CCTV: After the United States announced sanctions on 14 vice chairpersons of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress on December 8, China vowed to take countermeasures. What are these measures specifically?
Hua Chunying: As the U.S. side exploits issues relating to Hong Kong to gravely interfere in China’s internal affairs and harm China’s core interests, the Chinese side decides to impose reciprocal sanctions on U.S. officials of executive branch, people of Congress and NGOs who act egregiously and bear major responsibilities on Hong Kong-related issues and their immediate family members. China also decides to revoke visa exemption treatment for U.S. diplomatic passport holders paying temporary visits to Hong Kong and Macao.
China once again urges the U.S. side to stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs and not to go down the dangerous wrong path.
Hubei TV: On December 8, Hubei Province donated a batch of epidemic prevention supplies to Mongolia who is in the midst of a fierce battle against the pandemic. Before that, Mongolia had donated 30,000 sheep to China as a show of support. What is China’s comment?
Hua Chunying: China and Mongolia are friendly neighbors connected by mountains and rivers. Since COVID-19 broke out, the two sides have worked hand in hand to fight the pandemic and achieved positive results. The Mongolian side donating 30,000 sheep is one of the many touching moments in our joint battle against the virus and one the many manifestations of our deep-running friendship.
Mongolia has recently been confronted with rising pressure in epidemic control as the pandemic situation there worsens, and it has an urgent need for anti-epidemic materials. The Chinese nation has the tradition of returning favors. We know Mongolia is having a difficult moment. So, Hubei and Inner Mongolia and other places have jumped into action. They’ve donated money and supplies. The nucleic acid testing equipment and reagents donated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have already arrived in Mongolia and are now put into use. All these are vivid examples of efforts to build a community with a shared future and a community of common health.
We believe that people in Mongolia will defeat the virus. China is willing to offer Mongolia as much help as we can in accordance with its needs.
Hubei TV: According to reports, celebrity panda Xiang Xiang in Japan’s Ueno Zoo will be sent back to China at the end of the month. Upon learning the news, many people in Ueno have been bidding farewell to Xiang Xiang and many Japanese netizens are saying how hard it is to say goodbye. Do you have any comment?
Hua Chunying: Indeed lately Xiang Xiang has been the on the mind of many, especially in Japan. Today Fuji TV asked us about her possible departure. We have contacted relevant department for information. Since its launch in February 2011, the giant panda cooperative research project between the Chinese side and Tokyo has been progressing smoothly, achieving fruitful outcomes in giant panda protection, breeding, scientific research, technology exchange and public education, and bringing much joy to the Japanese people. We fully understand how hard it is for the Japanese people to say goodbye to Xiang Xiang. We would like to thank the Japanese people, in particular, the Ueno Zoo, for taking such good care of her. The cute cuddly pandas have brought so much joy to the Japanese people, especially the children. As ambassadors for friendship, they have made unique contributions to advancing the two people’s friendly ties.
To my knowledge, due to COVID-19, it will be very difficult for Xiang Xiang to be returned to China by the end of this year as originally planned. The cooperating authorities on the two sides, giving full consideration to the cub’s safety and health, are consulting to set the date for her return. I believe good news will be released soon.
FSN: Today marks two years since the two Michaels were arrested in China. Reports have said that the U.S. prosecutors are in the process of making some sort of deal to resolve criminal charges against Meng Wanzhou and that she might be able to return to China. Can you tell us if that happens, will the two Michaels be returned to Canada?
Hua Chunying: You are very concerned about when they can get back home. So are we for Ms. Meng Wanzhou’s safe return. Her case is of a completely different nature from the cases you mentioned. As I said earlier, Meng Wanzhou incident is a political one in and out while the two Canadian citizens were arrested, prosecuted and will be tried for suspected crimes endangering China’s national security. The entire process is completely in accordance with law and the two Canadians’ lawful rights have been guaranteed.
AFP: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged American universities to scrutinize China’s assistance and students. He warns that China wants to steal innovation. Does the foreign ministry have any comments?
Hua Chunying: I’ve noted relevant reports as well as the criticism by the two American universities on Pompeo’s remarks, namely, his attacks were completely wrong, disgraceful and intolerable. I believe you have seen the report.
Pompeo’s speech, filled with ideological bias, brazenly smears China and the CPC and stigmatizes China-U.S. education exchange. It fully exposed his malign intent to deliberately sabotage China-US friendship and cooperation.
