The right of self-defense, forced transfers, and independent states
Michael Horlick, MPM, M Ed., PMP
Educator, Lexicographer, and Incurable Idealist
Terms to note from today’s PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs press conference:
Today’s quote:
我们祝贺孟加拉国国父隧道正式通车。孟国父隧道是南亚地区首条水下隧道，有利于进一步改善孟加拉国和周边国家的互联互通，是共建“一带一路”倡议惠及合作伙伴、带动共同发展的又一生动例证。相信孟国父隧道将同达舍尔甘地污水处理厂等项目一道，有力促进孟经济社会发展、增进人民福祉。
We congratulate Bangladesh on the inauguration of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel. It is the first underwater tunnel in South Asia and will further enhance connectivity between Bangladesh and neighboring countries. This is another vivid example of how Belt and Road cooperation benefits partner countries and promotes common development. We believe that this tunnel and other projects like the Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant will contribute to the economic and social development of Bangladesh and the well-being of the people.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on October 31, 2023)
Previous PRC history of the term:
?? 达舍尔甘地污水处理厂是孟加拉国第一座现代化大型污水处理厂，也是南亚地区迄今为止最大的单体污水处理厂，可以处理达卡市500万居民的生活污水，将大幅提高当地民众生活质量。这是“一带一路”倡议造福伙伴国的又一例证。“一带一路”倡议提出10年来，为伙伴国创造42万个工作岗位，使将近4000万人摆脱贫困。
The Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant is the first large-scale modern sewage treatment facility in Bangladesh and the largest monolithic sewage treatment plant in South Asia to date. It can provide sewage treatment service to 5 million people in Dhaka, which can help significantly increase local people’s living standard. This is yet another example of how the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) benefits local population in participating countries. Over the past ten years since its inception, the BRI has created 420,000 jobs and lifted almost 40 million people out of poverty outside China.?? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on July 19, 2023)
Today’s quote:
巴以冲突循环往复的根源在于巴勒斯坦领土长期被非法占领，巴勒斯坦人民独立建国的权利被长期忽视，巴勒斯坦民众的基本权利长期没有得到根本保障。
For too long, Palestinian territories have been under illegal occupation. For too long, the Palestinian people’s right to independent statehood has been overlooked. And for too long, their basic rights have received no fundamental guarantee. This is the root cause of the cycle of conflict between Palestine and Israel. Such historical injustice must not continue.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on October 31, 2023)
Previous PRC history of the term:
?? 国际社会应当坚持“两国方案”不动摇，把巴勒斯坦问题置于国际议程优先位置，帮助巴勒斯坦人民早日实现独立建国的梦想。
The international community should adhere to the two-state solution, prioritize the Palestinian issue on the international agenda, and help the Palestinian people realize their dream of an independent state at an early date.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on November 30, 2022)
?? 中方坚定支持巴勒斯坦人民争取恢复民族权利的正义事业，将同国际社会一道，为最终实现巴勒斯坦独立建国、巴以两国和平共处不懈努力。?
China firmly supports the Palestinian people’s just cause to restore their national rights. We will work with the international community to make relentless efforts until an independent state of Palestine is established and peaceful coexistence between Palestine and Israel is realized.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on October 14, 2022)
?? 以巴冲突反复上演，根本原因在于“两国方案”迄未落实，巴勒斯坦人民独立建国的合理诉求长期无法实现。
The underlying reason for the recurrent conflicts between Israel and Palestine is the absence of the implementation of the two-state solution and long denial of the Palestinian people’s legitimate appeal of establishing an independent state.?? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on August 8, 2022)
?? 巴勒斯坦和以色列冲突反复上演，巴勒斯坦被占领土局势持续紧张，根本原因在于巴勒斯坦人民受到的历史不公迟迟得不到妥善解决，巴勒斯坦人民独立建国的合理诉求长期无法实现。
The underlying reason for the recurring conflicts between Israel and Palestine and ongoing tensions over the occupied Palestinian territory is that the historical injustices done to the Palestinian people have been left unaddressed for too long and that the Palestinian people’s legitimate aspiration of establishing an independent state has long been denied.?? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on June 8, 2022)
Today’s quote:
巴以冲突循环往复的根源在于巴勒斯坦领土长期被非法占领，巴勒斯坦人民独立建国的权利被长期忽视，巴勒斯坦民众的基本权利长期没有得到根本保障。
For too long, Palestinian territories have been under illegal occupation. For too long, the Palestinian people’s right to independent statehood has been overlooked. And for too long, their basic rights have received no fundamental guarantee. This is the root cause of the cycle of conflict between Palestine and Israel. Such historical injustice must not continue.?? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on October 31, 2023)
