On 4 November Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue held a regular press conference.
Zhang Qiyue started by announcing three pieces of news:
Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo will visit Republic of Korea from 9 to 12, November and Japan from 12 to 16, November. During the visit, he will exchange views with officials from the two countries on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.
At the invitation of Vice Premier Huang Ju, Mr.John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will pay an official visit to China from 10 to 14 ,November.
At the invitation of Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, Mr.Jean Ping, Minister of State, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Francophone of Gabon will pay an official visit to China from 10 to 15, November.
Q: What is the impact of the incident concerning the Yukos Oil in Russia on the project of building a pipeline between China's Daqing and Russia's Angarsk? What is the progress of this pipeline? What is the recent attitude of the Russian government towards China on this project? Second question, as China is planning to build a hydropower station on the Yaluzangbu River, have you considered the need of India and Bangladesh on the use of water resources?
A: The recent incident in Russia concerning the Yukos Oil is Russia's internal affair and we believe that the Russia government will be able to handle it properly and that it will not have any impact on Sino-Russian relations.
As to the pipeline between China and Russia, this is a project that has been committed publicly by the two governments on many occasions and one of the key projects in the energy, economic and technological cooperation between the two countries in the future. The two sides have set in the regular meeting between China's Premier and Russia's Prime Minister this year that they would, according to the principles established in the joint statement signed between the two heads of states of the two countries, continue to implement relevant cooperation projects. And the pipeline is included.
Not long ago, relevant Russian officials expressed that the Russian side was wiling to further expand its energy cooperation with China and implement the commitment of building a pipeline between China and Russia. We welcomed it. The Chinese side is willing to cooperate actively with the Russian side and implement at an early date the consensus and relevant agreements between the two sides on this project.
As to the hydropower station, I, as the spokeswoman of the Foreign Ministry, am not aware of the development projects in various regions in China and I don't know whether it will be built. I can enquire for you.
China is sincere in developing relations with its neighbours and it has expressed its aspiration of seeking common development and win-win through cooperation with the rest of Asia in a series of regional conferences. China will stick to the principle of being kind to its neighbours and treating its neighbours as partners. China's Asia policy is to achieve peace, development, cooperation and prosperity with all the other countries in Asia.
Q: The EU issued a survey yesterday listing Israel as the No. 1 rogue state and the US the fifth or the sixth. How do you view it?
A: I have not read the survey you mentioned.
China's position on the Middle East question is clear-cut. We are very concerned with the constant aggravation of the situation between Palestine and Israel. It was out of this concern and out of the hope of promoting the Middle East peace process that China sent its special envoy on the question to the relevant countries in the region. Special Envoy Wang Shijie has just concluded his third trip to the region. His trip has played an important role and he has worked on the relevant sides on stopping violence and conflict and early resumption of peace talks.
I would like to take the chance to tell you that Special Envoy Wang Shijie has agreed to meet you at 9 am Thursday morning in the IPC since many correspondents have hoped to be briefed on his trip. You are welcome for it.
Q: China has successfully launched the Shengzhou 5 and the Shengzhou 6 is to follow suit. It is said that since China is able to launch the Shengzhou 5, why it still needs assistance from other countries. How do you view it?
A: China has successfully launched the Shengzhou 5 not long ago, signifying that China's manned space flight has made great progress. The launching is not only the pride of the Chinese nation but also represents major progress of the whole mankind in exploration and peaceful use of the outer space. This is not just good for China but also important for the whole world and the entire human being in their further peaceful use of the outer space.
China is a developing country and this is not contradictory with its development of high-tech. Any developing country needs to work hard to develop its own economy and constantly enhance its scientific and technological level. But this will not change its nature as developing country. China, with its 1.3 billion population, is still poor in basis and unbalanced in development. Its priority now is to build a well-off society in a comprehensive way so that the Chinese people can live a better life. China is still a developing country and this remains unchanged.
Q: President Musharraf of Pakistan is visiting China these days and can you comment on his current trip in China in promoting Sino-Pakistani relations? What are the key areas of cooperation between the two countries in the future years?
A: President Musharraf is now paying a state visit to China. The visit is of important significance. Since the two countries established relations 52 years ago, they have always treated each other in sincerity and established an all-weather and all-directional relationship of friendship and cooperation featuring high-degree of trust and mutual support. The two countries have conducted extensive and in-depth cooperation in various fields.