I must point out that education exchange has helped enhanced the two peoples’ mutual understanding. Relevant cooperation, mutually beneficial, above-board and beyond reproach, has been welcomed by the American academic community and public. Pompeo’s acts are clearly deeply unpopular.
We once again urge the likes of Pompeo to respect facts and stop fabricating and spreading falsehoods.
Xinhua News Agency: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a video conference meeting of the Russian International Affairs Council on December 8 that western powers refuse to accept the objective reality that a multi-polar world is taking shape and are trying to pull countries except for China and Russia into a unipolar world order under the leadership of the United States, but China and Russia, as poles themselves, will not succumb to this attempt. Do you have a comment?
Hua Chunying: Foreign Minister Lavrov’s view on not succumbing to a unipolar world order represents the will of many countries. At present, unilateralism is disrupting international order, bullying practices are challenging norms of international relations, and world peace, stability, international fairness and justice are faced with realistic threats and severe challenges. Solidarity and win-win cooperation instead of division and zero-sum confrontation, and a more just and reasonable international order is the shared aspiration of the vast majority of countries in the world including China and Russia, especially developing countries.
As President Xi Jinping once stated, there is only one system in the world, and it is the UN-centered international order; there is only one set of rules, and it is the basic norms governing international relations with the UN Charter as its cornerstone. We believe that countries are all equal regardless of size, which is the primary principle of the UN Charter. No country has the right to singlehandedly handle international affairs, control others’ destiny and monopolize development edges. Bullies seeking supremacy will only end up friendless. Inciting confrontation and stoking division is a counter current bound to fail.
Today, with rising global challenges, international affairs should be addressed through consultation and countries should work together to safeguard common security, share development outcomes and jointly take the world’s future in our hands. China always believes that all countries are in one community sharing weal and woe. We stand ready to work with Russia and other countries to jointly safeguard multilateralism, international fairness and justice.
AFP: Hong Kong activist Nathan Law held his first meeting with the British minister yesterday. He said the British National Overseas passports scheme means a lot to Hong Kong people for gradually losing their freedoms. Does the foreign ministry have any comment on this?
Hua Chunying: This individual you mentioned can hardly speak for the people of Hong Kong. Since the national security law was implemented in Hong Kong, the local legal system has been improved, social order stabilized, and the sense of security of residents, including foreign nationals, increased. Stability, security, solidarity and development have become the consensus of the whole society. Recent poll results show that over 80 percent of Hong Kong residents believe their daily life remains unaffected after the law was enacted, and about 70 percent think it is conducive to restoring social stability. The positive effects of the law have been witnessed by all and cannot be denied. There is every confidence in the future development of Hong Kong.
A few claim their freedom has been affected, but I think the freedom they are talking about is the freedom to do whatever they want to undermine Hong Kong’s rule of law and stability. I stress that Hong Kong affairs are China’s internal affairs where no country, organization or individual has any right to interfere. we hope certain external elements will give up their attempts to meddle in Hong Kong affairs through political manipulation.
The Paper: Today is the World Human Rights Day. A few western countries raised concerns about China’s human rights conditions. Do you have a response?
Hua Chunying: One must stick to facts and be objective in assessing a country’s human rights conditions.
The Chinese government, committed to a people-centered human rights concept, attaches high importance to protecting and promoting human rights, which has been enshrined in the CPC’s constitution, the country’s constitution and national development plans. We take the right to subsistence and development as the primary human right and take a coordinated approach to advance political, economic, cultural and environmental rights, blazing a successful path of human rights development in keeping with our national realities.
We have ensured subsistence for 1.4 billion people, lifted more than 850 million out of poverty, provided employment for 770 million, woven a basic security net for 250 million elderly people, 85 million disabled and 43 million low-income residents in urban and rural areas, and put in place the world’s biggest systems of education, social security, medical care and community-based institutions of democracy. In the face of the sudden outbreak of COVID-19, the Chinese government puts people and life front and center, makes the best effort possible to protect people’s safety and health, and safeguard every life’s value and dignity. The recently concluded fifth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China reviewed and adopted proposals for the formulation of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. As we begin a new journey toward building a modern socialist country in all respects, the Chinese people’s human rights will be better protected.
CNR: The 60th anniversary of Chinese–African People’s Friendship Association (CAPFA) was held yesterday. What is the special significance of friendly interaction between China and Africa in the context of the pandemic situation?