Previous PRC history of the term:
?? 据报道，古巴外交部11日发表声明，强烈反对并谴责一艘美国核动力潜艇日前在古巴关塔那摩湾美国海军基地停留数日，称该行为是“挑衅升级”。声明还指出，美国违背古巴人民意愿，非法占领关塔那摩部分领土已超120年，该地近年来实际上已经沦为扣押和折磨多国公民、系统性侵犯人权的地方。
According to reports, the Cuban foreign ministry said in a statement on July 11 that it strongly rejects the arrival of a nuclear-powered submarine in the Guantanamo Bay and its stay for days at the US military base located there, which is a provocative escalation. The statement also said that the US has illegally occupied that territory for over 120 years against the will of the Cuban people, and its practical usefulness in recent decades has been limited to operating as a center of detention, torture and systematic violation of the human rights of citizens from several countries.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on July 13, 2023)
?? 印度政府表示中方正在中印边境争议地区建设桥梁，并称这是“非法占领”。
The Indian government says China is building a bridge in a disputed border area and accused China of “illegal occupation”.?? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on January 7, 2022)
?? 多项政府公共服务受阻，大中小学和幼儿园被迫长时间停课，多所大学校园被非法“占领”，众多商业场所无法营业，逾1200间店铺和多家银行的服务设施被损毁。
Public services were obstructed. Kindergartens, elementary schools, secondary schools, and universities had to suspend operations for days, and many university campuses were illegally occupied. Shops could not open for business, and over 1,200 commercial outlets and many banks were vandalized.? (White_Paper_Hong Kong Democratic Progress Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems_“一国两制”下香港的民主发展_2021_12_20)
我们祝贺孟加拉国国父隧道正式通车。孟国父隧道是南亚地区首条水下隧道，有利于进一步改善孟加拉国和周边国家的互联互通，是共建“一带一路”倡议惠及合作伙伴、带动共同发展的又一生动例证。相信孟国父隧道将同达舍尔甘地污水处理厂等项目一道，有力促进孟经济社会发展、增进人民福祉。
领英推荐
We congratulate Bangladesh on the inauguration of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel. It is the first underwater tunnel in South Asia and will further enhance connectivity between Bangladesh and neighboring countries. This is another vivid example of how Belt and Road cooperation benefits partner countries and promotes common development. We believe that this tunnel and other projects like the Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant will contribute to the economic and social development of Bangladesh and the well-being of the people.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on October 31, 2023)
本次联大决议呼吁立即实现持久的人道主义休战，停止敌对行动，要求各方遵守国际法，保护平民，呼吁撤销加沙地带北部紧急疏散令，反对强行迁移巴勒斯坦平民，这反映出绝大多数国家的强烈呼声。
The UN General Assembly resolution calls for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities”, compliance with international law, protection of civilians, and rescinding of the order to evacuate northern Gaza. The resolution also “rejects any attempts at the forced transfer of the Palestinian civilian population.” This reflects the strong call from the overwhelming majority of countries in the world. (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on October 31, 2023)
Today’s quote:
微信是一家民营企业经营的社交网络平台。中国政府一贯要求中国企业在海外经营中严格遵守当地法律法规。加拿大政府在没有任何真实证据的情况下，打着维护数据安全的幌子，出台针对中国企业的禁令，是典型的泛化国家安全概念、滥用国家力量无理打压特定国家企业的行为，中方对此坚决反对。希望加方摒弃意识形态偏见，遵守市场经济原则，为中国企业提供公平、公正、非歧视的营商环境。
WeChat is a social media platform run by a private company. The Chinese government keeps asking our companies to strictly abide by local laws and regulations in doing business overseas. The Canadian government, without providing any hard evidence, issued the ban against a Chinese company in the name of protecting data security. This is a typical move of overstretching the concept of national security and abusing state power to suppress the companies of a particular country. China firmly rejects this. We hope Canada will abandon ideological bias, uphold the principles of market economy, and provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on October 31, 2023)
Previous PRC history of the term:
?? 美国还炮制各种借口，围追打压具有国际竞争力的中国高科技企业，已将1000多家中国企业列入各种制裁清单。美国还对生物技术、人工智能等高端技术实施管控，强化出口管制，严格投资审查，打压包括TikTok、微信等中国社交媒体应用程序，游说荷兰和日本限制对中国芯片和相关设备与技术出口。
The United States has fabricated a slew of excuses to clamp down on China's high-tech enterprises with global competitiveness, and has put more than 1,000 Chinese enterprises on sanction lists. In addition, the United States has also imposed controls on biotechnology, artificial intelligence and other high-end technologies, reinforced export restrictions, tightened investment screening, suppressed Chinese social media apps such as TikTok and WeChat, and lobbied the Netherlands and Japan to restrict exports of chips and related equipment or technology to China.? (US Hegemony and Its Perils_美国的霸权霸道霸凌及其危害_2023_02_20) ?
