WEBVTT 00:01.289 --> 00:04.070 Well , good evening , everyone . 10 00:04.079 --> 00:06.301 months ago , I traveled to the People's 00:06.301 --> 00:08.523 Republic of China at a time of profound 00:08.523 --> 00:10.939 tension between our countries . Uh with 00:10.949 --> 00:13.739 the aim of stabilizing the relationship , 00:14.439 --> 00:16.989 uh reopening and strengthening our high 00:17.049 --> 00:20.049 level channels of communication over a 00:20.059 --> 00:22.299 series of candid and constructive 00:22.309 --> 00:24.087 conversations . I had then with 00:24.087 --> 00:26.659 President Xi and other senior officials . 00:27.430 --> 00:29.097 I made clear our policies and 00:29.097 --> 00:31.097 intentions and identified issues of 00:31.097 --> 00:33.130 shared interest where we might work 00:33.139 --> 00:36.740 together those discussions which were 00:36.750 --> 00:38.750 followed by additional senior level 00:38.750 --> 00:40.528 visits and meetings between our 00:40.528 --> 00:42.639 governments helped lay the foundation 00:42.639 --> 00:44.417 for a productive summit between 00:44.417 --> 00:46.583 President Biden and President . She in 00:46.583 --> 00:48.917 San Francisco . At the end of last year , 00:48.917 --> 00:51.139 our leaders agreed on concrete steps to 00:51.139 --> 00:53.361 co-operate on issues that matter to our 00:53.361 --> 00:55.306 people and matter to the world and 00:55.310 --> 00:58.259 reduce the risk of misunderstanding and 00:58.270 --> 01:01.090 miscalculation . In the months . Since 01:01.099 --> 01:03.389 then , we focused intensively on 01:03.400 --> 01:05.209 advancing those commitments . I 01:05.220 --> 01:07.419 returned to China this week to take 01:07.430 --> 01:10.309 stock of where we've made progress and 01:10.319 --> 01:12.650 where more needs to be done so that we 01:12.660 --> 01:14.716 can deliver tangible results for the 01:14.716 --> 01:17.040 American people . That's been the focus 01:17.050 --> 01:19.272 of my meetings over the last two days . 01:19.272 --> 01:21.383 With President Xi , with Director and 01:21.383 --> 01:23.383 Foreign Minister Wang Yi , with the 01:23.383 --> 01:25.550 Minister of Public Security , Wang Shu 01:25.550 --> 01:27.661 Hong and the Shanghai Party Secretary 01:27.661 --> 01:30.870 Chen Jining . Since the woodside summit , 01:31.269 --> 01:33.213 we've advanced our co-operation on 01:33.213 --> 01:35.269 fentaNYL and other synthetic drugs . 01:35.919 --> 01:37.863 The number one killer of Americans 01:37.863 --> 01:39.940 between the ages of 18 and 45 . 01:40.610 --> 01:43.050 Specifically , the PR C has issued a 01:43.059 --> 01:45.389 public notice to industry . It's taken 01:45.400 --> 01:47.178 enforcement action against some 01:47.178 --> 01:49.178 companies that produce precursors . 01:49.178 --> 01:51.400 Those are the chemical ingredients that 01:51.400 --> 01:53.930 make up synthetic drugs . And the US 01:53.940 --> 01:56.051 and China have set up a joint counter 01:56.169 --> 01:58.336 narcotics working group to collaborate 01:58.336 --> 02:00.610 on policy making and on law enforcement 02:00.839 --> 02:02.783 and to share technical expertise . 02:03.489 --> 02:05.489 Thanks in large part to the working 02:05.489 --> 02:07.545 group's efforts . China is providing 02:07.545 --> 02:09.378 information to international law 02:09.378 --> 02:11.489 enforcement that can be used to track 02:11.489 --> 02:13.600 and intercept illicit drugs and their 02:13.600 --> 02:15.656 precursors . And our two governments 02:15.656 --> 02:17.878 recently agreed to share best practices 02:17.878 --> 02:19.989 on closing loopholes in our financial 02:19.989 --> 02:22.100 systems that the drug traffickers and 02:22.100 --> 02:23.989 other criminal enterprises use to 02:23.989 --> 02:26.045 launder money . So this is important 02:26.045 --> 02:28.380 progress but more needs to be done in 02:28.389 --> 02:30.278 my discussions . I underscore the 02:30.278 --> 02:32.139 importance of the PR C taking 02:32.149 --> 02:34.809 additional action in particular by 02:34.820 --> 02:36.709 prosecuting those who are selling 02:36.709 --> 02:38.764 chemicals and equipment used to make 02:38.764 --> 02:40.709 fentaNYL meeting its international 02:40.709 --> 02:42.653 commitments to regulate all of the 02:42.653 --> 02:44.764 precursors that are controlled by the 02:44.764 --> 02:46.764 Un commission on narcotic drugs and 02:46.764 --> 02:48.598 disrupting ill illicit financing 02:48.598 --> 02:51.360 networks . Since the woodside meeting 02:51.369 --> 02:53.369 between the presidents , we've also 02:53.369 --> 02:55.369 resumed direct military to military 02:55.369 --> 02:57.369 communications at multiple levels . 02:57.369 --> 02:59.425 Something that I made a top priority 02:59.425 --> 03:01.591 for my meetings in Beijing last year . 