The significance of the visit in promoting the bilateral cooperation is that it further sets the goals for the future. President Hu Jintao made it clear in his talks with President Musharraf that there are four key aspects of future cooperation: the first is to keep high-level exchange of visits and enhance the friendly exchanges between the government departments and social sectors including the young people of the two countries; secondly, to further enhance the economic and trade relations between the two sides, implement preferential trade arrangements and encourage enterprises of the two countries to further explore new ways of cooperation; thirdly, to further deepen the cooperation between the two sides in non-traditional security fields including jointly fight against drug trafficking, trans-boundary crime and the "three forces" that have affected peace and tranquility in the region; fourthly, to keep coordination and cooperation on regional and international affairs.
The visit is a very important one that has summarized the past and ushered the future. We believe that through this visit, the traditional friendship between China and Pakistan will be further consolidated and the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides will develop in depth.
Q: Yesterday, China and Pakistan signed a treaty on extradition. Could you please give some details? Has the treaty touched upon such questions as anti-terrorism and splittism? It is reported that China and Pakistan would sign an agreement on nuclear power plant. However, it seems that the agreement has not been signed. Why?
A: During the visit to China by President Musharraf this time, the two sides signed a total of eight documents, which will effectively push forward the bilateral ties. The joint statement, the most important one of the eight documents, set forth the direction for the future development of the bilateral cooperation. Another one is a treaty on extradition. The two sides will further strengthen their cooperation in the field of non-traditional security issues, such as combating drug trafficking, transnational crime, terrorism, national splittism and religious extremism. China and Pakistan have maintained sound cooperation in this field. The two will carry on the cooperation.
On the cooperation on the construction of nuclear power plants, China and Pakistan had some consultations on the matter and reached a common understanding.
Q: On the visit by President Musharraf, has China asked Pakistan to declare that nuclear cooperation will be only for power generation instead of military purposes? Secondly, what is China's comment on the visit to Japan by the Dalai Lama?
A: China and Pakistan had some consultations on the construction of a nuclear power plant. Such cooperation is purely for peaceful purposes.
I have already made a statement on the visit to Japan by the Dalai Lama. The position of China on the issue is clear-cut. We hold that Dalai is not purely a religious figure. He traveled to some countries for the purpose of splitting the motherland and undermining national unity. We call on the relevant countries to earnestly deal with the matter.
Q: Could you please brief us on the details of Chairman Wu Bangguo's visit to the DPRK? In particular, what progress has been made in pushing forward the six-party talks? Secondly, what is China's comment on the meeting in Panama between Chen Shui-bian and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell?
A: On the first question, I have nothing new to add. You must have read in the press that a few days ago, Chairman Wu Bangguo led the state delegation of China for the visit to the DPRK. The visit went very smoothly. It has played a very important role in the promotion of bilateral relations. It has demonstrated the political will of the new leadership of China in the promotion of friendship between the two. China and the DPRK have agreed to push ahead mutually-beneficial cooperation in the economic and trade field. In addition, the two sides had an in-depth discussion on the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsular. China holds that it is beneficial to solve the question through dialogue. The process should be carried on. The DPRK side agrees in principle to go ahead with the six-party talks. China also will work actively for the early convocation of the talks. China supports the reasonable position of the DPRK.
What is urgent at the moment is for the parties to work to narrow their differences and expand their common points by adopting a positive and pragmatic attitude, so that favourable conditions could be put in place for the next round of the six-party talks.
I have read the reports on the meeting between Secretary Powell and Chen Shui-bian. Our position is clear-cut. We are resolutely opposed to any form of official contact between the U.S. and Taiwan.
Q: During his visit to Japan, will Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo touch upon the six-party talks? Secondly, is it likely that the talks will be held in December?
A: Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo will visit ROK and Japan from 9 November. During the tour, he will touch upon China's relations with the ROK AND Japan. Besides, he will surely have an exchange of views on other questions of common interest. Before the start of the visit, I have nothing more to offer. On the timing for the next round of the six-party talks, I can understand your interest. At the moment, the parties all have the will for the next round of talks. It is very important. We are willing to make our efforts for the early convocation of the new round of talks. In the process, we are ready to work with the other parties.
Q: First question on the arrest in Yantan this May of a ROK citizen due to his assistance to trespassers from the DPRK. What is the health condition of the ROK citizen at the moment? Any news on prosecutions against him? Has he been expelled? Secondly, the United States, ROK, Japan and the EU are considering whether to suspend the construction of the light-water reactor in the DPRK. What is your response?
A: China has pursued a clear-cut policy on the trespassers and the organizers. We have dealt with the issue according to the relevant international and domestic laws. On the person you have mentioned, I have not got any information on him. You could make inquiries with the relevant departments.
On the second question, we have read the relevant report. It is China's hope that the relevant sides do more things contributing to the dialogue process. Favorable conditions and necessary atmosphere could be created for the early resumption of the six-party talks. One should not do anything to the contrary.
