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A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand on Wednesday expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the unwarranted accusations and smears against China regarding the joint statement issued after the Australia-New Zealand Foreign and Defense Ministerial Consultations 2+2. "Before pointing fingers at others, one should first look in the mirror. The allegations leveled against China in the relevant statement are full of prejudice, lies and inexplicable colonial-style arrogance," the spokesperson said.

In the joint statement issued on Tuesday, Australia and New Zealand expressed "concerns" over the situation in the East and South China Sea, and also pointed fingers at China's Taiwan, Xinjiang, Xizang and Hong Kong affairs, according to the statement published on the website of Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs.

In the remarks published on the Chinese embassy's official website on Wednesday, the spokesperson pointed out that the joint statement by Australia and New Zealand turned a blind eye to the ongoing acts that violate international law and universally recognized norms of international relations, as well as flagrant military strikes against other countries that killed innocent civilians and has disrupted the world economy. 

The statement said nothing about its own dismal records on human rights and ethnic minority issues, but instead devoted a great deal of space to commenting on and interfering in China's internal affairs. This has laid bare its hypocrisy and double standards on major issues concerning world peace and stability as well as the security and well-being of people around the globe, the spokesperson noted.

The spokesperson stressed that issues related to Xinjiang, Xizang, Hong Kong and Taiwan are purely China's internal affairs, which brook no interference by any external forces in any form.

At present, the legitimate rights and interests of people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang and Xizang, including the protection of the ethnic cultures, languages and religious beliefs of ethnic minorities, are fully guaranteed. By contrast, people in those countries that make unwarranted accusations against China and the international community at large are well placed to have their own fair judgment on how well these countries have done in protecting the rights and interests, cultures and languages of their own indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities, the spokesperson noted.

The implementation of the National Security Law for Hong Kong has foiled the plot of anti-China forces disrupting Hong Kong and external hostile forces to mess up the city, enabling it to achieve the great transformation from restoring order to thriving. Hong Kong now enjoys social stability and unity, with a booming economy, which has won the recognition and support of the Hong Kong residents. A prosperous and stable Hong Kong with long-term peace and stability is not only an important part of China's overall development blueprint, but also serves the common interests of all parties, the spokesperson said.

The DPP authorities' stubborn adherence to the "Taiwan independence" separatist stance is the root cause undermining peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, the spokesperson noted, stressing that "we urge all countries, including New Zealand, to earnestly honor their commitment to the one-China principle, handle the Taiwan question prudently, refrain from any form of official exchanges with the Taiwan region, and avoid sending any wrong signals to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces."

On the situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, the spokesperson said that relevant extra-regional countries should earnestly respect the efforts of regional countries to safeguard peace and stability, stop provocation, and stop using maritime-related issues to sow discord among regional countries and create bloc confrontation.

China is committed to developing friendly and cooperative relations with all countries including New Zealand, the Chinese spokesperson said, noting that mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and non-interference in each other's internal affairs are the basic norms of international relations and an indispensable bottom line for state-to-state exchanges. 

The content of the joint statement targeting China is completely groundless and outdated, which is obviously not conducive to the sound and steady development of bilateral relations under the current circumstances, nor is it in New Zealand's own interests, the spokesperson said.

"We urge New Zealand to see the situation clearly, view China's development and China-New Zealand relations in an objective and impartial manner, meet China halfway, and do more to enhance mutual trust and promote cooperation. The New Zealand should not go further down the wrong path, so as to avoid causing greater damage to bilateral relations," the Chinese spokesperson stressed.

Global Times