HE Yao Jing, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Spain, He sees the situation in Gaza as worrying and points out that the only way to achieve peace in the Middle East is two-state formalization. The diplomat, who first took office in October, is in Gran Canaria, where he is attending an event organized by the Confucius Institute to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the opening of relations between his country and Spain.
How are relations with Spain? Chinese?
This is a very important question. I thought a lot about this before talking to you. This year is the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic relations and I think it is time to rethink what we have achieved during this time and what we hope for the next 50 years. China and Spain have a very well-knit relationship, especially since last March, when we had the honor of receiving the visit of President Pedro Sánchez, which opened a new phase. I believe that mutual respect and productive cooperation are important for the maintenance of political ties, and these are the cornerstones of our relations.
What do you expect from this connection in the next 50 years?
For China, relations with Spain are given great importance. It is a strategic partner with which we want to continue cooperation in terms of promoting economic development and cultural exchange.
At the moment, Spain’s governability is not at its best. How does this ‘political crisis’ affect China’s business interests?
As an ambassador, I am supposed to be informed about the development of national politics, but China’s attitude towards the internal affairs of the rest is very clear: we follow but never interfere. All I can say is that we wish the Spanish people and Government all the best.
How would you describe the current situation of China’s economy and society?
China, like Europe and the rest of the world, is trying to recover from the pandemic. We are very confident in our economy. If we look at the figures for the first three quarters of this year, we managed to grow GDP by 5.2%, strengthen the large Chinese market and secure the future of foreign cooperation with other countries. I have no doubt that we will achieve good results with this panorama.
They are the second world power, will they be able to pass? United States of America So will they be able to reach first place before 2030?
Although we are the second largest economy in the world in terms of power, China is still a developing country. For example, GDP per capita is only around $10,000 per year. I think it’s a lot less than Spanish. We do not have a policy to catch up with the USA, which is a superpower and is more advanced than us in some areas. This is not a China dream or the end of our overseas strategy.
Where are the relations with the USA?
To understand them, we need to analyze their trajectory over the last decade. Our country works to ensure that these relations are based on mutual respect and respect for sovereignty. We have to take everyone’s concerns into consideration, but I think it’s kind of reasonable. Both parties need to embrace an understanding of cooperation, solidarity and mutual responsibility. We should not blame each other, punish each other, or limit each other. Our population is very large, our economy is very large, and as permanent members of the UN Security Council, we both have great responsibilities. We have a vital role in ensuring peace and stability in the world, but China and the US are currently following different models. We want to be more collaborative. I think they need to open their minds and fulfill their obligations.
I was talking about achieving peace, what is the route China is taking to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza?
What is happening in Gaza is tragic and alarming. Everyone knows the reason and background of this. China condemns any attack on civilians and considers that the well-known right of self-defense should be limited as required by international law. In short, the peace process in the Middle East should continue on the basis of the formalization of two states. For now, the priority is to ensure a ceasefire. Violence will not be resolved with more violence. If the ultimate goal is peace, you cannot have war. Discussions are the only way to reach consensus. We are working with other partners to bring the parties to the table and talk. However, things are developing against our wishes.
Are you optimistic?
I need to be optimistic because this violence is not sustainable. People on both sides suffer every day. This is not the situation we want.
a leader HamasKhalid Meshaal stated in an interview that China plans to launch a similar attack on Taiwan as it launched in Israel. Is this a scam?
I don’t know this guy and his comparison between the Middle East and Taiwan is very unrealistic. Taiwan is part of China and we are doing everything we can to resolve this chapter of our history peacefully. The problem is that there are a small number of people, both on the island and in the international community, who want to turn this into a major conflict. Both situations are not comparable, they are completely different. Our policy towards Taiwan is to seek a peaceful solution. China’s aim is always based on peace, not violence.
Can you call China a communist country?
Of course, we used to be an empire with a dynasty in government, but since the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1921, we have been a communist and socialist country. This is the only way to achieve the prosperity goals we want in our society. The PCC has gained independence from external powers, achieved full territorial integrity without danger of invasion, and exercises popular leadership over the entire society. It also transformed the country from a weak economy to a relatively developed one and preserved our cultural independence. So yes, we are a communist society, but we have Chinese characteristics. Our goal is not to spread our system to other countries.
Do you think we have a misperception of communism in the West?
When we look at the documents on which the Chinese State was built, their basis is democracy, freedom, openness and rights. For this reason, I think there is sometimes a wrong perception about China in the West.
They made a strong entry into Africa as investors. Why are agreements with China so attractive for African countries?
Africa is a very large region, a big country. When China achieves some form of economic success, it is natural for it to offer aid or development assistance to others. We offer infrastructure and transportation investments, especially railways, highways or highways, to African countries. They are not very rich countries, so we also provide some cooperation in training professionals or managers. That’s basically what we do. We have good friends in Africa. They supported the Chinese movement towards independence, towards sovereignty, and now naturally we have to give it back to them. In the past, when we were poor, we would receive your help. Now that we are a little rich, we offer them our money.
Are these economic interests accompanied by geostrategic interests? First of all, to reduce the influence of the USA and Russia In the field.
I don’t think China has a strategic plan to compete with anyone. Africa is very large and every country has influence, has its own sphere of influence, such as France, the United States and even Spain. We can’t cover everything, it’s not realistic. Spain has a greater presence in the northern part and France in the French-speaking regions. Our country only wants to share the responsibility that we, the great economies, have in the development of this continent. This is basic policy.
Looking to the future, what are the challenges facing your nation?
Since our population is large, we need to manage the development of our economy adequately, prioritizing the domestic market and international cooperation. One of the challenges is to increase domestic consumption. Compared to the rich regions of the east, the western part of China shows a development similar to some African countries. There is an imbalance in the country that we need to resolve. Another is that we are too dependent on the volatility of the global economy. We are the largest trading partner of many countries with our many investments abroad. We should not be subject to sanctions, restrictions or investigations by other states, we want a fair international environment for the conduct of transactions. And finally, peace. Economy can only be achieved in peace. If we have these problems in Ukraine, if we have these problems in the Middle East, if we have these kinds of problems, things will get complicated.
What about sustainable development goals?
Of course, sustainable development is a priority for China. We are converting many of our coal power plants to hydrogen or other clean sources.