On the afternoon of October 28, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue presided over a regular press conference.
Zhang: Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. First please allow me to make an announcement.
At the invitation of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Meles Zenawi, will to pay an official visit to China for October 31.
Now I'm ready to answer your questions.
Q: The Russian parliament ratified the Kyoto Protocol recently. What's your comment on this?
A: We have noticed the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol by the Russian parliament. The move marks an important step forward for Russia to finally become a party to the protocol, and also brought hope for the protocol to finally take effect. China welcomes this move. The Kyoto Protocol is an important document for implementing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It is the legal basis for the international community to take concrete measures to cope with climate change and should come into force at an early date. We hope countries that have not approved the Kyoto Protocol can ratify the document as soon as possible in order to put into concrete actions the measures, with which the international community plans to address climate change.
Climate change is a challenge that the human race has to face for a long term. To address the issue needs sustained efforts of all the people worldwide. We are willing to work with the international community to continue supporting the Kyoto Protocol, and probe into various ways that are suitable to the national conditions of different countries and can bring their initiative into full play.
Q: Salvador , which has "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan has expressed the wish to develop political, economic and trade relations with China. What comment do you have on this? Besides, what's China's comment on the case of political contributions involving Taiwan and the former president of Costa Rica?
A: China's foreign policy is consistent. We are willing to develop friendly relations with all foreign countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. As to Salvador and other countries that have not set up diplomatic relations with China, we will develop relationship with them following the above-mentioned principles and spirit.
The attempt of the Taiwan authorities to promote "One China, One Taiwan" is unpopular in the world. There is only one China in the world. Both Taiwan and the mainland are parts of one China. China's sovereignty and territorial integrity brook no division. Any parties who attempt to split the country, with money or whatever other means, will not succeed.
Q: On October 25, more than ten North Koreans were arrested by Chinese police outside the consulate of the Republic of Korea. On October 26, a further 60-plus people were arrested. Could you please tell us where are they at present? How will the Chinese side deal with them? My second question is that the Republic of Korea, the United States and Russia have reached consensus on the holding of the next round of Six-party Talks. What's China's comment? Will the next round of Six-party Talks be held within this year or before the end of November?
A: Several cases of unidentified people attempting to break into foreign schools or missions happened one after another in Beijing recently. Such a break-in took place on October 25. On October 26, Chinese police arrested 62 trespassers and two foreign "snake-heads" in the outskirts of Beijing. Any country in the world will punish the snakeheads who organize illegal intrusions into foreign schools or diplomatic missions. I want to reiterate that China will punish the organizers, or so-called snake-heads, in accordance with the Chinese law. As to the trespassers, we will properly treat them based on international and domestic laws and humanitarian principles.
As to when the next round of Six-party Talks will be held, China believes that keeping on the talks and solving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula through peaceful dialogue accords with the common interest of various countries and can help safeguard the peace and stability of this region and the world. China has made continuous efforts to hold the next round of talks at an early date. It needs all sides involved to adopt flexible attitudes and show political sincerity in order to break up the current deadlock as soon as possible and push forward the course of peace talks.
Q: Would you please tell us when President Hu Jintao will visit Brazil? What are the main topics of the visit? Will the recognition of China's market economy status be included on the agenda?
A: President Hu Jintao will attend the 12th APEC Informal Leadership Meeting held in Chile between November 20 and 21. Before and after the summit, he will pay official visits to several countries of Latin America. We are carefully preparing for the coming visits with the related countries. The final schedule has not been decided yet. I will release the related schedules and details in a several days time. But now, it's hard for me to give you any detailed information.
I want to say that China and Brazil have friendly relationship and the bilateral ties have made great progress in recent years. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva just visited China in May and the visit yielded fruitful achievements. During his visit, not only were the political relations of the two countries strengthened, but also the two sides signed a series of agreements on the co-operation in fields of economy, trade, science and technology. The relationship of the two countries made fresh progress after this visit. We hope that the strategic partnership of the two countries will be further strengthened through our joint efforts.
Q: U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell used the words of an eventual peaceful reunification expected by different parties on the issue of relations between the mainland and Taiwan when receiving an interview of overseas media in Beijing. Does China regard Powell's words as the formal stance of the US government? If yes, what's China's comment on the fact that Powell used "peaceful resolution" instead of "peaceful reunification" after he went back to the United States? Did China and the United State discuss the wording of "peaceful resolution" or "peaceful reunification" when having talks on the Taiwan issue? Have the two countries reached a consensus on this?
A: As to the statement Powell made when receiving an interview of overseas media in Beijing, I hope that you could go to ask the United States. Powell has made clear the US stance of developing Sino-US relations when meeting and talking with Chinese leaders. The media have made a lot of reports on this and I don't want to repeat it here.
I think this visit by Powell to China is very meaningful. Through the visit, both China and the United States have taken another step further in promoting bilateral relations. During the talks and meetings, China has expressed its principal position on the Taiwan issue. Properly handling the Taiwan issue is critical in safeguarding the smooth development of Sino-US relations. Chinese leaders have expressed on many occasions to the US side that China hopes the United States can continuously stand by the one-China policy as it committed, observe the three Sino-US joint communiqués and oppose Taiwan's independence. The United States should not send any wrong signals to the Taiwan splittists and should take concrete actions to push forward the Sino-US relations.
Q: The United States Embassy in China will organize an activity about American presidential election on the morning of next Wednesday. It is said that Chinese officials, experts and university students will be invited. Will you attend it? And who will be sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to attend it? Does China think that the result of the election is very important? What is China's official policy on the election result?
A: For your first question, I think you need to ask the US Embassy. I do not know the activity and have not received any invitation either.
The American presidential election is the internal affair of the United States and I have no comment on this issue. I only want to stress that China pays much attention to developing its relationship with the United States. China and the United States are two major powers with global influence and both are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. To maintain and develop the constructive co-operative relationship between the two nations is very important for the whole Asia and the world at large.
Q: It is said that Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan will visit Germany and Spain in November. Can you confirm this news? If it is true, what is the aim of this visit?
A: I have not got any official information about this visit up to now. The latest news shows that China is consulting on the arrangement of the visit with Germany and Spain now. The visit is carried out against the background of strengthening the friendly and co-operative relationship between China and the two countries.
Q: Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei told Chinese media yesterday that China hopes to open the new round of Six-party Talks by the end of November. But you mentioned earlier that China hopes the talks will be held as soon as possible. The Vice-Minister also said the talks can be carried out either in formal or informal forms or in the form of working group meeting. Would you please tell us China's stance again?
A: China's stance is that we hope the next round of Six-Party Talks could be held as soon as possible. But the holding of the new round of talks needs the joint efforts of all parties involved. I have mentioned that China has consulted with the sides concerned all along. Officials at various levels with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been contacting the related countries on different occasions and making efforts to push forward and keep on the course of peaceful talks.
China takes flexible attitudes on whether to hold a formal fourth round of talks or to hold a work group meeting first of all. We hope China could continuously push forward the course of peaceful talks and maintain the momentum of the Six-party Talks. I think it is crucial to solve the nuclear issue in the Korean Peninsula.
Q: Would you please explain again that whether the new round of the Six-party Talks can be carried out before the end of November?
A: China hopes that the next round of Six-party Talks be held at an early date. As long as the condition is mature and all the parties concerned share the desire, holding the talks at an early date will help to maintain the momentum of the Six-party Talks.
Thank you.
