Mao Ning Briefs on Ladakh, Indonesia Investment, IMF Forecast at October 13 Press Conference

Summary

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning took questions at a regular press conference on 13 October 2026, addressing a range of international issues. On India's Ministry of Home Affairs designating 28 locations in Ladakh for standardised place names on official maps, Mao Ning said China has never recognised the so-called 'Union Territory of Ladakh' unilaterally and illegally established by India, and firmly opposes India's release of the so-called 'standard place names'. She called the move illegal and invalid, saying it cannot change the objective fact that the western section of the China-India border has always been part of China.

On the launch ceremony for a Chinese-invested mining downstreaming project held by Indonesia's Ministry of Investment and Downstreaming with the Weda Bay Industrial Park, attended by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who thanked Chinese investors, Mao Ning said China appreciates the remarks by senior Indonesian officials and is ready to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with Indonesia in energy, mining and other fields, expressing confidence that the Indonesian government will continue to protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese enterprises. Asked about the International Monetary Fund lowering its forecast for China's economic growth this year to 4.5 percent, Mao Ning suggested consulting the competent authorities and said the fundamentals underpinning China's long-term economic growth remain unchanged. Mao Ning also shared the story of 95-year-old American David Brown, who lived in Huangyuan County, Qinghai Province for 17 years, raised medical equipment for the local area, donated to education and helped arrange for English teachers to train in the United States, saying China supports stronger people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

In addition, Mao Ning expressed condolences over the death of Australian sinologist Professor Colin Mackerras and responded to questions on cybersecurity, the Middle East situation and Taiwan-related sanctions.

Commentary

The signals from China's Foreign Ministry press conference are not remote concerns for small and medium-sized business owners in New Zealand. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's high-profile attendance at the launch of a Chinese-invested mining downstreaming project, along with his pledge to protect investors as he would family, reflects Indonesia's strong push to move from resource exporter to processing and manufacturing nation. New Zealand firms are not directly involved in China-Indonesia mining cooperation, but Indonesia, as ASEAN's largest economy, is reshaping regional supply chains through its downstreaming policy.

The expansion of Indonesia's nickel processing capacity, for example, has already affected global prices for stainless steel and battery materials. New Zealand engineering consultancies, environmental technology providers and mining services companies may find demand for specialist services in the build-out of Indonesian industrial parks. At the same time, India's unilateral standardisation of place names in Ladakh, which China firmly opposes, could disrupt shipping routes through the Indian Ocean if border tensions escalate, meaning New Zealand exporters to Asian markets should factor logistics costs and delivery times into their risk assessments.

The IMF's downgrade of China's growth forecast to 4.5 percent, citing energy prices and weak consumption, is a warning signal for New Zealand exporters reliant on Chinese demand. China's long-term positive fundamentals are unchanged, but short-term volatility could affect the pace of orders for consumer goods such as dairy and meat. New Zealand SMEs should adjust market strategies more flexibly, for example by expanding into diversified Southeast Asian markets or deepening niche segments in China, to hedge against macroeconomic uncertainty.

Stories of China-US people-to-people exchanges, such as the good works of 95-year-old American David Brown in Qinghai, remind us of the buffering role of human ties amid geopolitical tensions. New Zealand businesses can likewise build trust through people-to-people exchanges to pave the way for commercial cooperation. China's condolences over the death of Australian sinologist Colin Mackerras show that cultural understanding is still valued even amid political differences.

As a meeting point of Chinese and Western cultures, New Zealand offers SME owners an advantage they can use to play a bridging role in cross-cultural communication. The exchanges over cybersecurity allegations and Taiwan-related sanctions, meanwhile, are a reminder that businesses need to stay alert on digital and supply chain compliance to avoid being drawn into geopolitical disputes.

Keywords: Foreign Ministry regular press conference, Mao Ning, Ladakh, China-India border, Chinese-invested projects in Indonesia, International Monetary Fund, China-US people-to-people friendship, Colin Mackerras

Summary in Chinese | 摘要

2026年10月13日，外交部发言人毛宁主持例行记者会，就多个国际问题作出回应。针对印度内政部宣布在拉达克地区确定28处地点规范地名并在官方地图标注，毛宁表示中方从不承认印方单方面非法设立的所谓“拉达克中央直辖区”，坚决反对印方公布所谓“标准地名”，称印方此举非法、无效，不能改变中印边境西段地区历来属于中国的客观事实。就印尼投资与下游化部与纬达贝工业园合作举办中资矿业下游化项目启动仪式、印尼总统普拉博沃出席并感谢中方投资者，毛宁表示中方赞赏印尼高层有关表态，愿同印尼深化能矿等领域互利合作，相信印尼政府将继续保障中资企业合法权益。

关于国际货币基金组织将中国今年经济增长预期下调至4.5%，毛宁建议向主管部门了解，并称中国经济长期向好的基本面没有变。毛宁还介绍了95岁美国人柏大卫曾在青海省湟源县生活17年、为当地筹赠医疗设备、捐资助学并牵线英语教师赴美培训的故事，表示中方支持两国民间加强交往。此外，毛宁对澳大利亚汉学家马克林教授去世表示哀悼，并回应了网络安全、中东局势及涉台制裁等问题。

Commentary in Chinese | 评论

中国外交部记者会释放的信号，对远在新西兰的中小企业主而言，并非遥不可及。印尼总统普拉博沃高调出席中资矿业下游化项目启动仪式，并承诺像保护家人一样保护投资者，这背后是印尼从资源出口国向加工制造国转型的强烈诉求。新西兰企业虽不直接参与中印尼矿业合作，但印尼作为东盟最大经济体，其矿业下游化政策正重塑区域供应链。

例如，印尼镍矿加工产能扩张已影响全球不锈钢和电池材料价格，新西兰的工程咨询、环保技术和矿业服务企业，或可关注印尼工业园区建设带来的专业服务需求。与此同时，印度在拉达克地区单方面规范地名，中方坚决反对，中印边境紧张局势若升级，可能干扰经印度洋的航运路线，新西兰对亚洲市场的出口物流成本与时效需纳入风险评估。国际货币基金组织下调中国经济增长预期至4.5%，理由包括能源价格和消费不振，这对依赖中国需求的新西兰出口商是警示信号。

中国长期向好基本面未变，但短期波动可能影响乳制品、肉类等消费品订单节奏。新西兰中小企业应更灵活地调整市场策略，例如拓展东南亚多元市场，或在中国市场深耕细分领域，以对冲宏观不确定性。中美民间交往的故事，如95岁美国人柏大卫在青海的善举，提醒我们人文纽带在紧张地缘政治中的缓冲作用。

新西兰企业同样可借助民间交流建立信任，为商业合作铺路。澳大利亚汉学家马克林去世，中方表达哀悼，显示即便在政治分歧下，文化理解仍被珍视。新西兰作为中西文化交汇之地，中小企业主可善用这一优势，在跨文化沟通中扮演桥梁角色。

网络安全指控与涉台制裁引发的交锋，则提示企业在数字化和供应链合规上需保持警觉，避免卷入地缘政治漩涡。

关键词: 外交部例行记者会, 毛宁, 拉达克, 中印边境, 印尼中资项目, 国际货币基金组织, 中美民间友好, 马克林

Source: Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Auckland – Into the Consular District