Hua Chunying: First of all, thank you for your interests in CAPFA news. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate CAPFA again on its 60th anniversary. In China we say everything is smooth sailing after the 60th threshold. In the same vein, China-Africa friendship and cooperation have entered a mature stage.
CAPFA was the first national non-governmental organization established by China to specialize in people-to-people diplomacy regarding Africa. Its establishment coincided with the critical moment of national independence for the people of all countries in Africa. It stands as a reflection of the Chinese and African people sharing their weal and woe and helping each other with solidarity. Over the past 60 years, CAPFA, as a witness and contributor to the friendship between the Chinese and African people, has served as a backbone to develop amicable feelings between the two sides.
Yesterday, the 60th anniversary celebration was attended by Li Bin, vice chairman of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and CAPFA chairman who also delivered a speech. diplomatic envoys and representatives of African countries, or about 200 people, attended the event. The vice president of Uganda and the former prime minister of Tanzania and many other African friends have sent congratulatory messages to the event, praising the important contribution made by CAPFA to promoting the traditional friendship between China and Africa and promoting mutual benefit and win-win results, and all thanked the Chinese people for working together with the African people to fight the pandemic.
Last month, we just celebrated the 20th anniversary of the founding of FOCAC. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi put forward four proposals on how to adapt to the current situation and how China-Africa cooperation can continue to upgrade. Today, the 14th meeting of FOCAC senior officials was held in Beijing. China will work with African friends to implement outcomes reached at the Beijing Summit and the China-Africa Extraordinary Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19 and strengthen BRI cooperation to better benefit the Chinese and African people.
Beijing Daily: Der Tagesspiegel criticized China’s “wolf–warrior diplomacy” in an article titled “China’s Wolf–warrior” on December 8, using an image of Chinese character “杈(pitchfork)”, apparently a misspelling of “权 (power)”. The report said that the German parliament’s human rights committee held a so-called hearing on China’s human rights on November 18, which was denounced by the Chinese embassy. It slammed China’s “strong reaction”, citing Green Party’s anti-China lawmaker Margarete Bause’s words that Chinese diplomats become more aggressive and China is pursuing “wolf-warrior diplomacy”. What’s your response?
Hua Chunying: I noted that German newspaper misspelled “权 (power)” as “杈(pitchfork)”, which was ridiculed by the Chinese media. But such goof doesn’t surprise me at all, because there are some people who like to harp at China and criticize China as if they were China experts, when in fact, they know nothing about China.
As for “wolf-warrior diplomacy”, I would like to ask those who accuse China of “wolf-warrior diplomacy”: have they ever watched Disney’s animated film The Lion King? What do they think of that lovely little lion, Simba, who has grown up with all the suspicion, blame, and hardships as company?
If you may recall those things that happened between China and some other countries in recent period of time, which time and which one was caused by China’s provocation in the first place? Which time and in which case was China interfering in other countries’ internal affairs? Which time and in which case was China threatening or damaging the interests of other countries?
Whether it is labeling the virus, politicizing the epidemic, stigmatizing China, or abusing the concept of national security to arbitrarily suppress Chinese enterprises and undermine normal people-to-people and cultural exchanges, economic, trade and scientific cooperation; whether it is interfering in China’s internal affairs under the pretext of the so-called human rights, democracy, freedom, or defying basic norms of international relations, viciously attacking China’s political system and imposing wantonly unilateral sanctions, how can anyone think China has no right to speak the truth while they have every right to slander, attack, smear and hurt China? Do they think that China, as a sovereign state, doesn’t have the right to safeguard its own sovereignty, security, development interests and national dignity and honor, while every citizen has the right to exercise justifiable defense in accordance with the law? Do they think that China has no choice but the silence of the lambs while they are unscrupulously lashing out at the country with trumped-up charges?
When I was a kid, there was a very popular TV show in China, Huo Yuanjia, and its theme song had a line that said, “Cowardliness and forbearance only emboldens their arrogance”. In essence, the criticism of “wolf-warrior diplomacy” is just another version of the “China threat theory” and a discourse trap tailor-made for China. Those critics have been habitually lecturing on China in a condescending manner, and still can’t take any refutation. Their aim is to preempt China from fighting back. By putting this label on China, they are threatening and blackmailing China into giving up its right to tell the truth.
But these people should understand that China is not the same as it was 100 years ago. China is never a bully, and the Chinese people have principles and backbone. China’s diplomacy represents and defends the interests and dignity of the 1.4 billion Chinese people, or one fifth of the world’s population. On major issues of principle that bear on China’s sovereignty, security, development interests and international fairness and justice, China’s diplomacy must resolutely and forcefully fight back all malicious provocations, vigorously defend national interests and dignity, and safeguard international fairness and justice.