03:01.591 --> 03:03.647 Uh US and PR C defense officials met 03:03.647 --> 03:05.980 for two days at the Pentagon in January . 03:05.980 --> 03:08.147 Earlier this month , our two countries 03:08.147 --> 03:10.258 air and naval forces held talks aimed 03:10.258 --> 03:12.369 at ensuring safer interactions . Last 03:12.369 --> 03:14.536 week , Secretary of Defense Austin had 03:14.536 --> 03:16.647 his first video call with Minister of 03:16.647 --> 03:20.330 Defense Don Joon direct open clear 03:20.339 --> 03:22.450 lines of communication like these are 03:22.450 --> 03:24.740 critical to avoiding miscalculations . 03:25.800 --> 03:27.856 I'm pleased to announce that earlier 03:27.856 --> 03:30.022 today , we agreed to hold the first US 03:30.022 --> 03:32.500 pr C talks on artificial intelligence 03:32.869 --> 03:35.080 to be held in the coming weeks . We'll 03:35.089 --> 03:37.311 share our respective views on the risks 03:37.311 --> 03:39.800 and safety concerns around advanced A I 03:40.139 --> 03:42.860 and how best to manage them . We also 03:42.869 --> 03:44.980 spoke about ways that we can continue 03:44.980 --> 03:47.202 to grow people to people , ties between 03:47.202 --> 03:48.813 our countries , particularly 03:48.813 --> 03:51.036 educational exchanges . Our governments 03:51.036 --> 03:53.258 have a vested interest in creating open 03:53.258 --> 03:55.202 and welcoming conditions for these 03:55.202 --> 03:57.369 programs which have long enriched both 03:57.369 --> 03:59.480 of our countries . Um As you know , I 03:59.480 --> 04:01.591 had a chance to meet yesterday with a 04:01.591 --> 04:01.360 few dozen American and Chinese students 04:01.759 --> 04:03.815 who are learning side by side at the 04:03.815 --> 04:05.870 NYU Shanghai High Program as well as 04:05.870 --> 04:07.703 another joint US PR C university 04:07.703 --> 04:10.270 programs in China . I heard how the 04:10.279 --> 04:12.501 experience has deepened their knowledge 04:12.501 --> 04:15.119 inside and outside the classroom and 04:15.130 --> 04:17.630 forged ties that will last well beyond 04:17.640 --> 04:19.751 their shared educational experience . 04:20.218 --> 04:22.639 Uh while there are more than 290,000 04:22.648 --> 04:24.870 Chinese students in the United States . 04:24.870 --> 04:26.815 There are fewer than 900 Americans 04:26.815 --> 04:28.926 studying here in China . And that's a 04:28.926 --> 04:31.148 significant drop from a decade ago when 04:31.148 --> 04:33.315 we had about 15,000 Americans studying 04:33.315 --> 04:35.481 here . Uh President Xi Xi said that he 04:35.481 --> 04:37.481 wants to significantly increase the 04:37.481 --> 04:39.537 number of Americans studying here in 04:39.537 --> 04:38.829 the coming years . And that's something 04:38.838 --> 04:40.949 that we support , we have an interest 04:40.949 --> 04:44.420 in this because if our future 04:44.429 --> 04:46.596 leaders , whether it's in government , 04:46.596 --> 04:48.429 whether it's in business , civil 04:48.429 --> 04:50.399 society , climate , tech and other 04:50.410 --> 04:52.632 fields , if they're going to be able to 04:52.632 --> 04:54.688 collaborate , if they're going to be 04:54.688 --> 04:56.910 able to solve big problems , if they're 04:56.910 --> 04:58.966 going to be able to work through our 04:58.966 --> 05:01.132 differences , they'll need to know and 05:01.132 --> 05:02.966 understand each other language , 05:02.966 --> 05:06.859 culture , history . When 05:06.869 --> 05:08.869 what I told my PR C counterparts on 05:08.869 --> 05:10.980 this visit is if they want to attract 05:10.980 --> 05:12.702 more Americans here to China , 05:12.702 --> 05:14.925 particularly students , the best way to 05:14.925 --> 05:16.925 do that is to create the conditions 05:16.925 --> 05:18.702 that allow learning to flourish 05:18.702 --> 05:20.813 anywhere . A free and open discussion 05:20.813 --> 05:23.070 of ideas , access to a wide range of 05:23.079 --> 05:24.801 information , ease of travel , 05:25.190 --> 05:27.619 confidence in the safety , security and 05:27.630 --> 05:31.510 privacy of the participants . Now , 05:31.730 --> 05:34.209 even as we seek to deepen co-operation , 05:34.220 --> 05:36.369 where our interests align the United 05:36.380 --> 05:38.380 States is very clear eyed about the 05:38.380 --> 05:40.619 challenges posed by the PR C and about 05:40.630 --> 05:42.686 our competing visions for the future 05:42.686 --> 05:44.970 America will always defend our core 05:44.980 --> 05:47.820 interests and values in my discussions . 