UN-supervised plebiscites, the Kashmir Question, and trade restrictions

?Terms to note from today’s PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs press conference:

• 就职仪式? [jiù zhí yí shì]? inauguration ceremony:?

Today’s quote:

应阿根廷政府邀请，习近平主席特使、全国人大常委会副委员长武维华赴阿根廷首都布宜诺斯艾利斯出席米莱总统就职仪式。11日，米莱总统会见武维华。武维华向米莱转达了习近平主席的热烈祝贺和良好祝愿。米莱感谢习近平主席派特使出席就职仪式，请武维华转达他对习近平主席的诚挚问候和良好祝愿，强调阿根廷新政府高度重视阿中关系，将继续坚定奉行一个中国原则，阿方愿进一步促进两国经贸、人文等各领域交流合作深入发展。?

At the invitation of the government of Argentina, President Xi Jinping’s Special Envoy and Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Wu Weihua attended the inauguration of President of Argentina Javier Milei in Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires. On December 11, President Javier Milei met with Wu Weihua. Wu Weihua extended President Xi Jinping’s warm congratulations and best wishes to President Javier Milei. President Javier Milei thanked President Xi for sending the special envoy to attend his inauguration, and asked Vice Chairman Wu to extend his sincere greetings and best wishes to President Xi. He stressed that the new government of Argentina attaches high importance to its relations with China and will continue to firmly follow the one-China principle and the Argentine side stands ready to further promote the in-depth exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in various fields including economy and trade and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on December 12, 2023)?

Previous PRC history of the term:

?? 应土耳其共和国政府邀请，国家主席习近平特使、全国人大常委会副委员长丁仲礼将赴土耳其，出席6月3日在安卡拉举行的埃尔多安总统就职仪式。?

At the invitation of the government of the Republic of Türkiye, Ding Zhongli, President Xi Jinping’s special envoy and Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), will attend President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an’s inauguration ceremony in Ankara on June 3 [2023].? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on June 2, 2023)?

?? 应巴西政府邀请，习近平主席特别代表、国家副主席王岐山在巴西首都巴西利亚出席巴西新任总统卢拉就职仪式并同卢拉总统举行会见。?

At the invitation of the Brazilian government, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Special Representative Vice President Wang Qishan attended the inauguration ceremony of Brazil’s new President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and met with him in Brasilia, capital of Brazil.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on January 4, 2023)

• 克什米尔问题? [kè shén mǐ Ä›r wèn tí]? Kashmir question; Kashmir issue:?

Today’s quote:

在克什米尔问题上,中方的立场是一贯的，也是明确的。这一问题是印巴两国之间的历史遗留问题，应该根据《联合国宪章》、安理会决议和有关双边协定的规定，以和平方式妥善解决。有关方面应当坚持通过对话协商解决有关争议，维护地区和平稳定。?

China’s position on the Kashmir issue is consistent and clear-cut. The Kashmir issue, left from the past, needs to be resolved peacefully and appropriately in accordance with the UN Charter, Security Council resolutions and relevant bilateral agreement. Parties concerned need to settle the dispute through dialogue and consultation so as to maintain regional peace and stability.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on December 12, 2023)?

Previous PRC history of the term:

?? 中方在克什米尔问题上的立场是一贯和明确的。这一问题是印巴两国间的历史遗留问题，应该根据《联合国宪章》、安理会决议和有关双边协定的规定，以和平方式妥善解决。有关方面应避免单边行动造成局势复杂化，应通过对话协商解决有关争议，维护地区和平稳定。?

China’s position on the Kashmir issue is consistent and clear-cut. The Kashmir issue, a dispute left from the past, needs to be resolved peacefully and appropriately in accordance with the UN Charter, Security Council resolutions and relevant bilateral agreement. Parties concerned need to avoid unilateral moves that may complicate the situation. Efforts should be made to settle the dispute through dialogue and consultation so as to maintain regional peace and stability.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on October 27, 2022)

• 贸易保护主义? [mào yì bÇŽo hù zhÇ” yì]? trade protectionism:?

Today’s quote:

贸易保护主义不利于商品、服务、资本等要素的自由流动，扭曲资源配置，损害消费者利益，不利于提高生产效率，不利于世界经济的复苏和发展。令人担忧的是，一些国家以安全为借口搞“脱钩断链”，打着“去风险”的旗号搞贸易限制，这只会让世界更不安全，只会带来更多风险。?

Trade protectionism is not conducive to the free flow of factors including goods, services and capital, distorts resource allocation, and undermines consumers’ interests. It does no good to the production efficiency and the recovery and development of the world economy. What is concerning is that some countries have been pushing for decoupling and severing of supply chains under the pretext of security, and imposing trade restriction measures in the name of “de-risking”. This will only make the world even less safe and bring more risks.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on December 12, 2023)?

Previous PRC history of the term:

?? 我愿强调，中方一贯反对各种形式的贸易保护主义。欧盟方面拟采取的有关措施不利于全球汽车产业链供应链稳定，不符合任何一方利益。中方敦促欧盟从维护全球产业链供应链稳定以及中欧全面战略伙伴关系的大局出发，与中方开展对话磋商，为中欧电动汽车产业共同发展创造公平、非歧视、可预期的市场环境，共同反对贸易保护主义。?

