Foreign Ministry Spokesman Liu Jianchao held a regular press conference on the afternoon of 18th December, 2003.

Liu Jianchao: Good afternoon.  I'm happy to take your questions.

 

Q: There was a SARS case found in Taiwan yesterday.  What's your position on Taiwan's participation in WHO activities and its WHO membership under this circumstance?

A: The SARS case in Taiwan you just mentioned is said to be affecting a doctor.  We are following this case closely and hope he will recover as soon as possible.

With regard to Taiwan's WHO membership, we believe that WHO is a specialized UN agency whose membership requires sovereignty.  Taiwan is part of China and the Taiwan authorities are entitled neither to join this organization nor to become a WHA observer.  At present Taiwan has unimpeded access to WHO information. The Chinese Government attaches importance to the health and welfare of Taiwan compatriots and has been working to promote cross-Straits health exchange and cooperation, such as the cross-Straits cooperation during the SARS outbreak this year.

 

Q: It is said that the Chinese Foreign Ministry has recently appointed an ambassador responsible for the Korean nuclear question.  Could you confirm this, and also who is appointed to this post?

A: In order to better play the role of mediator for the six-party talks, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has recently appointed an ambassador responsible for affairs related to the Korean nuclear question.  His name is Ning Fukui.  He is very familiar with Korean Peninsular affairs as he had been Deputy Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs in charge of North-Eastern Asian affairs from July 1995 to April 2000, before which he served as Deputy Director and Director responsible for Korean Peninsular affairs.  From 1997 to 1999 he participated in the four-party talks for the Korean Peninsular question as vice head of the Chinese delegation.  He has been the Chinese Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia before the present appointment.

 

Q: What's your comment on the European Parliament's rejection to France's proposition for lifting the EU arms embargo against China?

A: We believe that the EU arms embargo against China is not in line with the sound momentum of the development of China-EU relations.  We hope that the EU could take measures as soon as possible to lift the embargo.

 

Q: What will Ambassador Ning Fukui be working on after his appointment? How often will he go to DPRK and other relevant countries? What are your goals for appointing an ambassador responsible for the Korean nuclear question?

A: As Ambassador responsible for the Korean nuclear question, he will widely contact and consult relevant parties on the nuclear question in the Korean Peninsular while playing the role as a coordinator.  His specific agenda is to be determined by the specific needs of the circumstances.

 

If there are no further questions, I have an announcement to make.  In view of the upcoming Christmas and the following New Year's Day, the press conferences on 25^th and 30^th of December will be cancelled and we will resume on Tuesday, 6^th January.  During this period, the Spokesperson's office will still be open to public enquiries.  In two weeks' time, this year will come to an end.  Hereby, on behalf of Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, other leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, my two colleagues, Mr. Kong Quan and Ms Zhang Qiyue and all members of the Information Department, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  We wish you all the best in your work, good health and happiness.  Thank you.

 

After the press conference, Mr. Liu Jianchao was asked about China's leasing of Russian ports.  Liu stated that China's Jilin provincial government and relevant companies discussed with their Russian counterparts on several occasions on the use of Zarubino port for goods import and exports.  No agreement has been reached at present.

Cooperation between Chinese and Russian enterprises in Russian far-eastern ports will boost the transportation and processing industries in China's Tumen River region and Russia's far-east region and promote local economic development.  Relevant authorities of both China and Russia endorse their enterprises in cooperating in this area.  (the end)