2020年5月18日外交部发言人赵立坚主持例行记者会
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian’s Regular Press Conference on May 18, 2020
中央广播电视总台央视记者：据报道，15日，中日韩应对新冠肺炎疫情卫生部长特别视频会议召开。你能否介绍会议相关情况？
CCTV: Health ministers from China, Japan and the ROK held a special video conference on coronavirus on May 15. Could you give us more details?
赵立坚：上周五晚，中日韩举行了应对新冠肺炎疫情卫生部长特别视频会议，会议通过了联合声明。这是中日韩三国继3月举行新冠肺炎问题特别外长视频会议、4月与东盟举行抗击新冠肺炎疫情领导人特别会议及卫生部长特别会议后，共同举办的又一次重要的抗疫经验分享交流活动。
Zhao Lijian: Last Friday night, China, Japan and the ROK held a special health ministers’ virtual meeting on coronavirus after which a joint statement was adopted. This is another important event of experience-sharing among the three countries after the special foreign ministers’ video conference in March, the Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on COVID-19 and the ASEAN Plus Three Health Ministers Meeting on COVID-19 in April.
中方在会议上介绍了当前的疫情防控举措和经验，并对中日韩三方未来合作提出三点倡议：一是支持世卫组织在抗击疫情中发挥领导作用，二是积极开展联防联控国际合作，三是携手帮助卫生体系脆弱国家提高应对能力。中方呼吁各国应继续携手应对疫情，共同维护地区和全球卫生安全，支持构建人类卫生健康共同体。日方和韩方代表介绍了本国当前疫情防控形势及采取的措施，并表示愿继续支持世卫组织在全球防疫中发挥领导作用，各方将加强全球团结合作，共同抗疫。
China updated the other two countries on its latest epidemic control measures and experience and made three proposals on the future cooperation. First, to support WHO’s leading role in epidemic response; second, to boost international cooperation on collective epidemic prevention and control; third, to jointly help countries with fragile health systems to improve preparedness. China calls on all countries to continue working together in the combat against the epidemics, jointly uphold regional and global health security and support the building of a community of health for all. The Japanese and ROK representatives gave briefings on the latest epidemic situation and response back at home, expressed readiness to continue supporting WHO’s leading role in global epidemic response, and stated all parties should strengthen global solidarity and coordination in the fight against the virus.
中日韩是一衣带水的友好邻邦，在疫情面前更是休戚与共的命运共同体。疫情发生以来，中日韩三方一直就疫情防控相互支持、相互帮助。中方愿继续同日、韩一道，继续保持密切沟通，分享防疫经验，协调防控措施，携手赢得这场疫情防控阻击战的最终胜利，为维护地区和全球卫生安全作出贡献。
As friendly neighbors, China, Japan and the ROK have a shared future in the face of the pandemic. Since the COVID-19 broke out, the three countries have been lending mutual support and assistance to each other. China stands ready to continue to work with Japan and the ROK to stay in close communication, share experience, coordinate epidemic control measures to jointly win the final victory against the pandemic and contribute to regional and global public health security.
《澳大利亚人报》记者：世卫组织近190个成员国中的100多个国家支持对新冠肺炎疫情进行“独立审查（inquiry）”，这些国家遍布全球，包括俄罗斯、日本、印度、欧盟、巴西、澳大利亚和几乎所有非洲国家。中方是否支持在即将举行的世卫大会上讨论此事？
The Australian: More than 100 of the WHO’s almost 190 members now support an independent inquiry into the coronavirus. Those countries on every continent in the world include Russia, Japan, India, the EU, Brazil, Australia and almost every nation in Africa. Will China support the independent inquiry when it is introduced at tomorrow’s WHA?
