Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on May 26, 2026

Xinhua News Agency: China yesterday held state events for the visiting Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Can you give us more details? What's China's expectation for future development of China-Serbia relations?

Mao Ning: At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić is paying a state visit to China. This year marks the 10th anniversary of China-Serbia comprehensive strategic partnership. Therefore, the visit is of historic significance.

Yesterday, President Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony and welcome banquet for President Vučić. The two presidents held talks to have in-depth exchanges on bilateral relations and regional and international issues of mutual interest and reached broad-based common understandings. The two presidents witnessed the signing of 23 cooperation documents and announced that 10 cooperation documents were reached. The two sides issued a joint statement on continuously building a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era and a joint statement on advancing the implementation of the four global initiatives. President Xi Jinping awarded President Vučić the Friendship Medal for his long-term commitment to promoting China-Serbia friendship and advancing the comprehensive strategic partnership as well as his important contribution to building a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era. On the same day, Premier Li Qiang and CPPCC chairman Wang Huning met with President Vučić respectively. 

The two heads of state spoke highly of the achievements made in building a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era and reiterated firm support for each other's core interests. They agreed to seek synergy between China's 15th Five-Year Plan and the Serbia 2030 development strategy and deepen political cooperation as well as cooperation in such areas as economy, science and technology, culture, tourism and education, with the aim of carrying forward and renewing the traditional friendship between the two peoples and enriching the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership.

The two presidents share the view that in a fluid world with century-defining changes, China and Serbia need to strengthen strategic communication, practice true multilateralism, oppose hegemonism and power politics, and uphold international fairness and justice. The two sides will make concerted efforts to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, and contribute solutions and strength to tackling challenges to world development and international security, promoting exchange and mutual learning between civilizations, as well as reforming and improving global governance.

President Vučić's visit also includes trips to Shanghai and other places. This state visit, featuring a full itinerary and fruitful outcomes, reflects the two sides' high-degree political mutual trust, high-quality practical cooperation, and high-level relations and coordination in multilateral affairs. It will surely inject fresh vitality into the two countries' comprehensive strategic cooperation and give a strong boost to building a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era.

Bloomberg: Iran is seeking guarantees from China before proceeding with a deal with the U.S. in order to end the war. This is according to Al Arabiya media outlet which reported this in a post on X, citing sources that it didn't identify. So my question is, did Iran ask China for help in transferring the highly enriched uranium to China? If the report is accurate, is China willing to accept Iranian uranium?

Mao Ning: Since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, China has maintained close communication with all relevant parties, including Iran, and has been making active efforts to promote ceasefire and peace. Guided by the spirit of President Xi Jinping's four propositions, we will continue playing an active role in restoring peace and tranquility to the Middle East and Gulf region at an early date.

On the Iranian nuclear issue, China always supports a peaceful resolution through dialogue and negotiation. We hope relevant parties will seize the opportunity and find a solution that accommodates the legitimate concerns of all sides through negotiation. China will continue playing a constructive role in the political and diplomatic settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue to safeguard the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and promote peace and stability in the Middle East and beyond.

EFE: Panama's Foreign Minister said Wang Yi will meet his Panamanian counterpart today in New York amid tensions over the CK Hutchison ports issue and reports of increased inspections and detentions of Panama-flagged vessels in Chinese ports. What does China hope to achieve through this meeting?

Mao Ning: If there is relevant information, we will release it in a timely manner. 

The Paper: We noted that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has just concluded his visit to China. Could you further elaborate on the visit? What are the major outcomes and highlights?

Mao Ning: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid an official visit to China from May 23 to 26, 2026. As we mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, this visit is an important high-level exchange that consolidates and elevates the special friendship between the two countries. There are three major highlights:

First, head of state diplomacy steers the course, underscoring the strategic significance of China-Pakistan relations. Over the 75 years since diplomatic ties were forged, the two countries have embraced mutual understanding, trust and support, forging an unbreakable traditional friendship. During the visit, President Xi Jinping held in-depth discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The two leaders agreed to deepen the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future, and firmly support each other in safeguarding core interests, providing political guidance and strong impetus for bilateral relations.

Second, pragmatic cooperation underpins the bond, demonstrating the mutually beneficial nature of China-Pakistan relations. The two leaders agreed to steadily advance the Action Plan to Foster an Even Closer China-Pakistan Community with a Shared Future in the New Era, accelerate the development of the CPEC 2.0, forge an upgraded bilateral free trade agreement, and explore cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital economy, agriculture and other fields. These efforts will deliver more fruits of all-weather cooperation, better benefit the two peoples, and set an example for building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries. The two sides signed multiple cooperation documents covering economy and trade, science and technology, agriculture and food, human resources and other areas.