05:47.829 --> 05:50.070 Today , I reiterated our serious 05:50.079 --> 05:52.420 concern about the PR C providing 05:52.429 --> 05:54.700 components that are powering Russia's 05:54.709 --> 05:56.542 brutal war of aggression against 05:56.542 --> 05:58.790 Ukraine . China is the top supplier of 05:58.799 --> 06:01.350 machine tools , microelectronics , 06:01.500 --> 06:03.500 nitrocellulose which is critical to 06:03.500 --> 06:05.722 making munitions and rocket propellants 06:05.722 --> 06:07.944 and other dual use items that Moscow is 06:07.944 --> 06:10.167 using to ramp up its defense industrial 06:10.167 --> 06:12.390 base , a defense industrial base that 06:12.399 --> 06:14.343 is churning out rockets , drones , 06:14.343 --> 06:16.609 tanks and other weapons that President 06:16.619 --> 06:18.675 Putin is using to invade a sovereign 06:18.675 --> 06:20.841 country to demolish its power grid and 06:20.841 --> 06:22.952 other civilian infrastructure to kill 06:22.952 --> 06:24.952 innocent Children , women and men . 06:25.890 --> 06:28.119 Russia would struggle to sustain its 06:28.130 --> 06:30.679 assault on Ukraine without China's 06:30.690 --> 06:33.769 support in my meetings with NATO allies 06:33.779 --> 06:35.799 earlier this month and with our G7 06:35.809 --> 06:37.976 partners just last week , I heard that 06:37.976 --> 06:40.230 same message fueling Russia's defense 06:40.239 --> 06:42.295 industrial base , not only threatens 06:42.295 --> 06:44.190 Ukrainian security , it threatens 06:44.200 --> 06:46.829 European security . Beijing cannot 06:46.839 --> 06:48.895 achieve better relations with Europe 06:49.059 --> 06:51.281 while supporting the greatest threat to 06:51.281 --> 06:53.337 European security . Since the end of 06:53.337 --> 06:55.337 the Cold War . As we told China for 06:55.337 --> 06:57.281 some time , ensuring transatlantic 06:57.281 --> 06:59.820 security is a core us interest in our 06:59.829 --> 07:02.100 discussions . Today , I made clear that 07:02.170 --> 07:04.448 if China does not address this problem , 07:04.609 --> 07:07.529 we will . I also expressed our concern 07:07.540 --> 07:09.707 about the Pr CS unfair trade practices 07:10.010 --> 07:12.019 and the potential consequences of 07:12.029 --> 07:14.440 industrial overcapacity for global and 07:14.450 --> 07:17.559 us markets , especially in a number of 07:17.570 --> 07:19.626 key interest uh industries that will 07:19.626 --> 07:21.989 drive the 21st century economy like 07:22.000 --> 07:25.309 solar panics , uh electric vehicles and 07:25.320 --> 07:28.339 the batteries that power them China 07:28.350 --> 07:30.549 alone is producing more than 100% of 07:30.559 --> 07:33.149 global demand for these products , 07:33.160 --> 07:34.882 flooding markets , undermining 07:34.882 --> 07:36.549 competition , putting at risk 07:36.549 --> 07:38.660 livelihoods and businesses around the 07:38.660 --> 07:41.369 world . Now , this is a movie that 07:41.380 --> 07:43.547 we've seen before . Uh and we know how 07:43.547 --> 07:45.380 it ends with American businesses 07:45.380 --> 07:48.279 shuttered and American jobs lost . 07:49.170 --> 07:51.059 President Biden will not let this 07:51.059 --> 07:53.170 happen on his watch . We'll do what's 07:53.170 --> 07:55.059 necessary to ensure that American 07:55.059 --> 07:57.226 workers can compete on a level playing 07:57.226 --> 08:00.369 field . America's actions are not aimed 08:00.769 --> 08:03.160 at holding back China's development nor 08:03.170 --> 08:05.299 are we decoupling our economies . As 08:05.309 --> 08:07.531 Secretary Yellen said during her recent 08:07.531 --> 08:09.587 visit , that would be disastrous for 08:09.587 --> 08:11.642 the global economy including for the 08:11.642 --> 08:13.865 United States . We want China's economy 08:13.865 --> 08:16.087 to grow . So do the American businesses 08:16.087 --> 08:18.309 and investors here . Uh Several of whom 08:18.309 --> 08:20.309 I had an opportunity to speak to in 08:20.309 --> 08:22.253 Shanghai , but the way China grows 08:22.253 --> 08:24.359 matters as I told my counterparts , 08:24.790 --> 08:27.012 that means fostering a healthy economic 08:27.012 --> 08:29.234 relationship where American workers and 08:29.234 --> 08:31.709 firms are treated equally and fairly . 08:33.200 --> 08:35.311 In today's meetings , I discussed the 08:35.311 --> 08:37.367 prc's dangerous actions in the South 08:37.367 --> 08:39.367 China Sea including against routine 08:39.367 --> 08:41.422 Philippine uh maintenance operations 08:41.422 --> 08:43.644 and maritime operations near the second 08:43.644 --> 08:45.700 Thomas shoal , freedom of navigation 08:45.700 --> 08:47.867 and commerce in these waterways is not 08:47.867 --> 08:50.089 only critical to the Philippines but to 08:50.089 --> 08:52.349 the US and to every other nation in the 08:52.359 --> 08:54.303 Indo Pacific and indeed around the 08:54.303 --> 08:56.650 world . That's why so many nations have 08:56.659 --> 08:58.548 expressed concern about the Pr CS 