FM press conference on Nov. 13 (Full Text) (2)

Q: Connie Hedegaard, the European Commissioner for Climate Action reportedly said that the European Commission offered to suspend its carbon tax on air travel, hoping that a multilateral agreement can be reached on this issue during the general assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization. However, if the assembly fails to deliver a deal, the EU will continue with its relevant measures. How does China respond?

A: China has noted the EU official's remarks. China will welcome it, if the EU makes up its mind to suspend its unilateral measures. China always maintains that within multilateral mechanisms, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), we should jointly tackle climate change through international cooperation in accordance with the principles and provisions of the UNFCCC. China is opposed to unilateral actions.

What should be pointed out is that China cannot accept the EU's action of linking the multilateral process with unilateral measures and setting preconditions to the multilateral process.

Together with other parties concerned, China will continue to actively cope with climate change within multilateral mechanisms, such as the UNFCCC and the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Q: The UN General Assembly is going to decide whether to accept Palestine as its observer state. President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas said he was considering restarting peace talks with Israel after Palestine secures the UN observer status. What is China's comment?

A: China always supports the Palestinian people's just cause of restoring lawful national rights and regards the founding of an independent state as the Palestinian people's lawful right as well as the foundation for the implementation of the "two-state solution". China supports the establishment of an independent Palestinian state that enjoys full sovereignty, with East Jerusalem as its capital and based on the 1967 border. China understands, respects and supports relevant requirements of the Palestinian side on the issue concerning its accession to the UN.

Meanwhile, China also believes that peace talks is the correct way to the ultimate realization of the "two-state solution". China supports Palestine and Israel in appropriately solving the issue of final-status through political negotiations.