赵立坚：你说的不准确。日前，欧盟向第73届世界卫生大会提交了新冠肺炎疫情应对决议草案，各方已就案文达成一致。在溯源问题上，各方同意参照《国际卫生条例》突发事件委员会建议措辞，要求总干事与世界动物卫生组织、联合国粮农组织及各国密切合作，通过联合实地科学考察等措施查清病毒的动物来源以及向人传播途径，以及可能的中间宿主，目的是降低类似事件发生的风险。这体现了科学专业精神。关于对世卫组织应对疫情进行评估，决议要求总干事在合适时机，经与会员国协商后，逐步启动公正、独立、全面的评估进程，审议世卫组织协调应对疫情的经验教训，并提出未来工作建议。这也是世卫组织在每次应对重大疫情后的惯常作法。以上是当前国际社会在有关问题上的最大公约数。决议磋商中，绝大多数国家都认为疫情尚未结束，合作抗疫是当务之急，立即启动审查和病毒溯源的时机尚不成熟。
Zhao Lijian: What you said is not accurate. The European Union recently submitted a draft resolution on COVID-19 to the 73rd World Health Assembly on which all parties have reached consensus. On the tracing of the origin of the virus, all parties agreed to choose wording following the recommendations of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee and ask the WHO Director-General to closely cooperate with OIE, FAO and the member states to identify the animal source of the virus, its route for transmission to humans and possible intermediate hosts, aiming to reduce the risk of similar incidents in the future. This demonstrates a scientific and professional spirit. As to the evaluation of WHO response to COVID-19, the draft resolution requests the Director-General to, after consultations with member states, initiate at the appropriate moment a stepwise process of impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation to review experience gained and lessons learnt from the WHO-coordinated international health response to COVID-19 and propose suggestions for the work in the future. This is a customary practice for the WHO after dealing with a pandemic. For the international community, the above-mentioned is the largest possible common ground on the relevant issue. During the consultations on the resolution, the overwhelming majority of countries believed the pandemic has yet to pass and the cooperation on COVID-19 remains the most pressing task. It is immature to immediately initiate the review and trace the origin of the virus for the time being.
中方希望各方在本次大会上，能本着科学、合作的精神，集中精力就加强国际卫生合作、健全国际公共卫生体系展开建设性讨论。
We hope all parties will uphold a science-based and cooperative spirit at this WHA and focus on having constructive discussions on enhancing international public health cooperation and improving international public health system.
追问：你说各方都对新冠肺炎疫情应对决议草案的案文达成一致。你之前在记者会上说澳大利亚支持“独立审查（inquiry）”是出于政治目的，中国的立场是否改变了？
Follow-up: You said all parties reached consensus on the text of the draft resolution. You said at this press conference earlier that Australia’s support for the independent inquiry is politically motivated. Has China changed its position?
赵立坚：我们的立场是一贯的。
Zhao Lijian: Our position is consistent.
我想再补充几点。欧盟向今年世卫大会提交了新冠肺炎决议草案，各方经过充分讨论，就决议草案内容达成了一致。中方同各国一道积极参与草案磋商并参加了目前案文的协商一致。
I would like to add a few points. The EU submitted a draft resolution on COVID-19 to this year’s WHA, and the parties reached consensus on the content of the draft resolution after thorough discussion. China, together with other countries, has actively participated in the consultations on the draft and joined the consensus on the current text.
在当前疫情全球蔓延的大背景下，通过这一决议旨在支持世卫组织发挥关键领导作用，聚焦当前国际抗疫合作。目前的决议草案案文呼吁成员国采取必要措施防止歧视、污名化，打击错误、虚假信息，在研发诊断工具、诊疗方法、药物及疫苗、病毒动物源头等领域加强合作，并适时对世卫组织应对疫情工作进行评估。这些均符合中方立场。决议通过后，大家可以认真阅读。任何决议的通过都是成员国共同努力的结果，也不应对案文做片面解读。
Against the backdrop of the global spread of the pandemic, the adoption of this resolution aims to support WHO in playing a leading role and focus efforts on current international cooperation in the fight against the virus. The text of the current draft resolution calls on member states to take necessary measures to prevent discrimination and stigmatization, combat misinformation and disinformation, strengthen cooperation in the development of diagnostic tools, treatment methods, drugs and vaccines, and discovering the animal sources of the virus, and review the WHO’s response to the outbreak at the appropriate moment. All these are in line with China’s position. After the resolution is adopted, you may read the text carefully. The adoption of any resolution is the result of the joint efforts of member states and the text should not be interpreted in an out-of-context and one-sided way.
有关案文内容同你所谓的“独立审查”完全是两回事。
The content of the text is totally different from the “independent review” you talked about.
