On 21 October Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue held a regular press conference.
Zhang started by announcing several pieces of news:
At the invitation of Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy, the EU presidency, and Romano Prodi, President of the EU Commission will be in Beijing on October 3thto attend the Sixth China-EU Leaders' Meeting.
At the invitation of Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will pay an official visit to China from October 31stto November 1st.
The second annual conference of the Bo'ao Forum for Asia will be held at Bo'ao, Hainan Province from November 2ndto 3rd. The theme of the meeting is "Asia searching for win-win: Development through cooperation". Up to the moment, as confirmed by the Secretariat of the Forum, the following foreign state leaders will attend the meeting, President Musharraf of Pakistan, President Niyazov of Turkmenistan, President Rakhmnonov of Tajikistan, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong of Singapore, Deputy Executive Prime Minister Thong Loun Sisoulith of the Laos, Vice Prime Minister Vu Khoan of Vietnam, Vice Prime Minister Otorbaev of Tajikistan and Vice Prime Minister Kim Jungpyo of the Republic of Korea. Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa of the Hongkong SAR and Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah of the Macao SAR will also attend the meeting. Premier Wen Jiabao will be invited to attend the meeting and deliver a key-note speech, "To realize win-win by seizing opportunity and meeting challenges."
Q: Congratulations first to you and all the Chinese on the successful launching of the Shengzhou 5. Russia has asked to be an observer of the Islamic Conference since there are over 20 million Muslims in Russia. What about China since you also have a large Muslim population?
A: I have taken note that the Islamic Conference convened an important meeting several days ago in Malaysia. On this conference, the Islamic countries exchanged views and held in-depth discussion on the current international situation, especially the conflicts between Israel and Palestine and the Iraqi situation, and reached much consensus. The convocation of the meeting would further strengthen the solidarity among Islamic countries and seek consensus on major international issues. China has kept contact with the Conference and attached great importance to a series of meetings it convened.
Q: Recently there have been a number of US officials coming to China, e.g. Governor of Washington, Governor of Nevada and US Health Secretary Thompson. What is your comment on the frequent US visits to China?
A: I think you may have read relevant reports that President Hu Jintao held a good meeting with President Bush during APEC. President Hu said that China-US relations have kept a good momentum of developmentand he hoped that the two sides would approach and handle bilateral relations from a strategic height so as to promote the further development of the constructive partnership between the two countries. Indeed there have been many US figures coming to visit China, e.g. Mayor Brown of San Francisco is visiting China from 15 to 26 October; Former Secretary of States Christopher came to Beijing at the invitation of the People's Institute of Foreign Affairs; and US Health Secretary Thompson also visited China whereas he conducted working meeting with China's Ministry of Public Health and reached consensus on strengthening cooperation in some fields. These frequent exchange and cooperation have indicated from another aspect the good momentum of development between China and the US.China is willing to continue to make efforts and promote the smooth development of the constructive partnership between China and the US.
Q: Spokesperson of the US State Department expressed on 18 that it supported free election in Taiwan and the one-China policy. What is your comment?
A: I have taken note of his remarks. The US side has reaffirmed on many occasions that it would continue to adhere to the one-China policy, follow the three Sino-US Communiqués and oppose to Taiwan's independence. Not only he often reaffirmed this, President Bush also did so during his meeting with President Hu. We think that the US side should honor in real earnest its commitments, handle properly the Taiwan question so as to safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and the common interest of the two countries. The Taiwan question is the core question that bears on whether the China-US relations can develop smoothly and the US side should handle it seriously.
Q: What was President Hu's proposals during the China-US summit on 19 to solve DPRK's security concern?
A: They talked about the Korean nuclear question during the summit and both sides stressed that the Beijing six-party talks are conducive to the peaceful settlement of the question and should be adhered to. We have introduced China's positions on many occasions. I have said many times that China adheres to the maintenance of peace and stability, and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and hold at the same times that reasonable security concern of the DPRK should be solved.
Q: A US under secretary said that it would control the end-use of high-tech export to China so as to prevent the transfer to other countries or use in military fields. What is your comment?
A: I am not so clear about the context of his remarks. The US has always adopted a strict high-tech export restriction to China. We hope the US would relax the restriction.
As to China's export control, the Chinese side has always approached this question seriously. Recently it has issued and implemented a series of export control regulations and further strengthened efforts in this regard. In this regard, we have conducted cooperation with some countries including the US and the US is clear about the position and measures that China has taken in this regard.