08:58.548 --> 09:00.789 maritime maneuvers . I made clear that 09:00.799 --> 09:02.910 while the US will continue to work to 09:02.910 --> 09:05.070 deescalating tensions , our defense 09:05.080 --> 09:07.191 commitments to the Philippines remain 09:07.191 --> 09:10.080 ironclad . I reaffirmed the U S's one 09:10.090 --> 09:12.289 China policy and stressed the critical 09:12.299 --> 09:14.299 importance of maintaining peace and 09:14.299 --> 09:16.690 stability across the Taiwan Strait . I 09:16.700 --> 09:18.756 raise the cases of American citizens 09:18.756 --> 09:20.867 who are wrongfully detained and those 09:20.867 --> 09:22.589 who are subject to exit bans , 09:22.589 --> 09:24.589 President Biden and I will not rest 09:24.589 --> 09:26.756 until they're back with their families 09:26.756 --> 09:28.644 where they belong . I also raised 09:28.644 --> 09:30.589 concerns about the erosion of Hong 09:30.589 --> 09:32.311 Kong's autonomy and democratic 09:32.311 --> 09:34.422 institutions as well as transnational 09:34.422 --> 09:36.311 repression , ongoing human rights 09:36.311 --> 09:38.256 abuses in Xinjiang and Tibet and a 09:38.256 --> 09:40.589 number of individual human rights cases . 09:41.159 --> 09:44.020 We spoke about press freedom and access . 09:44.770 --> 09:46.714 I appreciate that the PR C granted 09:46.714 --> 09:48.714 short term visas to a number of the 09:48.714 --> 09:50.714 foreign journalists who are here so 09:50.714 --> 09:52.826 that they could cover this visit . Uh 09:52.826 --> 09:54.826 In my meetings , I encourage my POC 09:54.826 --> 09:56.992 counterparts to fulfill the commitment 09:56.992 --> 09:59.214 that they made in 2021 to provide equal 09:59.214 --> 10:01.214 access to our two countries . Media 10:01.214 --> 10:03.381 organizations , the United States will 10:03.390 --> 10:05.446 continue to insist on reciprocity on 10:05.446 --> 10:07.279 this issue just as we do for our 10:07.279 --> 10:09.619 businesses , cross cultural exchanges 10:09.809 --> 10:12.969 and many other areas . We also 10:12.979 --> 10:14.940 discussed a range of regional and 10:14.950 --> 10:17.010 global crises where China can play a 10:17.020 --> 10:19.270 constructive role . I encourage China 10:19.280 --> 10:21.559 to use its influence to discourage Iran 10:21.570 --> 10:23.514 and its proxies from expanding the 10:23.514 --> 10:25.459 conflict in the Middle East and to 10:25.459 --> 10:27.514 press Pyongyang to end its dangerous 10:27.514 --> 10:31.119 behavior and engage in dialogue going 10:31.130 --> 10:33.352 forward . We'll continue our high level 10:33.352 --> 10:35.669 discussions on these and other issues . 10:36.700 --> 10:38.700 All of the policies that the United 10:38.700 --> 10:40.867 States has pursued over the past three 10:40.867 --> 10:43.369 years at home and around the world are 10:43.380 --> 10:45.213 driven by a singular objective , 10:45.960 --> 10:48.016 delivering for the American people , 10:48.729 --> 10:51.059 meeting the challenges that they face , 10:51.440 --> 10:53.496 creating the opportunities that they 10:53.496 --> 10:56.049 seek , building a future where they and 10:56.059 --> 10:58.059 their Children and their children's 10:58.059 --> 11:01.630 Children are secure , free , prosperous 11:01.640 --> 11:04.229 and healthy . That's what moti has 11:04.239 --> 11:06.461 motivated the historic investments that 11:06.461 --> 11:08.628 we've made in our competitiveness back 11:08.628 --> 11:10.517 home and in rein reinvigorate our 11:10.517 --> 11:12.809 alliances and our partnerships around 11:12.820 --> 11:15.070 the world . And that same poor 11:15.080 --> 11:17.302 objective animated by meetings in China 11:17.302 --> 11:19.080 over the past few days and will 11:19.080 --> 11:21.080 continue to guide us as we manage a 11:21.080 --> 11:23.191 relationship that is so consequential 11:23.191 --> 11:25.358 for our two nations and for the entire 11:25.358 --> 11:27.302 world with that happy to take some 11:27.302 --> 11:29.820 questions . The first question goes to 11:29.830 --> 11:31.441 Ian Marlowe with Bloomberg . 11:35.570 --> 11:37.909 The US was taking endless measures to 11:37.919 --> 11:39.919 suppress China's economy and warned 11:39.919 --> 11:41.919 that growing negative factors could 11:41.919 --> 11:44.030 derail the effort by Presidents Biden 11:44.030 --> 11:46.197 and Xi to stabilize us China ties . Do 11:46.197 --> 11:48.252 you think the Biden administration's 11:48.252 --> 11:50.475 pledge to increase tariff the threat of 11:50.475 --> 11:52.419 new sanctions and actions like the 11:52.419 --> 11:54.530 probe into Chinese shipbuilding could 11:54.530 --> 11:56.419 push the US and China back into a 11:56.419 --> 11:58.141 period of dangerous volatility 11:58.141 --> 12:00.252 separately . Did you make any headway 12:00.252 --> 12:02.363 in terms of actually getting China to 12:02.363 --> 12:04.419 agree to reduce economic support for 12:04.419 --> 12:06.586 Russia's defense industry ? And if not 12:06.586 --> 12:08.641 is the US ready to move forward with 12:08.641 --> 12:10.697 sanctions and separately given North 12:10.697 --> 12:12.641 Korea is , is also sending massive 12:12.641 --> 12:14.752 shipments of munitions to Russia . Uh 12:14.752 --> 12:16.809 Did you bring that up with uh your 12:16.820 --> 12:18.987 Chinese counterparts ? And did you get 12:18.987 --> 12:21.209 any uh Chinese cooper operation there ? 