At the invitation of State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will visit China from March 22 to 25.

Sky News: In the last few days, the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for President Putin. He’s also been videoed walking around Mariupol where there’s evidence of war crimes having been committed by his troops. China would say it’s against things like illegal invasion and war crimes. So how can it justify the visit of President Xi going ahead this week?  

Wang Wenbin: Our position has always been that dialogue and negotiation provides the fundamental way out for the Ukraine crisis, and that the international community needs to play a constructive role in peacefully resolving the Ukraine crisis, and do more in ways that are conducive to talks for peace, deescalation and mediation efforts. The ICC needs to take an objective and just position, respect the jurisdictional immunity of a head of state under international law, prudently exercise its mandate in accordance with the law, interpret and apply international law in good faith, and not engage in politicization or use double standards.

As for President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Russia, we shared information with you last week. I want to reiterate that President Xi’s visit is a trip for friendship, a trip for cooperation and a trip for peace.

President Xi Jinping will have an in-depth exchange of views with President Putin on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues of mutual interest, jointly promote strategic coordination and practical cooperation between the two countries and provide new impetus for the growth of bilateral relations. The two sides will, on the basis of the principles of no-alliance, no-confrontation and no-targeting at any third party, practice true multilateralism, work for greater democracy in international relations, build a multi-polar world, improve global governance and contribute to the development and progress of the world. China will uphold an objective and fair position on the Ukraine crisis and play a constructive role in promoting talks for peace.

People’s Daily: The just-concluded “two sessions” have drawn widespread attention from the international community. It’s a widely shared view that the “two sessions” provide an important window into China’s model of democracy, which shows that whole-process people’s democracy under the leadership of the Communist Party of China has broad and firm support from the people and that China has found a successful path to democracy that suits China’s realities. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: The system of people’s congresses is an important system aimed to realize whole-process people’s democracy in China. The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is an important form for developing socialist democracy and practicing whole-process people’s democracy in China’s political life. The “two sessions” are a concrete practice of whole-process people’s democracy. Whole-process people’s democracy is reflected not only in the complete system design, but also in the functioning and good effect of the system. It is a model of democracy that covers all aspects of the democratic process and all sectors of society. It is a true democracy that works.

Whole-process people’s democracy runs through each and every link of the “two sessions”, including elections, consultations, decision-making, management, and oversight. Deputies of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and members of the CPPCC from different regions, industries, sectors and with different ethnic backgrounds gathered together to discuss national policies and plans, which fully reflects the will of the people. At the “two sessions” this year, new leaders of state institutions and the National Committee of the CPPCC were elected and appointed. In particular, Comrade Xi Jinping was unanimously reelected President of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the PRC, which reflects the common will of all NPC deputies and the shared aspiration of Chinese people from all ethnic groups. Through fact-finding trips, conversations and other means, they got a deep understanding of what the people want, and reflected it in their motions, suggestions and proposals. Surveys show that the issues that the public cared most about during the “two sessions” were education and human resources, social security, fighting corruption, rural revitalization, the employment-first policy and medical care and health. These are also high priorities for the NPC deputies and CPPCC members and in the government report. In the past five years, the Chinese government adopted more than 18,000 suggestions and proposals from national lawmakers and political advisors, and subsequently introduced more than 7,800 policy measures, which boosted solutions to a large number of problems related to reform and development, as well as people’s urgent needs. 

China’s whole-process people’s democracy is widely commended in the world. Sommad Pholsena, Vice President of the Lao National Assembly, noted that the achievements in China’s socioeconomic development would not have been possible without whole-process people’s democracy under the CPC’s leadership, and China’s democracy is aimed to bring tangible benefits to the Chinese people. Chairman of the Kuhn Foundation Robert Lawrence Kuhn noted that China’s democracy is no verbal mirage, and it is practiced to ensure that development is for the people and by the people and that its fruits are shared by the people. Columnist Iara Vidal of the Brazilian magazine Revista Fórum, after analyzing and comparing data related to the topics the Chinese and US legislatures focus on respectively, has come to the conclusion that lawmakers in Washington are preoccupied with dealing with issues of individualism, but Chinese NPC deputies in Beijing discuss issues that affect people’s daily life, such as development, the economy and democratic consultation. Many international observers noted that the successful model of China’s whole-process people’s democracy provides useful experience for other countries in the world, especially developing countries.

According to a survey conducted by a well-known international institution in China, more than 90 percent of respondents are satisfied with their government for years running. This is the most telling evidence of the strong vitality in China’s democracy. Facts have proven that China’s democracy truly works. It enables the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people, or nearly one-fifth of the world’s population, to truly become masters of their country and enjoy extensive rights and freedoms, blazing a new trail for humanity’s cause of democracy. We will continue to forge ahead steadfastly along this path of whole-process people’s democracy.

Yonhap News Agency: The ROK-China-Japan Trilateral Summit Meeting hasn’t been held for three years since 2019. What is China’s position on resuming the summit this year?

Wang Wenbin: China, Japan and the ROK are close neighbors and important development partners for each other. China-Japan-ROK cooperation serves the common interests of the three parties and meets the expectations of countries in th