路透社记者：在斋月期间，路透社看过新疆各地的数十座清真寺，包括许多遭到破坏或摧毁的清真寺。不在大城市的清真寺是非常敏感的参观场所，我们不能拍照采访。外交部和自治区政府曾表示，致力于保护新疆的宗教场所和人民进行宗教活动的权利。在清真寺被拆除或摧毁的情况下，政府如何确保人们可以自由、公开地在新疆开展宗教活动？当地政府如何确保附近仍有地方可供人们开展宗教活动？

　　华春莹：你是哪国人？

　　记者：我是英国人。

　　华春莹：你刚才一口气给我提了很多问题，我也想问你一个问题，你知道在英国、在美国有多少座清真寺吗？

　　记者：我不知道。

　　华春莹：我告诉你，美国有约2000座清真寺，英国约1750座，在中国新疆有2.44万座清真寺，平均每530名穆斯林民众就拥有一座清真寺。在中国新疆的清真寺比美国、英国、德国、法国四国清真寺数量加在一起的两倍还要多。

　　所以，我不知道你们不停炒作新疆清真寺问题有价值吗？而且在炒作新疆穆斯林清真寺问题之前，你们有没有做过一些调研？调研是很重要的，发表评论一定要基于事实。

　　我可以再次重申，中国宪法规定公民享有宗教信仰自由，任何国家机关、社会团体和个人不得强制公民信仰宗教或者不信仰宗教，也不得歧视信仰宗教的公民或不信仰宗教的公民。各族穆斯林都按照教义、教规和传统习俗，在清真寺及在自己家里进行正常宗教活动。

　　关于新疆清真寺的情况，中国国务院新闻办公室发布的多部白皮书中都有详细介绍。新疆的清真寺大多数建于20世纪80-90年代甚至更早，这些清真寺有的原本是土坯房，有的特别狭小，有的已经成为危房，遇到刮风下雨，根本无法正常开展宗教活动。这几年，随着城镇化的加快和乡村振兴战略的实施，一些地方政府根据当地穆斯林的呼吁和申请，结合城市棚户区改造、农村人居环境整治、易地扶贫搬迁等工作，按照城乡建设规划，通过新建、迁建、扩建等措施，很好地解决了清真寺危房问题，清真寺建筑更加安全，布局更加合理，也更加清洁，信教群众也非常满意。新疆的清真寺满足了信教群众的需要。

　　你提到外国记者去新疆拍摄采访有时会遇到一些问题，我也很想就这个问题跟外国记者特别是欧美记者朋友们好好聊一聊。前段时间，中方媒体上有曝光，你们英国的一个有名老字号媒体的记者去新疆等地进行骗访，甚至罔顾事实，编造谎言和谣言。他们的骗访对当地群众造成了伤害。你可以设身处地想想，如果你的家里、你的周围有人总是不怀好意地想伺机做些什么来对你造谣抹黑，甚至对你形成伤害，你会不会对他们产生警觉和防备的心理？

　　所以，我想如果你们想让被采访者敞开心扉，让采访环境完全放松的话，很重要的一点就是你们必须要以自己的实际行动，以你们的客观报道去取信于中国人民，包括新疆地区的人民，让他们觉得你们拍摄采访后一定会客观公正报道，而不会像某些人一样编造假新闻，对当地群众的利益和声誉造成伤害。这种信任关系的建立需要双向努力。

Reuters: During Ramadan, Reuters viewed dozens of mosques across Xinjiang, including many that were damaged and destroyed. And outside of large cities, mosques were very sensitive places to visit, where we were not allowed to take pictures or have interviews. The foreign ministry and the Xinjiang government have said that they are committed to protecting religious sites in Xinjiang, and the right for people to practice their religions. How is the government ensuring people can freely and openly practice their religion in Xinjiang, and in cases where mosques have been removed or destroyed, how can the local government ensure there are still places nearby for people to  practice their religion?

Hua Chunying: Where are you from?

Journalist: I'm British.

Hua Chunying: You asked a long question in a breath. I would just like to ask, do you know the number of mosques in the UK or the US?

Journalist: No.

Hua Chunying: Let me tell you, there are about 2,000 mosques in the United States, about 1,750 in the United Kingdom, and the number is 24,400 in China's Xinjiang, which means one mosque for every 530 Muslims. There are more than twice as many mosques in Xinjiang as in the United States, Britain, Germany and France combined.

So I don't know what is the point in hyping up the issue of mosques in Xinjiang. And before starting the job, have you done your homework? It's always important to do your homework. When making comments, you must make sure you have the facts.

I reiterate that China's Constitution clearly stipulates that the following: Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief. No State organ, public organization or individual may compel citizens to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion; nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in, or do not believe in, any religion. The State protects normal religious activities. Muslims from various ethnic groups are free to practice their belief in mosques and at home according to religious doctrines, rules and traditional customs.

With regard to mosques in Xinjiang, the State Council Information Office has offered detailed descriptions in its many white papers. The mosques there were mostly built in the 1980s and 1990s or even earlier. Some of them were originally adobe houses, some are too narrow, some have become so dilapidated as to render religious activities impossible during windy and rainy weather. In recent years, as urbanization gathers speed and the rural revitalization strategy is implemented, some local governments, responding to local Muslim community's call and application, took measures including building new facilities, relocation and extending existing buildings to solve the problem and made mosques safer, better situated and cleaner, to the satisfaction of believers. All this was done together with work relating to shanty town renovation in urban areas, improvement of living environment in rural areas and poverty-alleviation relocation in accordance with development plans for urban and rural areas. The mosques in Xinjiang meet the needs of believers.

You mentioned some problems journalists encountered during their filming there. I would like to talk about this with foreign journalists, especially those from the US and European countries. Chinese media reported not long ago how some journalists from a well-known British media agency tricked people into giving interviews in places like Xinjiang and Hubei. They even knowingly made lies and rumors. This has hurt the local people. You may relate to their feelings if you imagine how would you feel if someone in your house or around you is always seeking an opportunity to bad mouth or smear you and even to hurt you. Wouldn't that put you on guard?

So if you want your interviewees to be forthcoming in a relaxed setting, an important point is to take concrete actions and win the trust of the Chinese people including residents of Xinjiang with objective reports. You need to make them feel sure that you will report on what you filmed and the interview in an objective and just manner, unlike others who concoct fake news and harm local people's interests and reputation. To build such trust calls for two-way efforts.