Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei's Regular Press Conference on December 22, 2015
外交部发言人洪磊主持例行记者会（2015年12月22日）
At the invitation of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem of the Syrian Arab Republic and his entourage will visit China from December 23 to 26.
应外交部长王毅邀请，阿拉伯叙利亚共和国副总理兼外长瓦立德·穆阿利姆一行将于12月23日至26日访华。
During the visit, Foreign Minister Wang Yi will hold talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Moallem. The invitation is part of China's efforts to promote peace talks and the political settlement of the Syrian issue. Going forward, the Chinese side will also invite the Syrian opposition for a visit.
访华期间，王毅外长将同穆阿利姆副总理兼外长举行会谈。邀请穆阿利姆副总理兼外长访华，是中方积极劝和促谈、推动叙利亚问题政治解决努力的一部分。接下来，中方还将邀请叙利亚有关反对派来华访问。
Q: The black box of a Russian Su-24 warplane downed by Turkey was found. Russia has asked experts from other countries including China to help analyze the black box. Can you give us more details?
问：日前，被土耳其击落的俄罗斯苏－24军机黑匣子已找到。俄罗斯邀请包括中方在内的国际专家参与黑匣子分析工作。你能否介绍有关情况？
A: At the invitation of the Russian side, experts from China, Russia and other countries took part in the opening and analysis of the black box of the Su-24M warplane, alongside heads of the international investigation committee on air accidents and the Interstate Aviation Committee of the Commonwealth of the Independent States.
答：应俄方邀请，中方专家日前同国际社会有关专家、国际航空事故调查委员会负责人、独联体国家间航空委员会以及俄方专家一起，参加了苏-24M战机黑匣子的开启和分析工作。
We have noted that the Russian warplane was shot down when performing a counter-terrorism mission in Syria at the request of the Syrian government. The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution, giving capable member states the mandate to take all necessary measures to combat the Islamic State and other terrorist forces. Against the backdrop as such, the downing of the Russian warplane is a loss to the international campaign against terrorism. The Chinese side once again calls on all relevant parties to increase coordination and cooperation in the fight against terrorism, take concrete steps to prevent similar tragedies from happening again and stay united in the counter-terrorism campaign.
我们注意到，俄战机是在应叙利亚政府邀请，执行打击叙境内恐怖主义目标任务时被击落的。在联合国安理会已通过决议授权有能力会员国采取一切必要措施打击“伊斯兰国”等恐怖势力的背景下，俄战机被击落是国际社会共同反恐努力的损失。中方再次呼吁有关各方加强反恐斗争的协调合作，采取切实措施，杜绝类似不幸事件再次发生，共同打击恐怖主义。
Q: The European Council said in a statement on December 21 that the EU has renewed its economic sanctions against Russia for six months, after concluding that Moscow has failed to fully respect the Minsk agreement on Ukraine. What is China's comment on that?
问：据报道，欧盟理事会21日发表声明称，鉴于俄罗斯未能全面履行乌克兰问题明斯克协议，欧盟决定对俄制裁延长6个月。中方对此有何评论？
A: The Chinese side opposes the use or threat of sanctions at every turn in international relations, and believes that political dialogue is the only way out for the Ukrainian crisis. It is hoped that all relevant parties would make continuous efforts to implement the new Minsk agreement, resolve the Ukrainian crisis through political means and improve and develop relationship with each other.
答：中方一贯反对在国际关系中动辄使用制裁或以制裁相威胁，认为政治对话是解决乌克兰危机的唯一途径。希望有关各方继续切实履行新明斯克协议，推动政治解决乌危机，并致力于改善和发展相互关系。
Q: It is reported that UNESCO is reviewing the application process for Memory of the World. There is the commentary that the move has, to some extent, reflected Japan's concerns. What is China's comment on that?
问：据报道，联合国教科文组织正在重新评估世界记忆遗产申报规定。有评论称，此举一定程度上反映了日本的关切。中方对此有何评论？
A: UNESCO and its affiliated agencies have long been discussing necessary reform to the Memory of the World Program in a bid to give full play to its role in protecting world documentary heritage and the common memory of mankind. The Chinese side maintains that relevant reform should be based on broad consensus by taking into full account opinions of member states. It shall be a reflection of the will of member states. If any country attempts to politicize the reform, takes the chance to pursue its own selfish gains, and makes further moves to deny or even whitewash the history of aggression, it will meet with firm opposition from the international community.
答：联合国教科文组织及其所属机构长期以来一直在讨论对世界记忆名录进行必要的改革，使其更好地发挥保护世界文献遗产和人类共同记忆的积极作用。中方主张，有关改革应充分听取会员国的意见，寻求广泛共识。改革应当体现广大会员国的意愿。如果某些国家试图将世界记忆名录申报规则改革政治化，并借改革之名谋求一己私利，进而达到否认甚至美化侵略历史的目的，国际社会将是坚决反对的。
Q: Iraqi prime minister is visiting China. Who will he meet? What topics will be on the agenda?
问：伊拉克总理正在访华。他将与哪些中国领导人会面？双方将讨论哪些议题？
A: At the invitation of Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council, Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq Haider al-Abadi is in China for an official visit on December 22 and 23.
答：应国务院总理李克强邀请，伊拉克共和国总理海德尔·阿巴迪于12月22日至23日对中国进行正式访问。
Prime Minister Abadi is the first Iraqi leader to visit China after the new Iraqi government took office in September last year. Both the Chinese and the Iraqi sides attach great importance to the visit. During the visit, President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and Chairman Zhang Dejiang will meet and hold talks with Prime Minister Abadi on separate occasions. The two sides will also sign a series of cooperation agreements. We hope that the visit will help take the bilateral relationship to a new high and enhance cooperation across the board. We will exchange views on international and regional issues of common interest and strive for further advancement of China-Iraq relations. Details about the visit will be released in due course.
阿巴迪总理是去年9月伊拉克新政府成立后首位访华的伊拉克领导人，中伊双方都高度重视此次访问。访问期间，习近平主席、李克强总理和张德江委员长将分别与阿巴迪总理举行会见会谈，双方还将签署一系列合作协议。我们希望通过此访，同伊方进一步提升双边关系水平，加强各领域合作，并就共同关心的国际和地区问题交换意见，共同推动中伊关系不断发展。具体情况我们将及时发布。
Q: A history verification panel set up by Japan's Liberal Democratic Party met for the first time today. The panel may examine issues like the Nanjing Massacre and the Tokyo War Crimes Trials. What is China's comment on that?
问：日本自民党设立的“历史考证”机构今天首次召开会议，考证对象可能会包括南京大屠杀、东京审判等。中方对此有何评论？
A: We have noted the relevant report. The Chinese side has a clear-cut attitude on the issue of history. We hope that the Japanese side would demonstrate sincerity on the issue of history, respect the common sense and verdict upheld by the international community, face squarely the history of aggression, honor the statements and commitments it has made so far on the issue of history and take concrete actions to win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community.
答：我们注意到有关报道。中方在历史问题上的态度是明确的。我们希望日方在历史问题上展现诚意，尊重国际常识和定论，正确地认识和对待侵略历史，恪守迄今在历史问题上作出的表态和承诺，以实际行动取信于亚洲邻国和国际社会。
