Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on October 9, 2026
At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President of the Republic of Botswana Duma Gideon Boko will pay a state visit to China from October 12 to 17.
China News Service: You just announced the upcoming visit by President Boko. Could you please share the program of the visit and China’s expectations? How does China view the current China-Botswana relations?
Mao Ning: The upcoming visit will mark President Boko’s first visit to China since assuming office. During the visit, President Xi will host a welcoming ceremony and a banquet for President Boko, and the two heads of state will hold talks. Premier Li Qiang and Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Zhao Leji will meet with him respectively. President Boko will also visit Fujian Province.
China and Botswana are strategic partners. Over the 51 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have upheld sincere friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation. We support each other on major issues concerning respective core interests, assist each other in times of disaster and epidemic, join hands on the journey toward modernization, and firmly stand on the right side of history on international affairs. We are confident that the upcoming visit will elevate China-Botswana relations to a new height and further contribute to building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.
Shenzhen TV: It was reported that a spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) alleged that yesterday morning, under the firing of water cannons and dangerous maneuvers and disruptions from China Coast Guard, the PCG completed a medical evacuation mission for an injured personnel from the military vessel “grounded” at Ren’ai Jiao. What is China’s comment?
Mao Ning: The spokesperson of China Coast Guard has issued a statement to share information on what actually happened. Yesterday morning, a Philippine Coast Guard vessel, without China’s permission, intruded the adjacent waters of Ren’ai Jiao, Nansha Qundao of China. China Coast Guard took legitimate and reasonable measures to handle the situation in accordance with laws and regulations. After communication between the two sides, out of humanitarian considerations, China gave timely permission to the Philippine side to evacuate injured personnel by small boat and provided necessary facilitation.
Instead of acknowledging China’s facilitation, individual Philippine officials have distorted facts and wrongfully accused China without showing the whole picture to the public. This once again reveals their intention of provoking China and staging publicity stunts, which is rather despicable. China will not waver in responding to any provocation and safeguarding territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
Reuters: U.S. officials from the Department of Justice said they seized seven internet domains that were linked to Chinese hackers that were trying to hack the U.S. and foreign critical infrastructure systems. Does China have a comment?
Mao Ning: China firmly opposes and combats hacking activities in accordance with law. China also firmly opposes spreading disinformation and making noises for political agenda.
Cybersecurity is an issue of common concern for China and the U.S. We urge the U.S. side to quit double standards and political manipulation, jointly tackle cybersecurity risks through equal-footed dialogue and consultation, and build a relationship characterized by peace, stability and mutual respect on cyber issues.
AFP: China and the United States have reportedly discussed carrying out reciprocal visits to nuclear sites with plans to talk about this further in coming months. This is according to CNN based on sources familiar with the matter. Can the foreign ministry confirm this? Is China open to conducting reciprocal nuclear site visits with the United States?
Mao Ning: The relevant report is not true.
Phoenix TV: It’s been disclosed that Japan’s right-wing forces are making continuous efforts to tamper WWII history by entering adulterated data into mainstream AI models, some of which produce outputs with a clearly misguided view of history. For instance, they refer to the July 7 Incident as a “clash” between Japanese and Chinese troops, the Nanjing Massacre as the “Fall of Nanjing” and Japan’s aggression against Southeast Asia as “interest” in the region’s resources. What’s your comment?
Mao Ning: Japan committed ironclad and undeniable crimes during militarist aggression. Using new technologies to poison the data is the latest method by Japanese right-wing forces to distort and glorify Japan’s war history. The aim is to embed a wrong perception of WWII history and misguide public opinion, so that Japan can break free from the postwar pacifist constraint and accelerate remilitarization.
AI should be used for the positive and for good, not for tampering with historical facts and whitewashing war crimes. The covert moves of Japanese right-wing forces greatly hurt the sentiments of Japan’s war victims and constitute a blatant affront to human conscience. The international community must stay on high alert and push back those moves.
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