12:21.209 --> 12:23.431 And finally , just on tiktok , did that 12:23.431 --> 12:25.487 come up in conversations today ? And 12:25.487 --> 12:27.542 how do you expect China to respond ? 12:27.542 --> 12:29.764 Thanks . Not sure I got all of it , but 12:29.764 --> 12:31.876 I'll try it . Thank you . On the last 12:31.876 --> 12:34.042 question note , tiktok did not come up 12:34.042 --> 12:36.376 so I can answer that one . very quickly . 12:36.376 --> 12:35.479 Look on the economic relationship . 12:35.489 --> 12:38.940 Let's put this in perspective . Uh We 12:38.950 --> 12:41.117 remain , the United States remains the 12:41.117 --> 12:43.283 largest market for Chinese products of 12:43.283 --> 12:45.679 any country around the world . And our 12:45.690 --> 12:48.539 own trade relationship remains very 12:48.549 --> 12:50.605 significant . In fact , China is our 12:50.605 --> 12:52.827 third largest trading partner after our 12:52.827 --> 12:54.989 near neighbors , Canada and Mexico . 12:55.349 --> 12:57.682 And as I heard from American businesses , 12:57.682 --> 12:59.909 American investors uh in Shanghai , uh 12:59.919 --> 13:02.141 there remains a very strong interest in 13:02.141 --> 13:05.109 working in this market provided that we 13:05.119 --> 13:07.510 have a level playing field and uh a 13:07.520 --> 13:11.020 fair shot when we do uh we do very well . 13:12.010 --> 13:15.969 But when we're looking at the question 13:15.979 --> 13:19.010 of tariffs , uh 301 measures , et 13:19.020 --> 13:22.330 cetera , um what we're focused on is 13:22.340 --> 13:25.609 practices engaged in by China uh that 13:25.690 --> 13:29.320 are unfair and un and undermine our 13:29.330 --> 13:31.909 businesses and our workers . And this 13:31.919 --> 13:33.919 question of overcapacity is the one 13:33.919 --> 13:37.299 that is uh front and Center . Um China 13:37.309 --> 13:39.809 is responsible for one third of global 13:39.820 --> 13:43.140 production , but 1/10 of global demand . 13:43.830 --> 13:46.809 So there's a clear mismatch and when 13:46.820 --> 13:49.479 you have products that are uh produced 13:49.489 --> 13:51.440 here and produced in a way that's 13:51.450 --> 13:54.340 heavily subsidized , heavily supported 13:54.349 --> 13:56.679 in other ways . And that allows those 13:56.690 --> 14:00.070 products then to be sold at uh low 14:00.080 --> 14:01.969 prices and sometimes below market 14:01.969 --> 14:03.969 prices in other countries , pushing 14:03.969 --> 14:06.136 businesses from those countries out uh 14:06.136 --> 14:08.340 out of business uh and having 14:08.349 --> 14:10.293 potentially devastating effects on 14:10.293 --> 14:12.460 communities on workers on businesses . 14:12.460 --> 14:14.460 That's something that uh we have to 14:14.469 --> 14:17.570 will and are standing . Yes . But the 14:17.580 --> 14:19.747 other important thing is it's not just 14:19.747 --> 14:21.747 us . Uh This is a concern that I've 14:21.747 --> 14:23.969 heard around the world and notably from 14:23.969 --> 14:26.191 European partners . And this came up in 14:26.191 --> 14:28.302 conversations just a week ago when we 14:28.302 --> 14:30.469 had a meeting of the uh of the G7 . So 14:31.299 --> 14:34.929 this is not about um containing China , 14:34.940 --> 14:36.940 it's not about cutting off trade or 14:36.940 --> 14:38.829 investment . Again , as you heard 14:38.829 --> 14:41.109 Secretary Yellen say , uh this is 14:41.119 --> 14:43.008 important to us and to many other 14:43.008 --> 14:45.008 countries around the world , but we 14:45.008 --> 14:47.286 want to ensure that it proceeds fairly . 