北京青年报记者：5月14日，中国现代国际关系研究院、美国卡特中心、南非国际事务研究所联合举办抗疫合作视频研讨会，探讨中美非三方抗疫合作前景。请问中国外交部对此有何评论？
Beijing Youth Daily: On May 14, the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relation (CICIR), the Carter Center of the United States and the South Africa Institute of International Affairs jointly held a virtual workshop to discuss trilateral COVID-19 cooperation between China, the United States and Africa. How does the Chinese Foreign Ministry comment on this?
赵立坚：中国、美国、非洲智库的讨论是有益的。病毒不分国界和种族，是人类共同的敌人。团结合作是国际社会战胜疫情的最有力武器。当前非洲疫情形势严峻。中美非加强合作，可以为非洲国家战胜疫情发挥重要作用，中方对此持积极态度。
Zhao Lijian: It is helpful for think tanks in China, the US and Africa to have such discussions. The virus is a common enemy to all mankind, regardless of borders or races. Solidarity and cooperation is the most powerful weapon for the international community to defeat the pandemic. The current situation in Africa is grim. Closer cooperation between China, the US and Africa can play an important role in African countries’ fight against COVID-19. China holds a positive stance on that.
巴通社记者：我们注意到，近日习近平主席给北京科技大学全体巴基斯坦留学生回信。你是否有更多信息可以介绍？
Associated Press of Pakistan: We noted President Xi wrote a reply letter to Pakistani students at the University of Science and Technology Beijing. Do you have more information to offer?
赵立坚：谢谢你的提问。习近平主席于5月17日给北京科技大学全体巴基斯坦留学生回信，我们已经发布了消息稿。我可以大致再介绍一下相关情况。
Zhao Lijian: Thank you for the question. On May 17, President Xi Jinping wrote a letter to all Pakistani students at the University of Science and Technology Beijing. There’s a press release on the letter, and I’m pleased to talk about some more details.
习近平主席在回信中说，得知你们到中国留学以来，既学到了丰富知识，也结识了不少中国朋友，我为你们取得的成绩感到高兴。正如你们所感受到的，新冠肺炎疫情发生后，中国政府和学校始终关心在华外国留学生生命安全和身体健康，为大家提供了全方位的帮助。生命至上，不管是中国人还是在华外国人员，中国政府和中国人民都一视同仁予以关心和爱护。
In his letter, President Xi said he is happy to know that the Pakistani students have learned a wealth of knowledge and made a lot of Chinese friends. Since the start of the epidemic outbreak, the Chinese government and colleges have always cared about the safety and health of foreign students in China and have provided them with all-round help. Life matters most. The Chinese government and the Chinese people treat and care for Chinese and foreign nationals equally.
习近平主席在回信中说，我了解到，在抗击疫情期间，很多留学生通过各种方式为中国人民加油鼓劲。患难见真情。中国将继续为所有在华外国留学生提供各种帮助。中国欢迎各国优秀青年来华学习深造，也希望大家多了解中国、多向世界讲讲你们所看到的中国，多同中国青年交流，同世界各国青年一道，携手为促进民心相通、推动构建人类命运共同体贡献力量。
President Xi wrote that during the fight against COVID-19, many international students cheered for the Chinese people in various ways. True friendship reveals itself in time of trouble. China will continue providing assistance to all foreign students in our country. China welcomes outstanding young people from all over the world to study in China. He hopes that they will learn more about China, tell more people about what they see here, and actively interact with young Chinese people so as to promote people-to-people exchanges and contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
南华早报记者：根据以色列媒体报道，中国将派人赴以色列调查杜伟大使去世的事情。你能否证实？
South China Morning Post: According to some Israeli media reports, China will send some people to investigate into Ambassador Du Wei’s death. Can you confirm that?
赵立坚：中国驻以色列大使杜伟不幸于5月17日在特拉维夫去世。初步判断，杜伟大使因身体健康原因意外去世，具体还需进一步核实。我们对杜大使的不幸逝世表示深切哀悼，向其家人表示诚挚慰问。外交部正在尽力做好相关善后工作。
Zhao Lijian: Chinese Ambassador to Israel Du Wei passed away on May 17 in Tel Aviv. According to preliminary judgment, he died unexpectedly due to health reasons. The details await further confirmation. We express our deepest condolences over his passing and sincere sympathy to his family. The Foreign Ministry will make sure that follow-up matters are properly handled.
