent. It has become a key force in maintaining world peace, promoting common development, and improving global governance.

China has always kept the Global South in its heart, maintained its roots in the Global South, and stood in solidarity with the Global South. Over the past decade or so, China has issued action plans, joint statements and other documents with dozens of countries in the Global South on building a community with a shared future. The building of a multilateral community with a shared future has basically achieved full coverage of concentrated and contiguous areas of the countries in the Global South. China has also continuously deepened solidarity and cooperation with the Global South countries on multilateral platforms such as the United Nations and the G20, deeply participated in the development of platforms such as the BRICS cooperation mechanism and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and safeguarded the common interests of the Global South. With China's assistance, the Jakarta-Bandung Railway has fulfilled the Indonesian people's "high-speed rail dream"; China's hybrid rice has provided quality rice to the African people; and the satellite cooperation program between China and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has set a model for high-tech South-South cooperation.

We will follow the principle of pursuing greater good and shared interests and the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, continue to deepen strategic mutual trust and practical cooperation with the Global South countries, support them in exploring development paths that suit their national conditions, and be fellow travelers and good partners in building a community with a shared future for mankind. Thank you.

Shou Xiaoli: We will continue taking questions. Due to time constraints, this will be the last question.

Huanqiu.com of Global Times: Last year, China safely repatriated over 10,000 compatriots from abroad. This year, after the outbreak of the Iran-Israel conflict, China promptly took a series of consular protection measures to effectively ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in the region, and quickly organized the evacuation of Chinese nationals. As more and more Chinese citizens go abroad, how will the Ministry of Foreign Affairs better protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens overseas? Thank you.

Ma Zhaoxu: The safety of Chinese nationals abroad is the deepest concern of our motherland, and serving the people is the original aspiration and mission that we bear in mind all the time. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs resolutely implements the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee, coordinates all forces, and continuously builds a "five-in-one" consular protection work paradigm involving the central government, sub-national authorities, Chinese embassies and consulates overseas, enterprises and citizens. We adhere to the principle of giving equal weight to prevention and response, and make every effort to safeguard the lives and property of Chinese citizens. Since the beginning of this year, we have safely evacuated thousands of compatriots from war-torn areas, properly handled tens of thousands of consular protection and assistance cases, received about 300,000 calls for help and inquiries, and issued over 2,000 reminders and warnings. Many compatriots have expressed their feelings, saying that "in times of crisis, our motherland is never absent," and "despite the long journey back home, our motherland will bring us home."

With the significant increase in personnel exchanges between China and foreign countries and the continuous expansion of China's overseas interests, the responsibility of serving the people through diplomacy has grown heavier. We will closely follow the needs and expectations of the people and continue making efforts to build the system of safety protection for Chinese nationals and interests overseas.

We will leverage our institutional advantages to further develop the overseas security system and mechanism, and improve the interconnected, coordinated, practical and efficient security work paradigm.

We will continuously enhance our awareness of overseas security risks, optimize the "red, orange, yellow and blue" four-color risk rating system, and promptly issue security alerts to make the overseas security "signal lights" more conspicuous and effective.

We will strengthen the capacity building for emergency response to sudden foreign-related security incidents. Wherever Chinese citizens go, consular protection will follow. We will respond to the calls of our fellow citizens.

We will continue to build a professional consular protection team and guard the safety of overseas compatriots and institutions with care, dedication and effort.

Serving the people is our unwavering mission. Diplomacy for the people is an ongoing process with no end. China's diplomacy will continue to uphold the principle of putting people at the center, and be the close friend of the people and the guardian of the safety and interests of overseas compatriots. Wherever they are, the motherland will always be there for them. Thank you.

Shou Xiaoli: Thank you, Vice Minister Ma Zhaoxu. Thanks to all the journalists for your participation. That's all for today's press conference. Goodbye, everyone!