I would like to stress that China has always adhered to an independent foreign policy of peace. Aggressiveness is not our tradition, neither is bending our knee. In the face of hegemony and bullying, Mao Zedong once said, “We will not attack unless we are attacked, if we are attacked, we will certainly counterattack.” China does not provoke trouble, but will never flinch when trouble comes their way. We will not yield to coercion and blackmailing. If some people call China’s diplomacy “wolf-warrior diplomacy” just because we fight back and speak the truth in the face of unscrupulous attacks, slanders and denigration, I don’t see any problem in living with that “wolf-warrior” title, as long as we are fighting for China’s sovereignty, security and development interests, national dignity and honor, and international fairness and justice.
Prasar Bharati: India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has said that China has offered differing explanations for its deployment of thousands of soldiers on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that pushed bilateral ties into their most difficult phase ever. He also said that for some reason, China has violated multiple agreements signed between the two sides since 1993 that committed both parties not to bring large forces to the LAC. Does the ministry have any comments on this?
Hua Chunying: China and India are neighbors and the two largest emerging markets in the world. Maintaining good relations serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples, which also calls for joint efforts from both sides to meet each other half way. The rights and wrongs of what has happened in the China-India border area are very clear and the responsibility lies squarely with the Indian side. China is committed to resolving the boundary issue through negotiation and consultation and maintaining peace and tranquility in the border areas. At the same time, China is firmly committed to safeguarding China’s territorial sovereignty. We hope that India will work with China in the same direction and do more things conducive to solidarity, cooperation and common development.
Beijing Youth Daily: On December 8, US Republican Senator Marc Rubio and another US Representative sent letters to the Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of both Intel Corporation and NVIDIA. The letters seek additional information with regard to the sale of advanced computer chips that power a supercomputer used by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) security forces, including whether they knew that their technology would be used to support surveillance activities conducted by the PRC police forces and security entities. Some reports say that China’s local governments use facial recognition apps that could warn the appearance of Uyghurs. What is China’s comment on this?
Hua Chunying: We all know Rubio is anti-China. He takes as his mission concocting all kinds of lies to discredit China and serve his political self-interest. He has no political integrity to speak of.
As we all know, harnessing modern scientific and technological development, like using big data, to improve social governance is a common practice of the international community, and the United States is no exception. Cameras lawfully installed in relevant public places in Xinjiang are not aimed at monitoring any particular ethnic group, but improving social governance and effectively preventing and fighting against crimes. In fact, people feel more safe because of this measure which has won the general support of all ethnic groups.
When it comes to “surveillance”, in fact, the United States has been criticized by the world for using high-tech means to implement large-scale surveillance activities. In 2017, the U.S. government has asked 20 airports across the nation to scan passengers for face recognition, according to their own reports. The New York police has built a city-wide surveillance system that every pedestrian and every vehicle at every corner is monitored and what’s going through a person’s mobile phone is also tracked. Eight secret surveillance centers have been set up in Texas alone for intelligence sharing and the monitoring of social media and online forums. The FBI’s massive facial recognition apparatus can match against over 640 million photos without a warrant or probable cause, according to a June 4 report by the United States Audit Office. About half of American adults (more than 117 million people) are included in face recognition systems used by law enforcement agencies, and African Americans are more vulnerable to be flagged than other ethnic groups, according to a study published by Georgetown University. I also saw a Guardian report published on July 17, 2020 that at least 1/4 of law enforcement agencies in the United States can use the facial recognition technology without supervision. In New York City alone, the NYPD used facial recognition more than 8,000 times last year, including in conjunction with its so-called “gang database” of 42,000 New Yorkers, overwhelmingly New Yorkers of color. Police could potentially retaliate against protesters by adding their names to databases and singling them out for unjustified, follow-up monitoring and “selective enforcement of unrelated matters”. Another open secret, as we all know, is that relevant US agencies have long violated international law and the basic norms of international relations by carrying out large-scale, organized and nondiscriminatory cyber theft, surveillance and attacks on foreign governments, enterprises and individuals. This is what the world already knows.
We urge some people in the United States to abandon double standards, stop political manipulation, and stop fabricating lies related to Xinjiang and stops interfering in China’s internal affairs by taking advantage of Xinjiang-related issues.
