South China Morning Post: The Australian Parliament passed the Foreign Relations Bill on Tuesday, giving the Australian Federal Government the power to cancel cooperation agreements signed between foreign countries and Australian state governments, local parliaments and public universities. The new bill could affect a memorandum of understanding signed between China and the Victoria state of Australia, on the Belt and Road Initiative. What does China have to do with this?

Zhao Lijian: Legislating is one country's internal affair, and we do not comment on it.

At the same time, I would like to stress that the exchanges and cooperation between China and Australia over the years in the economic, trade, people-to-people exchanges, sub-national, and other fields have benefited the two sides. The Belt and Road Initiative is one for economic cooperation, which follows the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and upholds the spirit of openness, inclusiveness and transparency. The BRI has brought tangible benefits to the people along the route. The BRI cooperation between China and the Victoria state will greatly enhance the well-being of the people of both sides. It is hoped that Australia will take an objective and rational view of China-Australia cooperation and the BRI. Instead of deliberately creating obstacles on normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Australia, and carrying out law enforcement activities in a selective and discriminatory way, the Australian side should do more things conducive to mutual trust and mutual benefit between China and Australia.