On December 2, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman held a regular press conference.

Zhang: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to begin with two statements.

According to the annual China-EU summit mechanism, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will attend the Seventh China-EU Summit in Hague,Netherlands. At the summit, Premier Wen will meet with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, whose country is chairing the EU, President of EU Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, and Javier Solana, Secretary General of the EU Council and High Representative of EU for the Common Foreign and Security Policy. In addition, at the invitation of Dutch Prime Minister Balkenende, Premier Wen will pay an official visit to Netherlands.

At the invitation of Afghan Government, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Li Hui will attend the Inauguration of Afghan President Hamid Karzai on December 7th as the special envoy of the Chinese Government. The Chinese side attaches great importance to China-Afghanistan relations. We hope that under the leadership of President Hamid Karzai, Afghan people will smoothly accomplish the historic mission of national reconstruction.

Now I'm ready to take up your questions.

Q: The US Government decided to impose sanctions on four Chinese companies, accusing them of selling Iran military equipment related to weapons of mass destruction. What comment do you want to make on the US sanctions? Do you believe these companies did sell the alleged equipment?

A: I wish to brief you on China's position on this question. China adamantly opposes the proliferation of WMDs and their delivery vehicles. In recent years, we have set up a complete system of laws and regulations on non-proliferation export control. We have also taken positive measures to strengthen our law enforcement. If the illegal export conduct of any Chinese company or individual is proven by conclusive evidence, the Chinese Government will mete out penalty in accordance with law.

Q: Premier Wen Jiabao is going to visit Netherlands and Federal Chancellor Schroeder to visit China soon. What do you expect of Mr. Schroeder's visit on the issue of lifting the arms embargo? The Dutch Foreign Minister has given some positive signs. Does China welcome those signs?

A: Federal Chancellor Schroeder will start his working visit to China from next week. During his visit, he will meet and hold talks with Chinese leaders and the two sides will exchange views on how to further enhance China-Germany relations and China-EU relations and other issues of common interest. Currently, China and Germany are on the whole enjoying a sound momentum in the development of their relations in various fields, with close high-level exchanges and increasingly stronger political mutual trust. In particular, Premier Wen Jiabao paid a successful visit to Germany in the past May, during which the two sides set forth the framework for the further development of our bilateral relations and reached important consensus on many questions. We are convinced that Chancellor Schroeder's working visit to China will help our relations further deepen in all fields.

Certainly, in their meetings and talks, the two sides will exchange views on some issues in China-EU relations, including, I think, our requirement for the EU side to lift its arms embargo against China at an early date. We believe it's high time the issue should be resolved. Most EU countries do not wish to see the issue standing in our way,in discord with China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership. Its early solution will promote the further development of China-EU relations and our cooperation in various fields on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.

Q: Recently, the high-level panel on UN reform submitted a report, proposing two schemes for the reform of the Security Council. Which one does China favor? Does China support Germany's new permanent membership in the Security Council?

A: On November 30, the High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change appointed by Secretary General Kofi Annan issued a report titled A More Secure World, Our Shared Responsibility. As a result of long meditation and discussion, the report puts forward 101 reform proposals to tackle the security threats and challenges facing the international community.

China has consistently stand for strengthening and giving a full play to the UN's role, so as to properly handle threats and challenges of all kinds in today's world. We welcome the High Level Panel to raise proposals on how to enhance the international collective security mechanism with the UN at its core. We also hope all parties make full exchanges of views on the report.

China has all along supported the UN reform and a broader representation at the Security Council, in particular the representation of developing countries. With many differences in existence, the enlargement of the Security Council bears on the interests of all parties concerned. Any reform scheme shall be subject to democratic consultation among the UN members, which, in turn, should strive for broad consensus.

Regarding the role of Germany, China holds that Germany is a European country of major influence, and we wish to see a more active role of Germany in the current international affairs.

Q: China's human rights issue is the main reason why EU hasn't lifted its arms embargo on China. Will this issue be touched upon at the China-EU summit? If China thinks EU should lift arms embargo on China, how will China convince EU?

A: According to the annual China-EU Summit mechanism, the seventh China-EU Summit will be held in Hague, Netherlands, which is holding the EU rotating chair. Premier Wen Jiabao will attend the summit with EU leaders. The two sides attach great importance to this meeting. They will jointly explore how to further deepen China-EU relations and exchange views on other issues of common interest.