Reuters: The United States’ Treasury slapped sanctions on Macao ringleader Wan Kuok Koi, saying he is a CPPCC member and that the 14K Triad under his control is committing crimes in the BRI program. What’s your response? Can you confirm that he is not a CPPCC member?
Hua Chunying: You just said this person is a ringleader. I saw relevant reports and as I understand, he is anyone but a member of the China People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), either at the national or local level. This is another proof that some people in the US are fabricating lies and unscrupulously attacking and smearing China. It’s just despicable.
China Daily: US Secretary of State Pompeo said yesterday that more than 60 countries, including 27 EU countries, and about 130 telecommunications companies have abandoned China’s 5G technology. What is China’s comment on this?
Hua Chunying: He keeps bragging about more and more countries joining the so-called “clean network” and “abandoning China’s 5G technology.” Can he list which these countries are? As far as I know, the U.S. side has been lobbying countries around the world with carrot and stick to join the so-called “network”, and some countries have in fact been included in this “network” under duress.
Facts have proved that Chinese companies have been maintaining a very good record on network security. Take Huawei as an example. In the past 30 years, Huawei has built more than 1,500 networks in more than 170 countries and regions, partnering with 228 Fortune Global 500 companies and serving more than three billion people around the world. There have been no such network security incidents as the Snowden incident and WikiLeaks, no such cyber surveillance programs as “Prism Gate”, “Formula Organization” and “Echelon System”, and no country has been able to come up with evidence to prove Huawei products have back doors. Huawei has long publicly expressed its readiness to sign a “no back door” agreement and to set up a cyber security assessment centre in any country. Which American company can make the same commitment? Can they?
As AFP reported in October, the United States and other Five Eye countries have publicly requested that backdoors be set up in encryption applications such as Signal and Telegram to provide access to law enforcement agencies. So far, the United States has not given an explanation.
The so-called “clean network” concocted by the US side is in fact a “dirty network”, because its real purpose is to crack down on non-American enterprises that have gained an edge over American ones, and to suppress the legitimate development rights of other countries, so as to safeguard the monopoly, self-interests, and scientific and technological hegemony of the United States. A bully will not be welcomed wherever he goes, and no purpose will be served by coercion. We believe that after recognizing the truth, most countries will take an objective and impartial stand and make independent judgments.
Kyodo News: You just talked about Hong Kong-related issues. Is the sanctions on the US side put in place today? Any details of those sanctioned?
Hua Chunying: Like I just said, the Chinese side decides to impose reciprocal sanctions on U.S. officials of executive branch, people of Congress and NGOs who act egregiously and bear major responsibilities on Hong Kong-related issues and their immediate family members. As to who will be covered, I’m sure those who fall under this category know very well.
PTI: While replying to the question related to the Indian External Affairs Minister’s comments, you spoke of common efforts. One key point of Mr. Jaishankar’s interview was that the two countries have worked out agreements on several important areas, including trade, travel, et cetera, even while negotiating the boundary issue, and he said that probably life can go on with this kind of situation at the border. So what kind of common efforts do you think the two countries can now contemplate? Previously they worked out so many agreements. And obviously, you have a new situation. Can you elaborate on the common efforts that the two countries can now think about to resolve this border issue and more beyond that?
Hua Chunying: With regard to the border issue, as I have just said, the rights and wrongs of the events that have taken place in the border areas between China and India are very clear. China has always strictly complied with the agreements signed with India. We are committed to resolving the border issue through negotiations and consultations and to safeguarding peace and tranquility in the border areas. At the same time, like any sovereign country, China’s determination to safeguard its own sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering. It is the Indian side that needs to seriously think about why it is faced with the current situation.
At present, China-India relations do face difficulties and challenges, but China’s policy towards India has not changed. We always believe that it is in the fundamental interests of the two countries and the two peoples to maintain good relations, as two neighboring countries and emerging economies, each with a population of more than 1 billion. China will, as always, be committed to maintaining and developing relations with India and upholding peace and stability in the border areas. With regard to issues left over from history, such as the border issue, China has always advocated finding a just and reasonable solution that is acceptable to both sides through peaceful and friendly consultations, and at the same time placing the border issue in an appropriate position in bilateral relations. We hope that the Indian side will work with the Chinese side, earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, properly manage differences, enhance political mutual trust, strengthen practical cooperation, and strive to return China-India relations to the track of healthy and stable development.