?? 休会期间，外交部发言人办公室将照常接受记者传真、电邮或微信提问。
During the recess, you may still reach the MFA Spokesperson’s Office via fax, email and WeChat.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on January 20, 2023)
Today’s quote:
历史证明，武力无法带来持久和平，以暴易暴只会陷入冤冤相报的恶性循环。只有秉持共同安全理念才能实现可持续安全，只有遵守国际法才能保障国际公平与正义，只有坚持政治解决方向才能彻底解决各方合理安全关切。解决巴勒斯坦问题的根本出路在于落实“两国方案”，实现巴勒斯坦和以色列和平共处。
History tells us that the use of force will never bring lasting peace and violence for violence will only lead to a vicious cycle of revenge. Only by pursuing common security can there be sustainable security. Only by observing the international law can international fairness and justice be upheld. Only through political settlement can all parties’ legitimate security concerns be fundamentally addressed. The fundamental way out of the Palestinian question lies in the implementation of the two-state solution and in Palestine and Israel living peacefully side by side.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on October 31, 2023)
Previous PRC history of the term:
?? 以暴易暴没有出路，国际社会应增强紧迫感，加大对巴勒斯坦问题的投入，共同推动巴以双方早日恢复和谈，寻求持久和平之道。中方将继续同国际社会一道为此作出不懈努力。?
Violence for violence is not the answer. The international community needs to act with greater urgency, step up input into the Palestine question, facilitate the early resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel, and find a way to bring about enduring peace. China will continue to work relentlessly with the international community towards that end.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on October 9, 2023)
?? 今年以来，巴以紧张局势加剧，特别是5月爆发的激烈冲突造成双方人员伤亡，令人痛心。巴以冲突反复上演，双方陷入以暴易暴的恶性循环，再次说明和平进程长期停滞不可持续、零敲碎打的危机管控难以持久。?
Since early this year, tensions between Palestine and Israel have escalated. In particular, the violent clashes in May caused casualties on both sides, which is truly saddening. The repeated outbreak of conflicts and the ongoing vicious cycle of responding to violence with violence between the two sides once again show that the protracted standstill of the peace process and the fragmented, case-by-case crisis management model simply cannot last.?? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on June 16, 2023)
?? 以巴以暴易暴的悲剧反复重演，最根本的是巴勒斯坦人民独立建国的合理诉求长期无法实现。
The underlying reason for the recurring tragedies of violence for violence between Israel and Palestine is the long denial of the Palestinian people’s legitimate appeal of establishing an independent state.?? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on May 20, 2022)
Today’s quote:
各国都有自卫权，但都应遵守国际法特别是国际人道法，保护平民安全。每一条生命都是珍贵的。巴勒斯坦人民的生命和其他国家人民的生命一样，都应得到保护。当务之急是全面落实联大决议，停火止暴，避免局势进一步恶化，防止出现更大的人道主义灾难。
All countries are entitled to the right of self-defense. But that right should be exercised on the basis of observing the international law, the international humanitarian law in particular and protecting the safety of civilians. All lives are precious. Palestinian lives need to be protected just as the lives of people in any other country. The pressing priority now is to fully implement the UNGA resolution, stop the fighting, prevent further deterioration of the situation and avert an even worse humanitarian disaster.?? Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on October 31, 2023)
Previous PRC history of the term:
?? 台湾“国防部”官员在记者会上称，针对任何进入台湾“领海”和“领空”的飞机和舰船，“国军”将毫无例外地行使自卫权，采取反击措施。
A Taiwanese defense official told reporters at a news briefing that for aircraft and ships that enter Taiwan sea and air territory, the national army, referring to Taiwan national army, will exercise right to self-defense to counterattack without exception.?? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on August 31, 2022)
??? 划设东海防空识别区是中国主权范围内的事，是中方行使正当自卫权的必要措施，有关做法完全符合国际法和国际惯例，应该得到各国的尊重和配合。
The establishment of the East China Sea ADIZ falls within China's sovereignty. It is a necessary measure taken by China in exercising its justifiable self-defense rights. Relevant practice is fully in compliance with international laws and practices and should be respected and coordinated by other countries.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on December 3, 2013)
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