On the afternoon of September 2nd, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kong Quan held a regular press conference.
Kong: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Today, we have the first press conference after the summer holidays, and I am very glad to meet my old and new friends here. I am aware that 13 new journalists from 11 countries have been stationed in Beijing and joined us over the past one and a half months of holidays. Whether they are present or absent today, I extend my warm welcome to them and wish them pleasant and smooth days in Beijing. Second, I would like to extend my warm welcome to the joint group of journalists from the Press Group of Americas, made up of 11 journalists from 11 media units of 8 countries. As far as I know, it is your first trip to China and I wish you pleasant visit and interview here. In particular, I hope that you can give the readers of the Press Group the Americas a full account of today's China.
I have three pieces of announcements to make:
At the invitation of President Hu Jintao, President of the Gabonese Republic El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba will pay a state visit to China fromd September 7th to 12th .
At the invitation of Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Faisal, Foreign Minister of Yemen Al-Qirbi, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs of Oman Alawi, Foreign Minister of Egypt Gheit and Secretary General of the League of Arab States Moussa, Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China Li Zhaoxing will visit the four countries from September 6 to 14 and attend the first session of the Ministerial Meeting of the Forum on Cooperation between China and Arab States. During his visit to Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman and Egypt, Minister Li will exchange views with the leaders of the four countries on bilateral relations and regional situation. He will also meet with Mr. Al-attiyah, Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States in the Gulf, in Saudi Arabia. At the first session of the Ministerial Meeting of the Forum on Cooperation between China and Arab States, Minister Li will discuss with the foreign ministers of Arab states and Secretary General Moussa on the development of China-Arab relations and the Forum on Cooperation between China and Arab States in the new era. In addition, China and the Arab States will sign documents on the forum.
Ambassador Wang Shijie, China's Special Envoy to the Middle East, will start his visit to Egypt, Lebanon and Israel on September 6, during which he will exchange views with the three sides on easing the current tension in the Middle East and moving forward the peace process.
Now, I am glad to take up your questions.
Q: Yesterday and the day before yesterday, two terrorist incidents occurred successively in Moscow and the Republic of North Ossetia. What comment does China have on this?
A: The recent successive terrorist incidents in Russia are shocking. We are gravely concerned about those incidents, which caused huge casualties, and one of which, the hostage incident in the North Ossetia, still stays in stalemate. President Hu Jintao has just sent a telegraph of condolences to President Putin. In his telegraph, President Hu expressed his sincere condolences and solicitude for the Russian people, the victims in the incident and their relatives. Meanwhile, he wrote that the Chinese Government firmly supports Russia in its efforts to combat terrorism. He stressed that terrorism is the common enemy of mankind and there is still a long way to go to crush it. We shall strengthen our cooperation with all other countries in the world to jointly strike terrorism.
Q: It is the first time for me to attend the conference. Thank youyou're your favorable reception. I have two questions. First, what comment does China have on the intrusion by 29 DPRK citizens into a Japanese school? Has China expressed its position on this incident to the Japanese side? Will China allow them to enter a third country? Second, some human rights organizations voiced recently their opposition to China's hosting the 2008 Olympic Games. There was a protest last week, claiming that China was not eligible for hosting the Olympic Games due to the Tibet question. As a Chinese who represents the government, what comment do you have on those views and remarks?
A: Welcome to work in China again and wish all the best for you. I hope that the Indonesian people can get a full picture of China through your interview and understand our people's sincere wish to develop friendship and cooperation with the international community, including Indonesia.
Just now, you raised two questions. First, the question on the Japanese school. As far as I know, the Japanese side informed the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Public Security that some people had intruded into the school. According to the latest information I have, the police is making investigation into the incident.
Your second question involves the opposition of the so-called human rights organization to Beijing's hosting the Olympic Games. Last week, two foreigners displayed a slogan aimed to foment "Tibet independence" at the gate of a park in Beijing. I feel indignant at this. Every year, numerous of foreigners came to China, where they are warmly received by the Chinese people in their tourism, study and residence. I think they shall at least observe the laws and regulations of China and respect our national unity and territorial integrity. A handful of individuals displayed the slogan of political nature in the disguise of tourism, which I believe extremely impertinent.
You said some people do not like or have different opinions about the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. I cannot not say such people do not exist, but I believe they only account for a exceedingly minute part of the 6 billion people in the world. As is known to all, Chinese athletes displayed great sportsmanship in the Athens Olympics and won glory for their motherland. All sides have great expectations for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The Chinese people are doing their utmost to ensure a fully successful Olympic Games in Beijing.
Q: The US has submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council, which will be deliberated on tomorrow. It requires Syria to withdraw troops from Lebanon. What's China's position on the draft resolution? My second question is on Foreign Minister Li's visit to the Middle East. What's the significance of his visit?
A: Since the draft resolution was submitted to the UN Security Council, the Chinese delegation has been staying in contact and communication with various parties. As for the question of Syria's troops stationed in Lebanon, it was a question generated against the special backdrop in the Middle East. In principle, our position on such a question left by history is that we hope it could be resolved through dialogue and consultation.