14:47.286 --> 14:49.508 Uh And in a way that doesn't have these 14:49.508 --> 14:51.175 um unfair effects on , on our 14:51.175 --> 14:53.859 industries , on our workers and uh and 14:53.869 --> 14:56.202 our and on our companies . And uh again , 14:56.202 --> 14:58.313 that's something that's shared across 14:58.313 --> 15:00.789 the world when it comes to China's 15:00.799 --> 15:03.229 support for uh Russia's defense 15:03.239 --> 15:05.520 industrial base . Uh All I can tell you 15:05.530 --> 15:09.330 is I was extremely clear um about our 15:09.340 --> 15:13.250 concerns in some detail . Um But we'll 15:13.260 --> 15:15.580 have to see what actions follow from 15:15.590 --> 15:19.400 that . Now , um I think uh China has 15:19.409 --> 15:22.320 demonstrated in the past when it comes 15:22.330 --> 15:25.299 to Russia and Ukraine , uh that it can 15:25.309 --> 15:27.469 take positive action . You'll recall 15:27.479 --> 15:30.419 that . Uh Well , over a year ago , we 15:30.429 --> 15:32.040 had concerns that Russia was 15:32.040 --> 15:33.929 considering the possible use of a 15:33.929 --> 15:36.099 nuclear weapon . And I believe that 15:36.109 --> 15:39.690 China's voice was important in uh at 15:39.700 --> 15:41.811 least at that time moving Russia away 15:41.811 --> 15:43.867 from that uh that possible course of 15:43.867 --> 15:46.219 action . Uh But now it is absolutely 15:46.229 --> 15:48.669 critical that the support that it's 15:48.679 --> 15:51.390 providing not in terms of weapons but 15:51.770 --> 15:53.881 components for the defense industrial 15:53.881 --> 15:55.826 base . Again , things like machine 15:55.826 --> 15:57.881 tools , microelectronics where it is 15:57.881 --> 16:00.048 overwhelmingly the number one supplier 16:00.048 --> 16:01.992 to Russia that's having a material 16:01.992 --> 16:03.826 effect in Ukraine uh and against 16:03.826 --> 16:05.659 Ukraine . But it's also having a 16:05.659 --> 16:07.770 material effect in creating a growing 16:07.770 --> 16:09.881 threat that Russia poses to countries 16:09.881 --> 16:11.714 in Europe and something that has 16:11.714 --> 16:13.714 captured uh their attention uh in a 16:13.714 --> 16:16.799 very intense way . Um And as I said , 16:17.320 --> 16:20.039 Ticktock did not come up . Thanks for 16:20.049 --> 16:22.160 the next question , Wang Liu with the 16:22.160 --> 16:23.160 paper . 16:26.080 --> 16:28.191 Thank you , Secretary um Wang Lu from 16:28.191 --> 16:30.530 the paper , we observed intensive 16:30.539 --> 16:32.590 interaction between China and us at 16:32.599 --> 16:35.979 various levels . Um since the Wai 16:35.989 --> 16:38.409 summit last November , as well as you 16:38.419 --> 16:41.119 intensive interactions with Chinese 16:41.130 --> 16:43.570 officials and people during your visit 16:43.880 --> 16:46.369 with the US election agenda gradually 16:46.380 --> 16:48.919 dominating American politics . There is 16:48.929 --> 16:51.059 the need for various party to 16:51.070 --> 16:53.830 demonstrate their strong stance on 16:53.840 --> 16:56.659 China to secure votes leading to 16:56.669 --> 16:58.640 negative sentiments and action 16:58.650 --> 17:01.580 regarding China . So in this context , 17:01.590 --> 17:03.859 how can we see guard and effect 17:03.960 --> 17:06.609 effectively implement the achievements 17:06.619 --> 17:09.750 made by both sides during this period ? 17:10.020 --> 17:12.750 Also minimizing the influence of 17:12.760 --> 17:16.229 campaign style red and fostering more 17:16.239 --> 17:20.030 goodwill to stabilize Sino Us relations . 17:20.040 --> 17:23.859 Thank you . Thank you in 17:23.869 --> 17:27.199 my job . I don't do politics , I focus 17:27.209 --> 17:30.050 on policies and that's what I've been 17:30.060 --> 17:32.619 doing here uh at President Biden's 17:32.630 --> 17:35.099 instruction , trying to carry forward 17:35.109 --> 17:37.500 the agenda and the agreements that were 17:37.510 --> 17:39.510 reached between President Biden and 17:39.510 --> 17:41.621 President Xi in California at the end 17:41.621 --> 17:43.732 of last year . Uh And that's where my 17:43.732 --> 17:45.621 focus is and that's where it will 17:45.621 --> 17:47.788 remain uh in the months ahead . And as 17:47.788 --> 17:50.060 I said , a few moments ago , uh we've 17:50.069 --> 17:52.719 seen important progress on that agenda 17:52.729 --> 17:54.562 uh in the time since the meeting 17:54.562 --> 17:56.729 between the two presidents , including 17:56.729 --> 17:58.785 on counter narcotics , including our 17:58.785 --> 18:00.673 military to military uh ties , uh 18:00.673 --> 18:02.869 communications uh including now on the 18:02.880 --> 18:04.824 dialogue that we just announced on 18:04.824 --> 18:07.010 artificial intelligence uh as well as 18:07.020 --> 18:08.909 on people to people exchanges and 18:08.909 --> 18:10.909 connections between our countries . 