According to a message on the website of the Ministry of Commerce on October 12, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce answered questions from reporters regarding recent Chinese trade and economic policy measures.
1. A reporter asked: On October 9, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs issued a notice, implementing export controls on related rare earth items. What is China's consideration?
Answer: The Chinese government has announced export control measures on rare earths and other related items, which is a legitimate practice by the Chinese government based on laws and regulations to improve its own export control system. Currently, the world situation is unstable, with frequent military conflicts. The Chinese government has noted that certain rare earth items are of important applications in the military field. China is a responsible major country, and it legally implements export controls on relevant items, aiming to better maintain world peace and regional stability and fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation.
China's export control is not a ban on exports; applications that meet the regulations will be approved. Before the announcement of the measures, China had already informed all relevant countries and regions through the bilateral export control dialogue mechanism. China is willing to strengthen dialogue and exchange on export control with all countries to better maintain the security and stability of the global industrial chain and supply chain.
2. A reporter asked: We have noticed that the Ministry of Commerce recently issued a notice to strengthen export controls on rare earths and other related items. How will the subsequent implementation be carried out?
Answer: As a responsible major country, China has always firmly safeguarded its national security and the common security of the international community, and always adhered to a fair and reasonable principle. China will implement export control measures prudently and moderately. Before the release of the measures, China had conducted sufficient assessments of the possible impact on the production and supply chain and was confident that the impact was very limited. Before the introduction of the measures, China had already informed all relevant countries and regions through the bilateral export control dialogue mechanism.
Subsequently, the Chinese government will conduct licensing reviews in accordance with laws and regulations, approve applications that meet the regulations, and at the same time actively consider various facilitation measures such as general licenses and license exemptions, effectively promoting compliant trade. I would like to emphasize that China's export control is not a ban on exports. Any export application that is used for civilian purposes and is compliant can be approved. Relevant enterprises need not worry. The Chinese government will continue to work with all countries to firmly safeguard world peace and stability in the surrounding regions, and jointly ensure the stability of the global industrial chain and supply chain.
3. A reporter asked: On October 10, US Eastern Time, the US announced that in response to China's export control measures on rare earths and other related items, it will impose a 100% tariff on China and implement export controls on all key software. What is the Ministry of Commerce's comment on this?
Answer: China has noted the relevant situation. On October 9, China released export control measures on rare earths and other related items, which is a normal action by the Chinese government based on laws and regulations to improve its own export control system. As a responsible major country, China has always firmly safeguarded its national security and the common security of the international community, and always adhered to a fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory principle. The US's statement is a typical case of "double standards." For a long time, the US has generalized national security, abused export controls, and adopted discriminatory practices against China, imposing unilateral extraterritorial jurisdiction measures on many products such as semiconductor equipment and chips. The number of items on the US export control list exceeds 3,000, while the number of items on China's export control list is only over 900. The US has long used the lowest content rule for export controls, as low as 0%. The US's relevant measures seriously harm the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, severely disrupt the international economic and trade order, and severely damage the safety and stability of the global supply chain.
Especially since the September 2023 Sino-US Madrid economic and trade talks, within just 20 days, the US has continuously introduced a series of new restrictions on China, adding multiple Chinese entities to the export control entity list and the specially designated nationals list; using penetrating rules to arbitrarily expand the scope of controlled enterprises, affecting thousands of Chinese companies; ignoring China's concerns and goodwill, and insisting on implementing the 301 measures on China's maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding industries. The US's actions seriously harm China's interests and severely disrupt the atmosphere of Sino-US economic and trade talks. China strongly opposes this.
Threatening with high tariffs is not the right way to deal with China. Regarding the tariff war, China's position has always been clear: we do not want to fight, but we are not afraid to fight. China urges the US to quickly correct its wrong practices, take the important consensus from the phone call between the two heads of state as guidance, protect the hard-won results of the negotiations, continue to play the role of the Sino-US economic and trade consultation mechanism, resolve each other's concerns through dialogue on the basis of mutual respect and equal consultation, properly manage differences, and maintain the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of Sino-US economic and trade relations. If the US persists in its course, China will resolutely take corresponding measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.
4. A reporter asked: The US will charge port fees on relevant Chinese ships on October 14. We have noticed that China has announced corresponding countermeasures. What is China's comment on this?
Answer: On April 17, the Office of the United States Trade Representative announced the final measures of the 301 investigation on China's maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors, which will take effect on October 14, charging port fees on relevant Chinese ships. The US's actions seriously violate the WTO rules and go against the principle of equal reciprocity in the Sino-US Maritime Agreement, which is a typical act of unilateralism. China has repeatedly expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition.
Since the Sino-US London economic and trade talks, China has consistently communicated and negotiated with the US on the aforementioned measures, provided written responses to the baseless accusations against China in the 301 investigation report, and proposed suggestions on cooperation in relevant industries. However, the US has taken a negative attitude, insisted on implementing these measures, and on October 3, issued an announcement clearly stating the specific requirements for charging Chinese ships. In order to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests, China has no choice but to take countermeasures. Based on laws and regulations such as the "Regulations on International Shipping of the People's Republic of China," China has decided to collect special port charges for ships involved in the US. China's countermeasures are necessary and passive defensive actions aimed at safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese industries and enterprises and maintaining a fair competitive environment in the international shipping and shipbuilding markets. We hope the US will face up to its mistakes and move in the same direction as China, returning to the correct track of dialogue and consultation.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7560154541900874274/
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