On 15 June Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhang Qiyue held a regular press conference.
Zhang: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I am pleased to meet you here again. I have five pieces of news to announce.
 
Premier of the People's Republic of China Wen Jiabao will attend the opening ceremony of the Third Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in Qingdao on 22 June 2004 and deliver a keynote speech.

Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand Thaksin Shinawatra will attend the opening ceremony of the Third Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue in Qingdao and visit Yunnan and Guangdong Province from 20 to 22 June 2004.

At the invitation of Dr. Hassan Wirayuda, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, the rotating presidency of ASEAN, Minister of Foreign Affairs Li Zhaoxing will attend the Foreign Ministers' Meeting of ASEAN plus China, Japan and the ROK, the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference and the 11th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Jakarta, Indonesia from 1 to 2 July.

At the invitation of Minister of Foreign Affairs Li Zhaoxing, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Sweden Laila Freivalds will pay an official visit to China from 20 to 25 June 2004.

Through consultations among the parties concerned, the Second Meeting of the Working Group for the Six-Party Talks on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is scheduled from 21 to 22 June, and the Third Round of the Six-Party Talks between 23 and 26 June.
China hopes that the parties concerned will show their utmost sincerity and flexibility for cooperation in the spirit of mutual respect and equal consultation, so as to make headway in the Third Round of Talks. 

The floor is now open.

Q: The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission of the US Congress issued its annual report on 15 June indicating that China exports nuclear technology to Iran in exchange for oil and allows the DPRK to use China's naval and air ports and railway to transport missiles and other weapons. What is your comment? Especially before the start of the third round?

A: As a correspondent posted in Beijing, you should know China's position on non-proliferation. We have introduced many times our resolute and clear position on this question. China has always attached importance to the prevention and is resolutely opposed to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their vehicles. The Chinese government has taken a series of measures recently, issued comprehensive export control regulations in nuclear, biological, chemical, missile and other fields, and China's export control has already been legalized. In addition, the government has also taken forceful measures to implement regulations. Media have the reports that the government punished two Chinese companies that had violated relevant laws and regulations. So you can see that China has not only formulated laws and regulations but also taken practical moves, which have won wide international acknowledgment. I have not seen the report you mentioned nor do I know its intent. But what you said is purely untrue.

Q: The Syrian President will visit China this month. Please introduce his agenda. Who will he meet with in China? What agreements will he sign? How are bilateral relations?

A: During President Bashar al-Assad's visit in China, President Hu Jintao will hold formal talks with him and Chairman Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao will meet with him. The two sides will exchange views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common interest.

Relations between China and Syria have always been good. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, friendly cooperation between the two countries have developed constantly. Though the bilateral trade volume is not big, growth is rapid. We hope to strengthen our cooperation with Syria in all fields. According to my knowledge, during his stay in China, the two countries will sign cooperation agreements covering economic and trade, health, radio and TV and etc. Relevant departments of the two countries will also hold counterparts talks. In addition, President Bashar will also visit Shanghai. I believe his visit will bring the bilateral relations up to a new high.

Q: China did not release the closing date of the six-party talks in the past but said the third round will be concluded on 26. Why?

A: I don't know if you have heard me clearly just now. I have said that the third round of the six-party talks will be held between 23 and 26. After consultations, parties concerned have agreed to the date. As to whether it is sure that the meeting will close on 26th, it is still under consultation.

Q: Please introduce the task of the working group's meeting before the third round?
 
A: The main task of the working group's meeting to be held from 21 to 22 is to continue to prepare for the third round of talks, which both includes substantive issues, relevant documents and specific arrangements.

Q: Please introduce, 1. who will be the representatives of each party; 2. whether a joint document will be adopted this time; 3. the US accused the DPRK of having a HEU program. What is your comment?

A: As to the members of each delegation to the working group's meeting and the third round of talks, let me introduce to you in a few days' time.

