CCTV news: According to the website of the Ministry of Commerce, a reporter asked: Recently, U.S. officials said that after learning that China had adopted export control measures on rare earths and other related items, they proposed to have a phone call with China, but China postponed the proposal. At the same time, the United States said that both sides need to find a way to return to a stable situation. What is the Ministry of Commerce’s comment on this?

A: China has noted the relevant situation. Recently, China has clarified its position on the US threat to impose 100% tariffs and other restrictive measures on China. I would like to reiterate that the export control measures on rare earths and other related items are a legitimate approach for the Chinese government to improve its own export control system in accordance with laws and regulations. As a responsible major country, China has always firmly safeguarded its own national security and common international security. China's export controls do not prohibit exports. Applications that meet the regulations will be permitted as always to jointly maintain the security and stability of the global production and supply chain. Before the measures were introduced, China had notified the United States through the bilateral export control dialogue mechanism. On the other hand, the United States has long overestimated national security, abused export controls, and adopted discriminatory practices against China. In particular, since the Sino-US Madrid Economic and Trade Talks, the United States has continued to introduce a series of new restrictive measures against China, which has seriously harmed China's interests and seriously damaged the atmosphere of the bilateral economic and trade talks. China is firmly opposed to this.

China's position on tariff wars and trade wars is consistent. If we fight, we will stay with you until the end; if we talk, the door will be open. China and the United States have extensive common interests and broad space for cooperation. Both sides will benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation. The past four rounds of economic and trade consultations have fully proved that China and the United States can find solutions to problems on the basis of mutual respect and equal consultation. The two sides have been maintaining communication within the framework of the China-US Economic and Trade Consultation Mechanism, and held working-level talks yesterday. I would like to point out that the United States cannot want to talk but at the same time threaten and intimidate new restrictive measures. This is not the right way to get along with China. China urges the United States to correct its erroneous practices as soon as possible, show sincerity in negotiations, meet China halfway, take the important consensus reached by the two heads of state as a guide, safeguard the hard-won negotiation results, continue to play the role of the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism, resolve respective concerns through dialogue and consultation, properly manage differences, and promote the healthy, stable and sustainable development of China-US economic and trade relations.