Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian’s Regular Press Conference on October 13, 2025

At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain José Manuel Albares Bueno will pay an official visit to China from October 14 to 15. 

CCTV: The Global Leaders' Meeting on Women opened in Beijing this morning. President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote address. Can you share more information on that?

Lin Jian: This morning, President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women in Beijing and delivered a keynote address.

President Xi noted that thirty years ago, the Fourth World Conference on Women adopted the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Gender equality has been etched in the agenda of our times. Over the past 30 years, guided by the spirit of the Beijing World Conference on Women, the cause of women has been thriving around the world. Equality between men and women is now a universal consensus of the international community. The environment for women's livelihood and development has been improving steadily. Prominent progress has been achieved in women's empowerment.

President Xi stressed that at present, complex challenges still hamper women's all-round development. Equality between men and women remains a lofty yet arduous task. We should rededicate ourselves to the purpose of the Beijing World Conference on Women, and build greater consensus, broaden the paths forward, and take more concrete actions to accelerate the new process of women's all-round development. We should jointly foster an enabling environment for women's growth and development. We should jointly cultivate powerful momentum for the high-quality development of women's cause. We should jointly develop governance frameworks to protect women's rights and interests. We should jointly write a new chapter in promoting global cooperation on women.

President Xi pointed out that in China, the cause of women has always been an integral part of the epic Chinese modernization endeavors. China actively provides opportunities and support for global women's cause through its development. In the next five years, China will donate another US$10 million to UN Women; earmark a quota of US$100 million in China's Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund for implementing development cooperation projects for women and girls in collaboration with international organizations; launch 1,000 "small and beautiful" livelihood programs with Chinese assistance that take women and girls as priority beneficiaries; invite 50,000 women to China for exchange and training programs; and establish a Global Center for Women's Capacity Building, which is aimed at conducting cooperation to train more female talent.

Over 800 Chinese and foreign guests from more than 110 countries, regions and international organizations across the world gathered in Beijing, including 20 heads of state and government, parliament leaders, deputy-prime-minister-level officials and heads of international organizations. They had discussions and made plans for the future under the theme "One Shared Future: New and Accelerated Process for Women's All-round Development." Various parties spoke highly of President Xi's important address, noting that the four proposals made by President Xi are in line with the trend of our times and represent China's plans to advance the global women's cause, and that the five concrete measures announced by President Xi to support the global cause of women fully demonstrate China's sense of responsibility as a major country in the new era.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN and the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women. China convened the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women, supported by UN Women, to build up consensus for solidarity and cooperation and pool strength to respond to challenges. This will surely provide new, strong impetus for the development of the global cause of women. China hopes that this meeting will be a new starting point, from which we will work together with various parties to carry forward the spirit of the Fourth World Conference on Women, strive to build a community with a shared future for humanity, accelerate the new process for women's all-round development, and create a better future for humanity.

AFP: President Trump said Friday that the United States would impose additional tariffs of 100 percent on China from November 1. He said this move was in retaliation for China's recently announced export controls in the rare earth sector. So first, what is the Foreign Ministry's comment on this? And also does China plan to impose its own high tariffs on goods from the United States if Trump's announcement is carried out?

Lin Jian: The spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce has made clear China's position on that. Let me stress that for some time recently, the U.S. has imposed a string of restrictions and sanctions on China, which severely harm China's interests. China firmly opposes that. Rather than take a hard look at its own moves, the U.S. threatened China with high tariffs. This is not the right way to engage with China. China urges the U.S. to correct its wrongdoings as soon as possible, follow the guidance of the important common understandings between the leaders of the two countries in their phone calls, solve each other's concerns through dialogue, properly handle differences on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit, and uphold the stable, sound and sustainable development of bilateral relations. If the U.S. keeps refusing to change course, China will be firmly resolved in taking corresponding measures to safeguard its own legitimate rights and interests.

CCTV: To follow up on Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno's visit to China, how does China view its current relations with Spain? What does China expect to achieve through the visit?

Lin Jian: Spain is China's important strategic partner in Europe. In recent years, the two countries have maintained close high-level interactions, consolidated political mutual trust, and had fruitful results-oriented cooperation. This has given a boost to economic growth and people's livelihood in the two countries. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership. During the Foreign Minister's visit, the two sides will have in-depth exchanges of views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest. We believe this visit will play an important role in deepening mutual understanding and trust between the two countries and elevating the comprehensive strategic partnership.

Beijing Daily: Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently traveled to Switzerland and held the 4th round of China-Switzerland Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue. Can you share more information on that?

Lin Jian: On October 10 local time, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Swiss Federal Councillor and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis jointly held the 4th round of China-Switzerland Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue and met the press. After the dialogue, the two sides issued the Joint Document of the 4th Round of Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue between the People's Republic of China and the Swiss Confederation. As China and Switzerland mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, the two sides had in-depth communication and reached extensive consensus on deepening strategic mutual trust, expanding practical cooperation, and safeguarding the international trade order and reforming and improving global governance under the current circumstances.

The trip deepened the high-level political mutual trust and valuable friendship between China and Switzerland. The two sides reviewed the highlight moments China and Switzerland experienced together and the fruitful outcomes achieved over the past 75 years. They spoke highly of the high-level exchanges and the series of events marking the 75th anniversary. They agreed to carry forward the cooperation spirit featuring equality, innovation and win-win results, respect each other's core interests, remain committed to dialogue, enhance mutual trust and deepen cooperation. Foreign Minister Wang stressed that China and Switzerland should stay true to the original aspiration of establishing diplomatic relations and continue to be a model of friendly cooperation.