The lifting of EU arms embargo on China is an issue both sides have attached great importance to. I think the Chinese side will further elaborate on its position on this issue. The arms embargo is a leftover from the Cold War, and incompatible with development of China-EU relations. It should be lifted as soon as possible.

China firmly opposes to linking the embargo removal to the human rights issue. The great progress China has achieved in human rights over these years is for all to see. There are regular human rights dialogues between China and EU. There have been 18 human rights dialogues between the two sides. It is very natural for China and EU to have different opinions on the human rights issue. But we should discuss the issue within framework of human rights dialogues on the basis of equality and mutual respect. It is completely unreasonable to linking embargo removal on the human rights issue. We hope the EU countries can proceed from the overall interest of China-EU relations and make an early and right decision, so as to contribute more to the sound development of China-EU relations.

Q: Recently Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo met with US Deputy Secretary of State Armitage in the US. Have the two sides reached a consensus on resumption of the Six-Party Talks?

A: Deputy Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo is visiting the US as a special envoy of the Chinese government. He has met with US Deputy Secretary of State Armitage, Dr. Rice and other American political figures. In their meetings and talks, the two sides exchanged views on China-US relations at the next stage and other regional and international issues of common interest, including how to promote the solution of nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

We think that the Six-Party Talks is the most realistic and feasible mechanism to resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. All parties concerned should make active efforts on this issue. For a long time, the Chinese side has always been maintaining contact, coordination and consultation with all parties concerned. We hope to hold the next round of Six-Party Talks at an early date and all parties concerned to display sincerity and flexibility, so as to move forward the process of talks.

Q: It is reported that the top DPRK military official Jo Myong-Rok arrived in Beijing Monday and is now undergoing treatment for kidney disease in Beijing. Could you confirm and introduce his conditions? As for the American sanctions against the four Chinese companies, has China conducted investigation on the relevant companies? Will China make some political or economic concessions for the lifting of EU arms embargo on China?

A: For your first question, I don't know whether it is a true story.

Regarding the US citing their domestic law to impose sanctions against Chinese companies, I elaborated on China's position just now. The Chinese government firmly opposes to proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related delivery vehicles. We have strictly fulfilled our international commitments and obligations and actively joined in international cooperation on non-proliferation. In recent years, the Chinese Government has been constantly strengthening legislation on non-proliferation based on the principle of rule of law and has enacted and implemented quite a number of laws and regulations, which form a complete legal system of export control. The Chinese Government attaches great importance to the law enforcement and has consistently adopted effective measures to ensure the implementation of these laws and regulations in real earnest. If there is any tenable evidence to prove illegal export conduct of any Chinese companies or individuals, the Chinese government will mete out penalty according to law.

Meanwhile, we firmly oppose any country to impose sanctions on Chinese companies with their domestic law. We hope the US can bear in mind our international cooperation on non-proliferation and other fields and not resort to arbitrary sanctions on Chinese companies.

The lifting of EU arms embargo is a serious political issue. It is high time for the EU to make an early and correct decision. China has a very clear position on this issue. We think the issue is a leftover from the Cold War, which is incompatible with the development of China-EU relations and detrimental to deeper and comprehensive development of our bilateral relations. It is time for EU to make a political decision rather than China to make any concessions or compromise.

Q: What's China's position on Japan's new permanent membership in the UN Security Council? It is reported that China blocked the access of Chinese internet users to Google's English and German websites. Could you confirm and explain China's criteria to block foreign news websites?

A: Regarding further expansion and reform of Security Council, the High-level Panel has just submitted a report at the request of US Secretary Annan. The report has not been formally handed out to all member states. Secretary Annan will soon take the report over to member states for full discussion. China will study the report carefully and fully exchange views with all other member states.

As for your second question, I have no clue on the question. China's internet has registered rapid progress in recent years. In the past few years, the internet users have amounted to over 80 million. This huge figure can fully display Chinese government's active and open attitude towards the use of internet.

Q: Could you offer the detailed agenda of Venezuelan President's visit to China?

A: China has sound relations with Venezuela. In recent years our bilateral relations have developed very fast. As for the high-level visit you mentioned, it is still under consultations. I haven't got detailed agenda to offer.

Thank you!