On 11 May, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Liu Jianchao held a regular press conference.

Liu: Good afternoon. I wish you had a pleasant May Day holiday. A piece of news first: At the invitation of President Hu Jintao, President Nursultan Nazarbayev of the Republic of Kazakhstan will pay a state visit to China from 16 to 19 May. Leaders of the two countries will exchange views on bilateral relations, the development of the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in all fields and international and regional issues of common interest.

Q: Recently both Houses of the US Parliament adopted resolutions supporting Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization (WHO). What is your comment?
A: The US Congress, in disregard of China's opposition, is bent on adopting resolutions supporting Taiwan's participation in the WHO. The Chinese side expresses its strong dissatisfaction and has already lodged solemn representations to the US side.
The WHO is a specialized UN agency to which statehood is required. In accordance with the Constitution of the WHO and Rules of Procedures of the World Health Assembly (WHA), Taiwan, as a part of China, has no right to join the WHO nor to take part in the WHA as an observer.
The Chinese Government has all along attached importance to the health of the Taiwan compatriots and worked to promote exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Straits in the health field to help Taiwan gain health information. With the consent of the Chinese Central Government, WHO experts have been to Taiwan many times to inspect SARS epidemics and Taiwan experts have taken part in the WHO specialized meetings on SARS, cancer and others. Facts show that Taiwan has unimpeded channels in gaining health information. The Central Government has expressed many times that it welcomes Taiwan medical experts to the WHA as a part of the Chinese delegation. If the Taiwan side needs technical assistance from the WHO, we will consider it positively so long as it proposes with the Central Government.
The true purpose of the Taiwan authorities to squeeze into the WHO, instead of being health issue, is to create "two Chinas", "one China and one Taiwan" internationally to achieve its evil attempt of "Taiwan's independence". The attempt is doomed to failure.
We urge the US side to honor its commitments of abiding by the one China policy, three Sino-US Joint Communiqués and opposing Taiwan's independence, and handle the Taiwan-related question in the WHO prudently and properly so as not to damage Sino-US relations.

Q: Questions relating to the working group's meeting to be convened soon. We know that the Chinese delegation will be headed by Ning Fukui and the US delegation by DeTrani. How about the others? And the length and the topics?
A: I would like to brief you on the first working group's meeting to be held tomorrow. It is a continuation and important part of the Six-Party Talks. The agenda and time are decided by the six parties. According to my knowledge, Ambassador Ning Fukui in charge of the Peninsula Affairs will head the Chinese delegation and chair the meeting. And according to my knowledge, the DPRK delegation will be headed by Ambassador Li Gun, Deputy Director-General, American Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), DPRK;  the Japanese delegation, Saiki Akitaika, Deputy Director-General, Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, MFA, Japan; the ROK delegation, Cho Tae-yong, Director-General, Taskforce on the North Korea Nuclear Issue, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, ROK; the Russian delegation, V. Sukhinin, Deputy Director, First Asian Department, MFA, Russian; and the American delegation, Joseph R. DeTrani, Special Envoy for Negotiations with North Korea, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State, USA.
All sides agree in principle that they will exchange views in the meeting on topics that have being touched upon but without in-depth discussion. It is hoped that relevant sides will seek and accumulate consensus through full consultation and discussion. The Chinese side has kept contact with the others sides after the second round. Not long ago Ambassador Ning exchanged views with the relevant sides on the launching of the working group's meeting. They have all expressed their willingness to make efforts for the meeting in a flexible, patient and pragmatic attitude.
Of course all sides have their concerns and still differ on such specific questions as how to achieve denuclearization on the peninsula and how to take the first step in denuclearization. It takes a process to eliminate differences. We hope that all sides will have reasonable anticipation towards the progress of the working group's meeting. We hope that all sides can have an in-depth exchange of views in the meeting, propose reasonable solutions targeting each other's concerns, promote understanding and trust, dissolve doubts and explore proper ways and methods to solve the questions so as to prepare for the next round of talks.

Q: What do you plan to talk with the others and what is your anticipation?
A: The Chinese side will take part in the first working group's meeting in a positive attitude. As to what plan and program that China will propose, I hope to be able to introduce to you afterwards. As chair of the meeting, the Chinese side will fully and actively play its role of mediation and guidance during the meeting so as to make it a success.

Q: Most international community maintains that the abuse of the Iraqi prisoners by the US and British forces in Iraq is a war crime. What is your comment?
A: The abuse of the Iraqi prisoners by the US and British forces violates international conventions and we condemn it. We maintain that thorough investigation should be conducted and relevant persons should be held responsible. Both US and UK should abide by the Geneva Conventions and other international conventions to effectively protect the basic human rights of the prisoners of war and other prisoners. 