Third, international coordination enriches the ties, showcasing the leading role of China-Pakistan relations. During the visit, the two sides had in-depth exchanges of views on international and regional issues of mutual interest. The Pakistani side expressed support for President Xi Jinping' four propositions on the situation in the Middle East. The Chinese side commended Pakistan for demonstrating a proactive spirit and mediating for peace in the Middle East. The two sides agreed to firmly defend the outcomes of WWII victory, oppose any attempt to revitalize fascism and militarism, and jointly uphold the postwar international order, world peace and security, as well as historical truth and international justice.

The world is experiencing accelerating transformations unseen in a century. China and Pakistan have come to new junctures and face important opportunities for their respective modernization and bilateral cooperation in various fields. As the two countries mark 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties, China stands ready to work with Pakistan to deepen high-level political mutual trust, practical cooperation, security cooperation and international coordination to write a new chapter for China-Pakistan relations.

Yonhap News Agency: It's been reported that today the DPRK launched a ballistic missile toward waters to its west in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. What's China's comment?

Mao Ning: We have noted varying descriptions of the nature of the projectiles and have no other comments.

Ukrinform News Agency: The Russian Foreign Ministry has said that the Russian military is preparing massive missile and drone attacks on the Ukrainian capital. In its statement, the Russian side explicitly threatens foreign diplomats in Kyiv with these attacks. I'd like to ask how China comments on Moscow's threats to escalate Russian war in Ukraine and whether it will evacuate its diplomats from Kyiv?

Mao Ning: China's position on the Ukraine crisis is consistent and clear. Dialogue and negotiation is the only viable way out. We call on parties concerned to work together for deescalation as soon as possible and accumulate conditions for restarting dialogue and negotiation. 

Bloomberg: The U.S., Japan, India and Australia have launched a maritime surveillance initiative for the Indo-Pacific region. This is from the so-called Quad meeting in New Delhi. In addition, they also announced plans to partner with Fiji on port infrastructure. Does foreign ministry have any comment on these two developments coming from the Quad meeting?

Mao Ning: China has stated its position on Quad on multiple occasions. Cooperation between countries should be conducive to regional peace, stability and prosperity, and not target any third party. We oppose forming exclusive groupings or engaging in bloc confrontation. 

China Daily: Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara recently said that Japan's exclusively defense-oriented policy remains unchanged, so China's criticism regarding neo-militarism is "completely off the mark." He added that in the postwar period, Japan has been a peace-oriented country, and that stance will remain the same. What's China's comment?

Mao Ning: What matter more are Japan's actions, rather than its words.

Over recent years, the Japanese government has kept increasing its military expenditure, easing restrictions on export of lethal weapons, taking part in military drills, advancing the deployment of long-range missiles, building so-called counterstrike capability which enables offensive operations, hoarding sensitive nuclear materials, promoting the revision of its pacifist Constitution, advocating that Japan should become a war-capable nation, and breaching the rules of international and domestic laws. Are these actions anything close to Japan's claim that its exclusively defense-oriented policy remains unchanged? Inconsistency in Japan's words and deeds will by no means alleviate international concern over Japan's remilitarization.

Japanese militarism brought catastrophe to the world and inflicted untold suffering on the Japanese people. Neo-militarism is a path down the same abyss. We urge the Japanese side to learn lessons from history, honor its commitments to peace, and earn trust from its Asian neighbors and the international community with concrete actions.

Bloomberg: The West African nation of Guinea has said it's finalizing plans to limit exports of bauxite from next month. Most of the country's bauxite goes to China and around three-quarters of Chinese imports of bauxite come from Guinea. Does the foreign ministry have any comments about this usage of export controls by Guinea in terms of this type of mineral?

Mao Ning: I'm not aware of the situation you just mentioned. Let me say more broadly that every country has the responsibility to keep the industrial and supply chains stable.

AFP: Just a general question on the Middle East. The U.S. military says it has launched new strikes on Iran targeting this time Iranian missile sites and boats it says were attempting to place mines. What is China's take on that?

Mao Ning: We urge relevant parties to honor the commitments to ceasefire, solve disputes in peaceful ways, and continue to work for solutions that accommodate the legitimate concerns of all parties through dialogue and negotiation so as to enable peace to return to the Middle East and Gulf region at an early date.