Q: Israel launched attacks against Gaza once again causing 15 deaths and over 80 injuries. Will it affect Special Envoy Wang Shijie's visit to the Middle East? What specific measures will he propose to stop the aggravation of the situation in the region?
A: The situation in the Middle East has been tense recently and there is the danger of further aggravation. The Chinese side is seriously concerned and worried. We strongly urge relevant sides to proceed from the overall situation, exercise restraint, stop violence, resume the implementation at an early date the Roadmap and launch peace talks at various fronts.To continue to promote peace and relax tension in the region, China's Middle East Special Envoy left on 17 for the region. He met with Syrian Premier and foreign minister and held talks with vice foreign minister yesterday. China is willing to work continuously with the international community to bring the situation back onto a correct track. He will visit Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Palestine and Lebanon and find solution together with these countries. Though China has no specific plan now, it hopes to work with the international community to promote the realization of a just and lasting peace in the region.
Q: Pope John Paul celebrated his 25 anniversary last week. Many countries including Cuba invited him to visit during the past 25 years. Why not China?
Q: China adopts a positive attitude towards improving relations with the Vatican but two principles must be adhered to at the same time: Vatican must sever its so-called diplomatic relations with Taiwan, acknowledge that the government of the PRC is sole legal government representing China; it should not interfere in China's internal affairs including through religious affairs.
Q: China and Brazil have successfully launched their second resource satellite. What is your comment on this?
A: The second earth resource satellite, co-developed by China and Brazil, was successfully launched today, representing another important progress in high-tech cooperation between the two countries. President Hu and his Brazilian counterpart have exchanged letters of congratulation. The earth resource satellite project between China and Brazil is regarded as a good example of South-South cooperation by the leaders of the two countries. Thanks to the support of the two governments, the cooperation has yielded new result today and we are happy with it. The result has enriched the content of Sino-Brazilian strategic partnership and will further promote mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. The two countries will co-develop their third and fourth satellites in the future. We believe that the cooperation between the two countries in the space field will not only benefit the two people but conduce to world development and prosperity as well.
Q: Congratulations again on the successful launching of the Shengzhou 5. It makes China one of the three countries to have mastered the high-tech in this field whereas China still says that it is a developing country. Is this contradictory?Will this affect international aid to China?
A: I don't think the two are contradictory. Any developing country needs to develop its own high-tech and achieve technological progress. At the same time, breakthrough in one field does not mean that it is no longer a developing country. China is still a developing country and it is concentrating on building a well-off society for its people.China still has a lot to do and still has to make great efforts in order to achieve this goal.
Q: This morning a Japanese woman who had fled from the DPRK entered into the Japanese consulate-general in Shenyang. Do you have more details and what is your comment?
A: We have just been informed by the Japanese side that a Japanese was smuggled into China and had entered into the Japanese consulate-general. The Chinese side will handle it properly according to domestic law, international law and humanitarian principle.
Q: Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi is now visiting Pakistan. Can you introduce the significance of his visit?
A: At the invitation of Pakistani Foreign Secretary Khokhar, Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi went to Pakistan from 19 to 21 October for the annual diplomatic consultation. During the visit, he met with President Musharraf, Prime Minister Jamali and Foreign Minister Kasuri. He also had consultation with Foreign Secretary Khokhar and exchanged views on bilateral relations and issues of common interest. I have said just now that President Musharraf will come to China very soon for the Bo'ao Forum for Asia and then pay a visit to China. Wang Yi's visit was also a part of the preparation work for his visit.
Q: The DPRK launched a land-land missile and how do you view it in the context of six-party talks? The US government said that it was willing to sign a written agreement to solve DPRK's security concern. What is your comment?
A:As to you first question, we have taken note of relevant report. We hope that all the parties will keep calm and exercise restraint and continue to make positive efforts for the peaceful settlement of the Korean nuclear question through dialog.
As to how to solve DPRK's reasonable security concern, it needs all the parties to further explore and discuss in the framework of the six-party talks.
After the press conference, the Spokeswoman was asked about the coming meeting of special representatives of both China and India on border issue. Zhang said: During the visit to China by Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee, both sides agreed to appoint special representatives on border issue. Their first meeting will be held on 23 October in New Deli. The Chinese special representative was Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo and the Indian side Mishra, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister and National Security Advisor. The Chinese side hopes that the two special representatives will, according to the consensus reached by the two leaders and from the political angle of the overall situation of bilateral relations, explore the principled framework of solving the border issue.