As to whether a joint document will be adopted, it is still premature to talk about it at this stage. The Chinese side hopes that the relevant sides can continue to hold in-depth discussion on the basis of various consensus already reached and promote headways in the talks through enhancing mutual understanding and expanding consensus.

As to HEU, it should be a topic at the six-party talks. The Chinese side thinks that it should not be avoided and relevant parties can further exchange views during the new round of talks.

Q: Recently, the US president signed the bill passed shortly ago by the US Congress in support of Taiwan's participation in the WHO, and issued a statement through the White House declaring that the US government had not changed its "One China" policy. What's your comment on this?

A: China has repeatedly made solemn representations to the US side on the bill. We are firmly opposed to the US signing the wrong bill regardless of China's position.

Taiwan is a part of China. In accordance with the relevant resolution of the UN General Assembly and the regulations of the WHO, Taiwan is neither eligible for membership or quasi-membership in the WHO, nor qualified for participation in the WHO as an observer. At the recent 57th Session of the World Health Assembly, the member states rejected Taiwan's attempt to force its way in the WHO, which demonstrated the broad consensus and clear-cut attitude of the international community.

The Chinese Central Government has always cared about the health of Taiwan compatriots and actively assisted Taiwan in conducting technological exchanges and cooperation with the WHO in a proper capacity. In this connection, we proposed four concrete measures at the 57th WHA Session, fully manifesting the sincere and constructive attitude of the Chinese Central Government. Taiwan has a smooth access to health information. The real intention for its attempt to force its way into the WHO is to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" in the world. This scheme is bound to fail.

We urge the US Government to follow the international public opinions, be clearly aware of the political scheme of the Taiwan Authorities, observe the principles of the three Sino-US joint communiqués and the one China policy repeatedly reaffirmed by the US side and stop all words or deeds in support of Taiwan's attempt to force its way into the WHO. Otherwise, the development of China-US relations will suffer damage.

Q: Do the six-party talks have any phased targets? Is it hopeful that it can fully solve the nuclear question? You said that the meeting will be held between 23 and 26. Do you mean that it may be concluded later than or earlier than 26?

A: I have introduced our expectation on the talks. We hope that relevant parties can build on the consensus already reached and continue to conduct in-depth discussion on relevant questions. You should be clear about the process of the six-party talks. Thanks to several rounds of talks and working group's meeting, relevant sides have reached consensus on many questions including: all six parties agree to solve the Korean nuclear question peacefully through dialogue and maintain that denuclearization on the peninsula is the ultimate goal of solving it, nuclear freeze is the first step towards thorough nuclear dismantling, and reasonable concerns of the DPRK in security should be paid enough attention and solved. We hope that in the new round of talks various sides can promote headway in the talks through in-depth discussion.

The Korean nuclear question is a very complicated one and it is difficult to solve through one or two rounds of talks. It may take a relatively long process. But various sides have reached some consensus which means that they all hope to solve the question. This is very important.

As to when it will conclude, being the morning or afternoon of 26 or at other time, it is difficult to forecast before the meeting. The parties concerned have decided, after consultation, to hold the next round of talks between 23 and 26.

Q: Is the head of the Chinese delegation still Wang Yi?
A: The head of the Chinese delegation remains unchanged.

Q: How do you think the terrorists who attacked the Chinese workers in Afghanistan will be punished? Any briefings during the third round of talks?

A: The Chinese government strongly condemns the terrorist attack against the Chinese workers in Afghanistan. We have urged the Afghan side to speed up investigation, punish the perpetrators while ensuring security of other Chinese workers in Afghanistan. The Afghan government attaches great importance to it and has formed a special team looking into it. It is still under investigation so I have no specific information for you. We hope that the Afghan side can arrest those perpetrators and hold them responsible according to relevant laws.

On your second question, the Foreign Ministry will establish a special press center during the third round of talks according to previous practice and introduce the talks to you on a regular basis. 

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