18:10.909 --> 18:14.030 Also uh vitally important coming out of 18:14.040 --> 18:16.262 um the California meetings as President 18:16.270 --> 18:18.390 Biden made clear that we continue to 18:18.400 --> 18:21.010 communicate clearly about our 18:21.020 --> 18:23.880 differences uh at the very least to 18:23.890 --> 18:26.001 minimize the chance of miscalculation 18:26.390 --> 18:28.839 uh misunderstandings . Uh And that's 18:28.849 --> 18:31.099 also exactly what I did on this visit 18:31.270 --> 18:34.170 and will continue to do and that's 18:34.180 --> 18:37.790 simply uh what's required , which is to 18:37.969 --> 18:40.080 continue to advance our interests and 18:40.080 --> 18:42.150 our values , which has nothing to do 18:42.479 --> 18:45.069 with election cycles and everything to 18:45.079 --> 18:46.857 do with what's important to the 18:46.857 --> 18:49.339 American people . Simon Lewis with 18:49.349 --> 18:53.199 Reuters . Alright , thank you . Um 18:54.140 --> 18:57.160 Mr Secretary , you mentioned that you 18:57.170 --> 18:59.989 think that China can play a more 19:00.000 --> 19:01.722 constructive role , can play a 19:01.722 --> 19:03.778 constructive role in global crises , 19:03.778 --> 19:05.889 particularly talking about the Middle 19:05.889 --> 19:08.167 East . And you had a conversation with , 19:08.167 --> 19:10.111 with Minister Wang Yi earlier this 19:10.111 --> 19:12.278 month , around the time of the uh when 19:12.278 --> 19:14.111 Iran Israel tensions were really 19:14.111 --> 19:16.167 ramping up . I wonder if you have an 19:16.167 --> 19:18.278 assessment of the role that China has 19:18.278 --> 19:21.180 played and you know whether , whether 19:21.819 --> 19:25.469 it's sufficient a in the 19:25.479 --> 19:27.146 actions that that the Chinese 19:27.146 --> 19:29.201 government has taken so far . And um 19:29.201 --> 19:30.868 there's some reports that the 19:30.868 --> 19:32.923 Palestinian groups , Fatah and Hamas 19:32.923 --> 19:35.146 had a meeting here in , in Beijing . Um 19:35.146 --> 19:37.035 while you were here , I wonder if 19:37.035 --> 19:39.201 that's an area where you would welcome 19:39.201 --> 19:41.910 some Chinese involvement . And while 19:41.920 --> 19:44.031 we're on the Middle East , I think we 19:44.031 --> 19:46.087 can't ignore some of the images that 19:46.087 --> 19:48.198 have been coming out from back in the 19:48.198 --> 19:50.810 US , from uh university campuses . Um 19:52.130 --> 19:54.352 it's quite striking to see , you know , 19:54.352 --> 19:57.310 students , some of the violence in 19:57.319 --> 19:59.469 these protests , but students all 19:59.479 --> 20:02.469 across your country are coming out and , 20:02.479 --> 20:04.729 and expressing their outrage at what's 20:04.739 --> 20:07.540 happening in , in , in Gaza . Are you 20:07.550 --> 20:10.239 taking on board ? Uh those protests , 20:10.250 --> 20:12.959 you know , what do you say to uh young 20:12.969 --> 20:16.439 people , young Americans who um you 20:16.449 --> 20:18.560 know , see this as , as a moment when 20:18.560 --> 20:21.849 they need to um speak out against their 20:21.859 --> 20:25.540 government . Uh So first on the Middle 20:25.550 --> 20:29.280 East , um I think um I've 20:29.290 --> 20:32.770 talked to the Foreign Minister , Wang 20:32.780 --> 20:34.947 Yi uh at least half a dozen times . Um 20:35.250 --> 20:37.560 on this since , since October 7th , 20:37.569 --> 20:39.839 including of course today , but also in 20:39.849 --> 20:41.849 previous meetings , we had uh phone 20:41.849 --> 20:44.579 conversations , uh et cetera . And yes , 20:44.589 --> 20:46.811 I think this is an area where China can 20:46.811 --> 20:48.756 use the relationships . It has the 20:48.756 --> 20:50.589 influence , it has uh to try for 20:50.589 --> 20:52.756 example , to prevent the conflict from 20:52.756 --> 20:54.867 escalating from spreading . Uh And we 20:54.867 --> 20:57.589 had a , a good conversation uh when 20:57.689 --> 21:00.250 tensions were particularly acute follow 21:00.260 --> 21:02.770 proceeding and then uh immediately 21:02.780 --> 21:05.089 following uh Iran's unprecedented 21:05.099 --> 21:08.750 attack on Israel uh 10 days or so 21:08.760 --> 21:12.369 ago . Um And I think uh 21:13.469 --> 21:15.469 the relationships again that , that 21:15.469 --> 21:18.859 China has can be positive and trying to 21:19.739 --> 21:23.589 calm tensions prevent uh escalation uh 21:23.599 --> 21:25.877 avoid the spread of the , the conflict . 21:25.877 --> 21:28.060 And we agreed that we'd remain uh in 21:28.069 --> 21:30.540 regular irregular touch on this . Um 21:30.550 --> 21:32.449 And uh that's certainly my uh my 21:32.459 --> 21:36.329 intention . Um I'm I'm not aware of 21:36.339 --> 21:38.450 the , the meeting you referred to , I 21:38.450 --> 21:40.728 think you said between Fatah and Hamas . 21:40.728 --> 21:44.209 Um So nothing to say on that . Uh in 21:44.219 --> 21:46.979 terms of the uh protests back home . 21:46.989 --> 21:49.380 Look again , I'm not uh it's not my 21:49.390 --> 21:52.459 practice to , to comment on uh domestic 21:52.469 --> 21:56.339 matters . But look , people have strong 21:56.719 --> 21:59.930 passionate feelings um about 22:00.540 --> 22:02.750 what's happening in Gaza and in the 22:02.760 --> 22:05.329 Middle East that I very much understand . 