Q: Yesterday marked the tenth anniversay of the Gulf War. What is your comment on this? How do you view the war ten years ago?

A: It has been ten years since the Gulf War erupted. As it is known to all, China has always stood for consultation and negotiation to solve peacefully international disputes and been opposed to wanton use of force or threat of force because it will only make questions more complicated. In consideration of this, China abstained ten years ago from voting the UN Resolution 678 which had the implication of using force. For the past ten years, great changes have taken place in the Gulf region and in the world at large. But regrettably, questions left over from the Gulf War including the removal of sanction on Iraq have far from being solved. Regional situation has been constantly bogged down to turmoil and instability. China has always maintained that questions left over from the War should be solved fairly and rationally on the basis of the relevant UN resolution and urged parties concerned to, proceeding from safeguarding lasting peace, stability and development in the Gulf region, exhibit good political will and adopt flexible and pragmatic attitude so as to create favorable conditions for the early settlement of the questions left over from the Gulf War. We sincerely hope that, with the joint efforts of the international community, the region can realize last peace and security at an early date. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China will continue to make its own unremitting efforts towards it.