中国日报记者：据报道，5月17日，阿富汗总统加尼同前首席执行官阿卜杜拉签署政治协议。阿卜杜拉将出任国家和解高级委员会主席，其团队成员将加入内阁，结束了阿自总统选举结果公布以来的不稳定状态。中方对此有何评论？
China Daily: According to reports, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani signed a political agreement with former Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah on May 17. The latter will lead the High Council of National Reconciliation with his team joining the cabinet, putting an end to the instability since the presidential election result came out. Do you have any comment?
赵立坚：阿富汗领导人以国家和民族利益为重，通过协商达成共识，签署政治协议，这是阿富汗国家之幸、民族之幸。作为邻居和朋友，中方对此表示祝贺。希望阿富汗国内各方以此为契机，相向而行，尽早启动阿人内部谈判，推进“阿人主导、阿人所有”的和平和解进程，实现国家稳定、和平、团结与发展。中方将继续为此发挥建设性作用。
Zhao Lijian: Bearing in mind the interests of the country and national interests, the Afghan leaders signed a political agreement after reaching consensus through consultation. This is a blessing for Afghanistan as a nation. As a neighbor and friend, China congratulates Afghanistan on it. We hope all parties in Afghanistan will take this as an opportunity to work together for an early launch of intra-Afghan talks and to advance the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process so as to achieve stability, peace, solidarity and development of the nation. China will continue playing a constructive role in this process.
澎湃新闻记者：据报道，澳大利亚总理莫里森近日表示，澳与中国政府都已在对彼此非常重要的事情上划出明确界限，澳尊重中方界限，也希澳在外国投资规划、技术、人权等方面的界限得到尊重。没有澳公民希望澳政府在这些重要问题上妥协，这些事情永远不能用来做交易。请问中方对此有何评论？
The Paper: According to reports, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently said that Australia and China “draw very clear lines about things that are very important to” each other. He said, “We respect their lines, as we expect our lines to be respected, whether it’s on our foreign investment rules, or our rules around technology, our rules regarding human rights and things of that nature. I don’t think any Australian would want us to compromise on those important things. And those things are not to be traded. Ever.” Do you have any comment?
赵立坚：中方始终坚持在相互尊重、平等相待的基础上，发展同其他国家的友好合作关系。中方从不做损人利己的事，而是倡导求同存异、合作共赢。同时我们维护国家主权安全和发展利益的决心坚定不移。希望澳方把“尊重中方界限”的表态落到实处，真正从澳自身利益出发，用改善双边关系、深化两国互信的实际举措为两国务实合作营造良好氛围。
Zhao Lijian: China always adheres to mutual respect and equal-footed treatment while developing friendly cooperation with other countries. China has never sought selfish gains at the expense of others. Rather, we champion seeking common ground while shelving differences and advocate win-win cooperation. We hope Australia will follow through upon its words of respecting our lines, truly act in its interests, create sound atmosphere for the practical cooperation between the two countries with concrete actions that are conducive to bilateral relations and mutual trust.
路透社记者：澳大利亚贸易部长伯明翰昨天在采访中称，他希望和中国对口官员就贸易问题进行通话，但中方并未安排。中方能否证实？中方是否有兴趣与澳方就近期贸易问题进行正式接触？
Reuters: Yesterday Australian trade minister Simon Birmingham said in a TV interview that he’s requested discussions on the trade issues with his Chinese counterpart but those calls have not been accommodated. Can you confirm that? Is China interested in engaging formally with Australia over the recent trade issues?
赵立坚：我想，如果澳大利亚贸易部长希望同中方联系的话，他应该通过正常的外交渠道去联系。
Zhao Lijian: If the Australian trade minister hopes to talk to the Chinese side, he should contact us via diplomatic channels.
关于近期贸易问题，中国商务部已作出回应，我也回答过有关问题。我愿再次强调，有关案件是一起正常的贸易救济调查案件。中方正根据相关法律和世界贸易组织规则推进有关调查。具体情况请你向主管部门了解。
Regarding the recent trade issues, the Ministry of Commerce made a response last week, and I took related questions in the MFA press conference, too. I’d like to re-emphasize that this is a normal case of trade remedy investigation, and we are advancing the investigation according to law and WTO rules. Please consult the competent authorities for more specifics.