Hubei TV: Chinese Ambassador to Egypt and Representative to the Arab League Liao Liqiang recently handed over to the headquarters of the Secretariat of the Arab League the second batch of anti-epidemic supplies donated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. Can the spokesperson give more information?
Hua Chunying: Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and Arab states have shared weal and woe and helped each other, standing as an example of successful bilateral cooperation in fighting the pandemic and a vivid portrayal of China and Arab states building a community of a shared future. Secretary-General of the Arab League Gheit wrote to State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to express support when China was in the depth of a fight against the pandemic, and Arab states donated more than 10 million masks and other urgently needed medical supplies to China. China also feels for Arab states when they have been hit by the pandemic. President Xi Jinping sent letters expressing support to a number of Arab leaders. Since then, China has provided more than 1 million test kits and more than 18 million masks to Arab states and sent medical expert groups to eight Arab states. The two sides held more than 40 video conferences for medical experts. Vaccine cooperation between China and the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Morocco and others is also going well.
The second batch of supplies donated by the Chinese side includes 130,000 N95 masks, which will effectively support the Arab League Secretariat’s response to another outbreak in winter. Prior to this, China has provided 200,000 general masks and 9,000 N95 masks to the Secretariat of the Arab League. These are our concrete steps to implement the joint statement of China and Arab states on solidarity against COVID-19.
Zaki, chief assistant secretary-general of the Arab League, said that the donation of the second batch of anti-epidemic materials by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs is another testament to the long-standing friendship between Arab states and China, and once again reflects the importance China attaches to the brotherly friendship between the two sides. The Arab League looks forward to the early defeat of COVID-19 with the joint efforts of Arab States and China and the solidarity and cooperation of all countries in the world. The Arab League and China will continue to support each other and jointly promote the in-depth development of friendly relations between the two sides. Through the test of the epidemic, the mutual trust and friendship between China and the Arab League will be further deepened.
Shenzhen TV: US Secretary of State Pompeo again accused the CPC of unleashing the novel coronavirus. US President Donald Trump mentioned the “China virus” again yesterday when he forwarded a tweet on record COVID-19 deaths in Germany. How does China comment on this?
Hua Chunying: COVID-19 is the common enemy of mankind. The WHO and the international community are clearly opposed to linking the virus to specific countries and regions and against stigmatization. I believe everyone has noticed that some recent international studies believe that the novel coronavirus had spread overseas before the outbreak in China, and the timeline was repeatedly moved ahead. This confirms once again that the traceability of the virus is a complex scientific problem, and it is up to scientists to carry out international scientific research and cooperation on a global scale.
Now the cumulative cases in the United States have exceeded 15 million, an increase of more than a million within a week, which means that one in every 22 Americans is confirmed. Deaths in the United States have edged towards 300,000. More than 3,000 new cases were added yesterday. The United States accounts for 4.2 percent of the world’s population, but the number of confirmed cases accounts for 22.2 percent of the world, more than five times the number of cases per million people in the world. I note that reports in the United States say that the pandemic has evolved into a humanitarian disaster in the United States. In order to cover up their incompetence in coping with the pandemic, some US politicians have tried their best to label the virus and politicize the pandemic, engage in political manipulation on the origin of the virus, spread political viruses and lies, and try to dump the blame and shirk the blame. As you can see, the United States is now the greatest emitter of the virus. It turns out that relevant actions by the U.S. side is neither scientific nor moral, harmful to everyone. We urge the relevant US politicians to respect the facts, respect science, stop stigmatizing and politically manipulate the pandemic situation, focus their minds and energy to fighting the virus in their own country, and do their best to safeguard the safety and health of the American people. China is willing to provide the American people with the help and support we can to fight the epidemic.
Reuters: S&P Dow Jones Indices announced today that a group of Chinese companies are removed from their stocks and securities index. What is China’s comment on this?
Hua Chunying: I answered similar questions the other day. This is obviously a result of the relevant executive order of the U.S. government, also another example of the U.S. side using state power and abusing the name of national security to suppress Chinese enterprises. We firmly oppose the relevant practices of the U.S. government. Time will tell that it is the interests of the U.S. side that will be hurt at the end of the day because of their encircling and containing of Chinese enterprises with various excuses and without a bottom line.
Reuters: the Chinese Embassy in the United States said its Twitter was hacked, and denied that on December 9, it retweeted a post of US President Donald Trump accusing the Democrats of rigging the election. What further explanation does the Chinese side have?
Hua Chunying: The Chinese Embassy in the United States has made a statement, saying that the Embassy did not forward any tweets on the 9th.