The trip highlighted that striving for win-win results and keeping pace with the times are the distinctive features of China-Switzerland cooperation. The two sides agreed to speed up talks on upgrading the free trade agreement and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation in such fields as AI, green development, digital economy, finance and trade in services. The two sides will further dovetail China's mega-sized market and Switzerland's innovation capabilities, which will inject stronger impetus to the development of the two countries. China welcomes more Swiss companies and products to the Chinese market. China will continue extending its visa-free policy to Switzerland to deepen sub-national and people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

The trip deepened strategic common understandings between China and Switzerland on international affairs. The two sides agreed to improve global governance, strengthen communication on multilateral affairs, safeguard the UN-centered international system and the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, and make new contribution to global peace, stability, prosperity and development.

The Swiss side stated that it will stay steadily committed to the one-China policy and stands ready to deepen cooperation with China in various fields as the two countries mark the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Switzerland innovative strategic partnership next year. The Swiss side spoke highly of China's policy of promoting green development and opening up, applauded China's important and positive role in international affairs, welcomed President Xi Jinping's proposal of the Global Governance Initiative and expressed readiness to continue supporting the work of the International Organization for Mediation established under China's initiative.

AFP: The Israeli military and security services said today that seven Israeli hostages were transferred to the Red Cross. This is the first group of what is expected to be 20 survivors. How does China view these developments?

Lin Jian: China welcomes and supports all efforts conducive to restoring peace and easing the humanitarian crisis. The pressing task now is to  realize a full and lasting ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible, effectively alleviate the humanitarian crisis and restore regional stability.

The principle of the "Palestinians governing Palestine" should be upheld in the post-conflict governance of Gaza and any arrangements for the future of Gaza need to respect the will of the Palestinian people and dovetail with the two-State solution. China will, as always, play its role as a responsible major country, and continue to work with the international community to make relentless effort for a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian question at an early date.

Bloomberg: The Dutch government has moved to exert control over Nexperia, which is a Chinese semiconductor maker. Would the Foreign Ministry like to comment on the situation?

Lin Jian: I'd refer you to competent authorities for anything specific. Let me stress that China always opposes overstretching the concept of national security and taking discriminatory moves that target companies from certain countries. The relevant country should uphold market principles and refrain from politicizing trade issues. China is firmly resolved in defending its own legitimate and lawful rights and interests.

Financial Times: Wingtech, the owner of Nexperia, said it has asked the Chinese government to help deal with the situation. Has China reached out to the Netherlands? What help does China give to Wingtech?

Lin Jian: I'd refer you to competent authorities for anything specific.

Bloomberg: The Philippines said over the weekend a Chinese ship deliberately rammed a government vessel in the South China Sea. The Philippines said the vessel suffered structural damage, but the crew was uninjured. The Chinese coast guard said that it expelled ships that had entered waters near the Spratly Islands. Would the Foreign Ministry like to comment on the situation?

Lin Jian: The China Coast Guard has released a statement and on-site video footage on the incident. The facts speak for themselves and the merits are very clear, which brook no distortion.

Zhongye Dao, Tiexian Jiao and Zhubi Jiao are part of China's Nansha Qundao, which are China's territory. Recently, the Philippines has taken organized and orchestrated moves to send a large number of ships to make provocations and create trouble in relevant waters of China's Nansha Qundao. Philippine official vessels sailed dangerously more than once and some of them intruded into the waters off Zhubi Jiao, which resulted in the collision between the vessels of the two sides. The Philippines' moves severely violate China's sovereignty and rights and interests, threaten the safety and security of Chinese vessels and personnel, and undermine peace and stability at sea. They are the provocateur responsible for the situation at sea. China's measures to safeguard its own territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests are necessary, legitimate, lawful and beyond reproach.

What happened shows once again that the Philippines' deliberate infringement and provocations are the root cause behind the tensions. China urges the Philippines to immediately stop its infringement, provocations and vilification, and refrain from challenging China's firm resolve to safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

Hubei Media Group: It was reported that armed clashes broke out recently between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the border areas, resulting in dozens of casualties. Does China have any comment on that?

Lin Jian: China is closely following and concerned about the recent clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan and tensions in their relations.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are both friendly neighbors of China. The two countries are and will always be neighbors of each other. Upholding good-neighborliness and the friendly ties, pursuing economic and social development and jointly combating terrorism serve the fundamental and long-term interests of both sides. China sincerely hopes that the two countries will, in light of the larger interests, stay cool-headed and exercise restraint, properly address each other's concerns through dialogue and consultation, avoid any escalation, and together work for the peace and stability of the countries and the wider region. China stands ready to continue playing a constructive role for the improvement and development of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. We have requested both sides to take concrete measures to ensure the safety and security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions there.

Global Times: It's been reported that Pakistan took advantage of Chinese equipment and technology to export rare earth to the U.S., which resulted in China's strict export control measures on rare earth-related technologies. Some we-media accounts said in videos and articles that Pakistan sent rare earth samples to the U.S. and agreed on rare earth cooperation, and China took countermeasures against Pakistan's rare earth exports to the U.S. What's your comment?

Lin Jian: China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners. Our iron-clad friendship has stood the test of time. The two countries have maintained high-level strategic mutual trust and close communication on major issues concerning each other's common interests. From what I've learned, the two countries have been in communication on Pakistan-U.S. mining cooperation. Pakistan stressed that its business with the U.S. will never harm China's interests or its cooperation with China. The samples that the Pakistani leaders showed and gave to the U.S. leader are gem ores purchased by staff in Pakistan. The reported stories that you mentioned are either misinformed or invented, or even designed to drive a wedge between China and Pakistan. They are just baseless.

China's recently released export control measures on related rare earth items have nothing to do with Pakistan. It is a legitimate action by the Chinese government to refine its export control system in accordance with laws and regulations. It aims to better defend world peace and regional stability and to fulfill non-proliferation and other international obligations.