《澳大利亚人报》记者：过去四天，我去了山东，同当地的商人进行了交流。他们告诉我中国消费者喜欢澳大利亚产品。他们担心中国政府因政治原因为澳大利亚商品对华出口设置障碍。一个商人告诉我，他现在进口智利红酒，不再进口澳大利亚红酒，因为他担心会在海关遇到麻烦。你对此有何回应？
The Australian: I went out to Shandong over the last four days and spoke to business people there, who told me Chinese customers like Australian products. Chinese business people told me themselves they are worried about the Chinese government disrupting shipments of Australian products for political reasons. A businessman told me he was importing Chilean wine, not Australian wine, because he was worried about trouble with Chinese customs. What’s your comment on that?
赵立坚：我们已经多次表明，中方对于发展中国和澳大利亚关系的立场是一贯的、明确的。一个健康稳定的中澳关系符合两国共同利益，但这需要双方的共同努力。我们希望澳方同中方相向而行，切实秉持相互尊重、平等互利的原则，多做有利于中澳互信与合作，符合中澳全面战略伙伴关系精神的事。
Zhao Lijian: As we said repeatedly, it is China’s consistent and clear stance that a sound and stable China-Australia relationship serves the common interests of both. However, it takes joint efforts from both sides to maintain such a relationship. We hope the Australian side will work with China to earnestly uphold the principle of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and contribute to mutual trust, bilateral cooperation and the China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership.
路透社记者：美国国务卿蓬佩奥昨天称，他认为中方威胁干涉美国驻港记者的工作，并警告称任何影响香港自治的决定都可能影响美国对香港地位的评估。中方对此有何回应？
Reuters: US Secretary of State Pompeo said yesterday that he believed China has threatened to interfere with the work of US journalists in Hong Kong and he warned Beijing that any decision impinging on Hong Kong’s autonomy could affect the US assessment of Hong Kong’s status. What’s the ministry’s comment on this?
赵立坚：一段时间以来，美方固守冷战思维和意识形态偏见，不断升级对中国媒体的打压行动，要求中国有关驻美媒体机构登记为“外国代理人”、作为“外国使团”列管、变相驱逐60名中方记者，最近又大幅将中国驻美记者签证停留期缩短为90天以内。美方上述错误行径严重干扰中方媒体在美开展正常报道活动，严重干扰两国间正常人文交流，我们对此表示强烈不满和坚决反对。
Zhao Lijian: For some time, the US side, out of its entrenched Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice, has been ratcheting up its oppression on the Chinese media, escalating from asking relevant Chinese media organizations in the US to register as “foreign agents” to enlisting Chinese media as “foreign missions”, an expulsion of 60 Chinese journalists in anything but name. Now, its latest move is to limit visas for Chinese journalists to a maximum 90-day stay. These wrong moves severely disrupt the reporting activities of the Chinese media in the US and impede bilateral people-to-people and cultural exchange. We deplore and firmly oppose that.
我们多次说过，造成当前局面，起因和责任都在美方。美方应立即纠正错误，停止对中国媒体的政治打压。如果美方一意孤行，错上加错，中方必将坚决采取反制措施。
We said many times that the US caused the current situation and is responsible for it. The US should immediately correct its mistakes and stop its political oppression on the Chinese media. If the US is bent on going down the wrong path and doubles down on its mistakes, China will take countermeasures with a firm resolve.
我们多次说过，香港事务纯属中国内政，任何外国政府、组织和个人都无权干预。
We said many times that Hong Kong affairs are indisputably China’s internal matters. No foreign government, organization or individual has the right to interfere.
CNN记者：昨天，美国务卿蓬佩奥在节目中称，尽管美国政府仍然坚信疫情来源于武汉，但他现已不是完全（exactly）确定病毒到底来自何处。然而他仍然坚称中国没有做到足够的公开透明，因此美方依然要对中国政府的反应作出相关反制。你对此有何评论？
CNN: US Secretary of State Pompeo said in an interview yesterday that while the US government believes the virus came from Wuhan, now he is not exactly sure where it came from. That said, he still believes China is not open and transparent enough, and the US will still take countermeasures against the Chinese government’s response. Could you comment on that?
赵立坚：一段时间以来，这个美国政客喋喋不休散布各种谎言，回应他的谎言简直是浪费大家的时间。
Zhao Lijian: This US politician has been a lying blabbermouth. It’s a waste of time to comment on his fabrications.