I would like to stress that China opposes all forms of trade protectionism. The action that the EU plans to take will disrupt the stability of global auto industrial and supply chains and will not serve anyone’s interests. China urges the EU to bear in mind the importance of the stability of global industrial and supply chains and the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, engage in dialogue and consultation with China, work with China to create a fair, non-discriminatory and predictable market environment for Chinese and European electric vehicle industries and jointly oppose trade protectionism.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on September 25, 2023)?

?? 为了遏制美国的贸易保护主义行为，其他国家不得不采取反制措施，这将导致全球经贸秩序紊乱，阻碍全球经济复苏，殃及世界各国企业和居民，使全球经济落入“衰退陷阱”.?

In order to mitigate the protectionist moves of the US, countries are left with no choice but to take countermeasures. This will disrupt the world economic and trade order, and hold back global recovery, damaging the interests of companies and people of all countries and pushing the global economy back into recession? (White_Paper_Facts and China’s Position on China-US Trade Friction_《关于中美经贸摩擦的事实与中方立场》_2018_09_24)?

?? 截至2018年7月底，包括中国、加拿大、墨西哥、俄罗斯、欧盟、土耳其在内的美国主要贸易伙伴均已宣布对其贸易保护主义措施实施反制，并相继通过世界贸易组织提起诉讼。?

As of the end of July 2018, major US trading partners including China, Canada, Mexico, Russia, the EU and Turkey had all announced countermeasures against US trade protectionism, and had filed lawsuits at the WTO.? (White_Paper_Facts and China’s Position on China-US Trade Friction_《关于中美经贸摩擦的事实与中方立场》_2018_09_24)?

?? 尽管单边主义、贸易保护主义、逆全球化思潮不断有新的表现，但“地球村”的世界决定了各国日益利益交融、命运与共，合作共赢是大势所趋。?

While unilateralism, trade protectionism and backlash against globalization are taking new forms, in this global village of ours where countries' interests and future are so interconnected, the pursuit of cooperation for mutual benefit represents a surging trend.? (Xi Jinping_Carrying Forward the Shanghai Spirit to Build a Community with a Shared Future_弘扬上海精神构建命运共同体_2018_6_10日)

• 贸易限制? [mào yì xiàn zhì]? trade restriction:?

贸易保护主义不利于商品、服务、资本等要素的自由流动，扭曲资源配置，损害消费者利益，不利于提高生产效率，不利于世界经济的复苏和发展。令人担忧的是，一些国家以安全为借口搞“脱钩断链”，打着“去风险”的旗号搞贸易限制，这只会让世界更不安全，只会带来更多风险。?

Trade protectionism is not conducive to the free flow of factors including goods, services and capital, distorts resource allocation, and undermines consumers’ interests. It does no good to the production efficiency and the recovery and development of the world economy. What is concerning is that some countries have been pushing for decoupling and severing of supply chains under the pretext of security, and imposing trade restriction measures in the name of “de-risking”. This will only make the world even less safe and bring more risks.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on December 12, 2023)?

Previous PRC history of the term:

?? 自1992年起，联合国大会已连续30次以压倒性多数通过“终止美国对古巴的经济、商业和金融封锁”决议。... 美方应当认真倾听国际社会的正义声音，立即终止对古巴的经济、商业和贸易限制及封锁。?

Since 1992, for 30 consecutive times, the UN General Assembly has adopted with overwhelming majority a resolution calling for an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed on Cuba by the US.? ... This should prompt the US to listen and respond to the international community’s call for justice and put an immediate end to the economic, commercial and trade restrictions and embargo on Cuba.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on October 30, 2023)?

?? 185票的压倒性结果再次表明，世界上绝大多数国家都对美国滥施单边制裁、严重威胁古巴人民基本人权的行径表示严重关切和坚决反对，都支持古方维护主权、反对封锁的正义斗争。 ... 面对联合国大会连续30次以压倒性多数通过的决议，美方应该做的是认真倾听正义声音，立即终止对古巴的经济、商业和贸易限制、封锁，不要再继续站在国际社会的对立面。?

The fact that 185 countries voted overwhelmingly in favor of the resolution once again shows that the vast majority of countries in the world are seriously concerned about and firmly opposed to the US arbitrary unilateral sanctions on Cuba that have gravely threatened the basic human rights of the Cuban people, and that they support Cuba’s just fight for its sovereignty and against the blockade. ... This should prompt the US to heed the voice for justice, put an immediate end to the economic, commercial and trade embargo on Cuba, and stop being on the wrong side against the international community.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on November 4, 2022)

• 全民表决? [quán mín biÇŽo jué]? plebiscite; referendum:?

12月11日，印度最高法院裁定支持印度政府单方面改变查谟和克什米尔地区地位的决定。这明显违反了联合国安理会第122号决议关于查谟和克什米尔问题只能通过联合国监督的全民表决来最终解决的规定。?

On December 11 [2023], Indian Supreme Court announced a decision endorsing the Indian government’s unilateral step to change the status of Jammu and Kashmir region, which is a clear violation of UNSC Resolution 122 which decided that the final settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir issue can only take place by UN-supervised plebiscite.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on December 12, 2023)

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