Q: Should the DPRK be rewarded if it proposes to freeze its nuclear plan? What is your position? Second, do you think that the abuse of Iraqi prisoners give you a higher moral ground over the US and UK? Third, on the WHO and political issue, are you not turning it from a domestic issue into a world health issue by not allowing Taiwan into the WHO and not even allowing it to take part in the WHA as an observer?
A: The first-phase measures to achieve denuclearization were the important topics of the second round of talks. During the second round, the DPRK proposed on its own initiative that as the first step, it was willing to freeze its nuclear activities and hoped that other countries would adopt corresponding measures. China, ROK and Russia all committed at the time to provide energy assistance to the DPRK under certain circumstances. The US and Japan also acknowledged that the DPRK had energy need and expressed their understanding. The Japanese side said that it would provide large-scaled economic assistance after normalization of relations with the DPRK. During the second round, all agreed to further discuss the scope of nuclear freezing and its verification. The working group's meeting this time and future plenary sessions of the six-party talk will all touch upon this.
On your second question, the abuse fully explains that human rights questions exist in different forms in any countries and regions in the world. The protection of human rights is the common task of all countries in the world. No country is perfect in the protection of human rights. Confrontation will not do and dialogue should be used to narrow difference.
As to Taiwan's attempt to squeeze into the WHO, the WHO is an inter-governmental organization providing necessary health information and health assistance to countries in the world. It is the Taiwan authorities and their supporters instead of the Chinese government that politicize the issue. The Taiwan side attempting to squeeze into the WHO and politicize the issue will not help the organization's development and will affect its due function and role in providing health information and technical assistance. The Central Government is not responsible for it but rather certain persons, factors and even certain countries that are instigating such political squabble. The Chinese side is unwilling to see it. We urge the relevant side to act according to WHO's Constitution and WHA's Rules of Procedures instead of allowing irrelevant questions or evil attempt of certain people with ulterior motives to affect the work of WHO.

Q: What bilateral meetings will you hold during the working group's meeting? What is tomorrow's agenda and when will the meeting start?
A: On your first question, all delegations have arrived in recent days. The Chinese side has held bilateral consultations with them and exchanged views on how to best convene the meeting. According to the principles agreed upon by all sides, the meeting this time is a closed one, not open to media. So I am not in the position to tell you details of the meeting. Sorry for that.

Q: Please introduce members of the Chinese delegation to the WHA. Who will be the head? The main topics? How many favorable votes will you get if the application of having Taiwan to join the WHO as an observer is included in the agenda of WHA?
A: According to my knowledge, China will send a delegation to WHA  and it will include officials from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. So far I have no knowledge of the name list but I can inquire for you. The Chinese side will mainly discuss the topics decided by the WHA. (Note: it is known afterwards that the head of the Chinese delegation will be Gao Qiang, Executive  Vice Minister of Health.)

On you second question, I have said it clearly just now that the Chinese Government is opposed to the attempt of certain countries to include the Taiwan-related question in WHA's agenda. I trust that the solemn position of the Chinese Government would be supported by most countries in the world.

Q: The British side expressed its concern over Hong Kong's democratic process during Premier Wen's meeting with Prime Minister Blair. Hong Kong issued its third "political reform report " today and a motion will be tabled in its Legislative Council opposing the NPC's decision on Hong Kong's political reform. In addition, the UK and other countries have all expressed their concern. Do you think the concern of these countries will affect Hong Kong's own deliberation of its political reform? What is China's reaction to the foreign concern?
A: As to the explanation of law by the Central Government, it has clearly introduced its positions many times. We have also made clear our positions concerning the irresponsible remarks by some countries on this issue. My colleague Kong Quan talked about it in details on 27 April, explaining China's position. The Central Government, NPC and the SAR Government have always adhered to the principle of acting according to law. We do not need nor do we welcome any foreign interference. It is irresponsible for other countries to make wanton remarks on it and it will not help Hong Kong's development. 

Q:It is reported that one presidential candidate of the Central American country of Panama has expressed that it will consider or has even proposed already to establish diplomatic relations with China's mainland without severing relations with Taiwan. What is your reaction?
A: The Chinese side is willing to establish and develop normal state-to-state relations with all countries in the world on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the principle of non-interference in each other's internal affairs in particular. The pre-condition is that the relevant countries should acknowledge that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is a part of China. If their leaders are sincere in developing relations with China, they should respect and accept the position of the Chinese government.

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