Your second question touches upon Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing's visit to the Arab states and his meeting with Mr. Moussa, Secretary General of the League of Arab States. At the beginning of this year, President Hu Jintao announced during his visit to Egypt that China and Arab states will set up a forum for cooperation. We deem the forum a new platform, which will become a mechanism for China and the Arab States as a whole to discuss collective dialogue and cooperation. Therefore, the upcoming first session of the Ministerial Meeting of the Forum on Cooperation between China and the Arab States in Egypt is of great significance. It will launch in practical terms the dialogue and cooperation mechanism between the two sides. During the process, the two sides may have an in-depth exchange of views, continuously expand and explore the forms of dialogue and steadily enhance and expand the scope of cooperation.
Q: It is said Premier Wen Jiabao will visit Russia at the end of September. If it is true, will the recent array of terrorist incidents in Russia affect his schedule?
A: I believe the Meeting of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the regular meeting between Chinese Premier and Russian Prime Minister will be held in September as scheduled. In addition, the Chinese Head of Government will attend this important meeting along with his foreign counterparts. I will make formal announcement on the Premier's attendance in the meeting soon.
Q: What comment do you have on the Japanese side's handling of the North Koreans' intrusion in Japanese school? Did Japan tell you how they will handle these DPRK citizens? What measures does China take to ensure the safety of schools and embassies? On top of that, similar incidents have happened before, such as in the Japanese and German schools and other places. What comment do you have on how Chinese security guards can make sure to keep those people out of these places?
A: Everything evolves stage by stage. Your question seems to label these people with nationalities. I don't want to refute your judgment so far. But as a Foreign Ministry Spokesman, what I have been informed of by the police tells me the relevant parties are making investigation in this incident, including checking their identities.
On your second question, I feel hard to answer within one sentence. There are so many foreigners, foreign businesses, overseas institutes and diplomatic institutes in Beijing. We have repeatedly said that China's Foreign Ministry and the police will exert all efforts to ensure the normal life of their study and life free from disturbance. In the same time, however, unexpected incidents occurred indeed from time to time. We hope to take further measures to avoid such incidents as far as possible.
But I have to emphasize that some incidents in the past are inseparable from the instigation of some so-called human rights organizations. They have repeatedly caused trouble by fomenting some illegal foreign trespassers to intrude in the diplomatic missions and foreign schools. We cannot permit and stand firmly against such acts that violate Chinese laws and regulations and breach the order in our country as well as the normal working order of the diplomatic missions.
Q: Recently, a string of DPRK's remarks show that it is seemingly not willing to engage in the next round of the Six-Party Talks by the end of September as scheduled. What comment does China have on those remarks made by the DPRK? How do you interpret them? In addition, it is reported that Li Zhangchun visited the DPRK recently. Please confirm. And did he get message from the DPRK on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula? Did he send China's message to the DPRK?
A: Many reports covered the Six-Party Talks recently and people are closely following the issue. The nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is complicated and hard to resolve. The Chinese side has always been making positive efforts to jointly explore with other parties to guarantee the denuclearization of the Peninsula through peace talks. As you know, a denuclearized Peninsula has been set as the direction for our endeavor and the Six-Party Talks established as our mechanism. You ask me how to interpret the recent remarks of the DPRK. It falls out of my competency. What I can tell you is that from China's perspective, it is natural for the Six-Party Talks to meet difficulties and ups and downs, since they are the outcomes of the prolonged antagonism between the DPRK and the US. It demands a rather long process to resolve the issue. We hope that all parties follow the consensus reached at the third round of the Six-Party Talks and convene the fourth round of the Talks as well as the Working Group Meeting. In this connection, all parties should adopt a pragmatic and flexible attitude. In this process, we have been keeping close contact and communication with other parties and serving as an active driving force.
As for your second question, it seems that you used the past tense. Fact seems not to tell so. I want to tell you that China and the DPRK have maintained the tradition of exchanges of high-level visits. I will keep you updated promptly if I have information on this in the coming days. Undoubtedly, leaders of the two countries will take the occasions of visits to have in-depth exchanges of views on the questions of common interest, in particular, on how to further promote bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields and such major issues as the regional situation and the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.
Q: Will the next round of the Six-Party Talks be held by the end of September as scheduled despite of the DPRK's stance?
A: We hope to actively promote the process of the Talks through the joint efforts of us and other five parties. To hold the fourth round of the Six-Party Talks by the end of September is the consensus reached by all parties at the third round of the Talks.
Q: What does China expect to gain from the 2008 Olympic Games in terms of foreign relations and foreign policies?
A: I am afraid that it is a narrow-minded view to simplify the Olympic Games into an occasion or opportunity for gaining benefits for China's diplomacy or other aspects. The main purpose for China to hold this pageant sport event is to promote the popularization and development of the Olympic spirit across the world and enhance the mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between the Chinese people and the peoples in the rest of the world. In this process, we hope to give impetus to China's friendly cooperation with the international community and all other countries in all fronts.
If there are no more questions, thank you for your presence at the first press conference after the summer holidays.