22:06.000 --> 22:09.459 And when we see the 22:09.979 --> 22:13.209 horrific human suffering , uh and 22:14.000 --> 22:17.689 the death of Children , women and men 22:17.699 --> 22:19.699 who are caught in this crossfire of 22:19.699 --> 22:22.969 Hamas is making , um it's gut wrenching 22:23.170 --> 22:26.369 as I've said before and we want to do 22:26.380 --> 22:28.839 everything we can to bring it to an end . 22:30.099 --> 22:33.030 Um And in our own country , 22:34.250 --> 22:37.500 it's a hallmark of our democracy that 22:37.510 --> 22:40.079 our citizens make known their views , 22:40.369 --> 22:43.489 their concerns , their uh their anger 22:44.189 --> 22:47.550 at any given time . Um And I think that 22:47.560 --> 22:49.790 reflects the uh the strength of the 22:49.800 --> 22:51.911 country , the strength of democracy . 22:51.911 --> 22:55.109 Now , as I've also said before , this 22:55.119 --> 22:57.286 could be over tomorrow . It could have 22:57.286 --> 22:59.286 been over yesterday . It could have 22:59.286 --> 23:01.397 been over months ago if Hamas had put 23:01.397 --> 23:03.430 down its weapons , stopped hiding 23:03.439 --> 23:05.661 behind civilians , release the hostages 23:06.229 --> 23:08.939 uh and surrendered . But of course , it 23:08.949 --> 23:12.449 uh has chosen not to do that . And it 23:12.459 --> 23:15.170 is also notable that there is 23:16.069 --> 23:19.709 silence about Hamas . Uh 23:19.719 --> 23:21.830 It's as if it wasn't even part of the 23:22.069 --> 23:25.040 uh the story . But so I've also said 23:25.050 --> 23:28.569 repeatedly , um the , the way Israel 23:28.579 --> 23:30.635 goes about ensuring that October 7th 23:30.829 --> 23:32.550 never happens again , matters 23:32.560 --> 23:35.750 profoundly and we're working every day 23:36.150 --> 23:38.829 uh to try to minimize the damage that's 23:38.839 --> 23:40.839 done to innocent people and to make 23:40.839 --> 23:43.006 sure that they have the assistance and 23:43.006 --> 23:45.061 support that they need . And for the 23:45.061 --> 23:47.061 final question , Johannes Neudecker 23:47.061 --> 23:48.061 with DP A 23:53.250 --> 23:55.719 thank you . Um My question was 23:55.729 --> 23:58.007 basically just ask , but I'm thank you . 23:58.007 --> 24:00.062 I'm just , I'm just , I'm just , I'm 24:00.062 --> 24:02.530 just gonna ask another one . You said 24:03.420 --> 24:06.800 that you also require countries in 24:06.810 --> 24:10.040 Europe to um yeah , kind of join 24:10.050 --> 24:13.589 the um the plans 24:13.599 --> 24:17.119 to prevent China from 24:17.709 --> 24:21.099 um um supplying military or dual use 24:21.109 --> 24:23.579 goods to Russia . What do you expect 24:23.589 --> 24:26.670 from these countries ? How should they 24:26.680 --> 24:30.069 act now ? It's not what 24:30.079 --> 24:33.109 we expect of them . It's their profound 24:33.119 --> 24:37.020 concerns about the actions that 24:37.030 --> 24:39.319 uh Chinese enterprises are taking to 24:39.329 --> 24:41.510 support Russia's defense industrial 24:41.520 --> 24:44.439 base because this goes not only to the 24:44.449 --> 24:46.505 immediate threat posed by Russia and 24:46.505 --> 24:48.505 its aggression against Ukraine , it 24:48.505 --> 24:50.660 goes to uh a medium and long term 24:50.670 --> 24:53.640 threat that uh many Europeans feel 24:53.650 --> 24:57.119 viscerally uh that Russia potentially 24:57.130 --> 25:00.290 poses to them . Uh And so , uh what I 25:00.300 --> 25:02.411 heard in my conversations last week , 25:02.411 --> 25:05.920 um the G7 meetings before that at NATO 25:06.319 --> 25:09.400 was uh a shared concern about this . 25:09.709 --> 25:13.689 Um I had uh detailed conversations 25:13.699 --> 25:15.869 with a number of European leaders uh 25:15.880 --> 25:17.829 about their concerns including uh 25:17.839 --> 25:20.910 President Macron in France , uh German 25:20.920 --> 25:23.489 counterparts , British , many others , 25:23.500 --> 25:27.150 Italian . Uh And I think um all of us 25:27.819 --> 25:30.589 are looking to , to China to take steps 25:30.599 --> 25:34.449 to curb this action . And we're 25:34.459 --> 25:38.020 also uh as I said , uh looking at the 25:38.030 --> 25:40.589 actions that uh we're fully prepared to 25:40.599 --> 25:44.270 take if we don't see a change we have 25:44.280 --> 25:46.502 um in case of the United States , we've 25:46.502 --> 25:48.669 already imposed sanctions on more than 25:48.669 --> 25:52.469 100 Chinese uh entities , uh export 25:52.479 --> 25:55.010 controls , et cetera . And we're fully 25:55.020 --> 25:58.910 prepared to uh to act , take 25:58.920 --> 26:01.031 additional measures . And I made that 26:01.031 --> 26:04.020 very clear in my meetings today . Thank 26:04.030 --> 26:05.390 you . Thank you all .