On the afternoon of June 20, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Jiang Yu held the regular press conference.
Jiang: Good afternoon everyone, I shall begin with an announcement.
At the invitation of Premier Wen Jiabao, Prime Minister Hon. John Howard of the Commonwealth of Australia will pay a working visit to China from June 27th to 29th. During the visit, the two Prime Ministers will meet in Shenzhen, and attend the opening ceremony of a liquefied natural gas project in Guangdong.
With that, I am happy to take your questions.
Q: The DPRK is planning to launch long-range missiles in recent future. What's your comment on that? The U.S. Secretary of State Rice said that it would be a serious matter and a provocative action if DPRK tests missiles. Do you agree?
A: China noted relevant reports. I'm not aware of any specific details. Under the current circumstances, we hope that parties concerned can do more to ease the situation and promote regional peace and stability.
Follow-up: Does China agree with what US Secretary of State Rice has said?
A: China has always been dedicated to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. A peaceful and stable Peninsula and Northeast Asia at large serves the common interest of parties concerned. China is willing to work with all parties to achieve the goal.
Q: Will the tension between the U.S., Japan and the DPRK affect the Six Party Talks?
A: The Six-Party Talks encountered some difficulties at present. We hope that parties concerned could adopt a pragmatic and flexible attitude, pace towards each other, do more to promote mutual trust, so as to resume the Six-Party Talks at an early date and make progress out of it.
Q: The African Union Summit will be held in July. Will China participate in the summit? Premier Wen Jiabao is now visiting Africa. Can you assess the China-Africa relations?
A: The African Union is the most representative regional organization for Africa. It has played an important role in safeguarding peace and stability as well as promoting the development and cooperation in Africa. China has all along maintained sound cooperation with the AU and its predecessor-the Organization of African Unity, and has provided support and assistance for its mechanism building and relevant actions. In order to strengthen the friendly cooperation with AU, China accredited its representative to AU in March 2005.
In recent years, China has always accepted the invitation to attend the AU summits. At the invitation of the AU again, a Chinese Government delegation will attend the seventh African Union summit scheduled for early July as an observer,.
Premier Wen Jiabao is now visiting Africa. This is a visit oriented towards the entire continent. This year marks the 50th anniversary for the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and African countries. Politically, China and Africa respect and support each other. Economically, we have mutually beneficial cooperation and common development. Culturally, we accommodate and live in harmony with each other. Internationally, we support and cooperate with each other closely. The friendly cooperation between the two has weathered 5 decades' maneuvers of the international situation, becoming a model for South-South cooperation. We hope that the visit will further consolidate and develop our traditional friendship, expand our mutually-beneficial cooperation and establish and develop a new strategic partnership.
Q: Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in Angola today. Will he discuss energy cooperation with Angola? Are there any energy agreements to be signed? Did Premier Wen sign energy cooperation agreements with Congo during his visit there? The Deputy Secretary of State Zoellick just resigned. Some say that he is the one most familiar with China affairs in the Bush Administration. Will his resignation affect the Sino-U.S. relations?
A: Premier Wen Jiabao will visit Angola on the 20th and 21st. During his visit there, several cooperation agreements will be signed, involving justice, health, economy, trade, and other fields.
You mentioned energy cooperation just now. We seek to establish mutually-beneficial and win-win economic and trade relations with countries around the world in an open and cooperative attitude. Energy cooperation is part of our economic and trade cooperation with foreign countries. Such cooperation abides by the principle of mutual benefit, follows international rules, and maintains the order in the international energy market.
As the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Mr. Zoellick attached great importance to the development of Sino-U.S. relationship and made positive efforts to promote mutual understanding and trust between the two countries. China appreciates his role and efforts. We hope and believe that he will continue to play an active role in his new post to push forward the bilateral relations and mutually-beneficial cooperation between the two countries.
Last year, China and the U.S. officially launched Strategic Dialogues mechanism, holding two rounds of fruitful dialogues. China hopes to carry forward the strategic dialogue with the successor of Mr. Zoellick, so as to promote the development of the constructive relations and cooperation between the two countries.
Q: Can you confirm that Vatican officials held talks with China in Beijing recently? China and India have just opened a border trade pass. Can Indian pilgrims visit holy sites in Tibet via this pass?
A: I have not heard of the news. The Chinese Government has always been sincere in improving China-Vatican relations. We are ready to conduct constructive dialogues with Vatican on the basis of the two fundamental principles.
In 2003, Chinese and Indian governments signed the Memory of Understanding on the Expansion of Border Trade, agreeing to open border markets through Nathula Pass. Recently, a delegation from the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry visited China's Tibet Autonomous Region and discussed the specifics with relevant authorities of China. Accordingly, border trade through the Nathula Pass will be opened on July 6. We believe that it will further promote the economic and trade cooperation and the development of the bilateral relations.
Q: Please brief us on the progress of the agreement to be signed between China and Saudi Arabia on the establishment of oil strategic reserves.
A: China attaches importance to international energy cooperation. We have always conducted our international energy cooperation based on the principle of equality and mutual benefit, so as to compliment each other with our own advantages and promote common development. Saudi Arabia is rich in energy resources; China also has its unique advantages in the field of energy, making each other highly complimentary in this field. Enhancing oil cooperation serves the interest of the two. Both will deepen cooperation in energy, expand crude oil trade and explore cooperation in oil reserve facilities, refinery and petrol-chemistry and marketing. With regard to oil reserves, like other countries, China will gradually establish and improve its oil reserve mechanism to cope with breaking events in the world and to prevent oil shortage.
Q: China observed US military exercises. What would that mean to Sino-U.S. relations?
A: Accepting the invitation, China has sent officials to Guam to observe the U.S. military exercise. China has all along adopted a positive attitude towards the development of bilateral military relations. We hope to promote understanding, build mutual trust, develop friendship and press ahead with cooperation through the exchanges.
Q: What's China's position on the Indian candidate to be the next UN Secretary-General?
A: The election of the next UN Secretary-General is of significance. Relevant parties should have full consultation and deliberation. For 34 years, there hasn't been an Asian UN Secretary-General. We firmly support an Asia candidate to be the next Secretary-General, which is also the consensus among Asian nations. We are confident that Asia can recommend a candidate who is reputable, competent and can be accepted extensively by the international community.
Q: The rest four countries in the Six-Party Talks expressed their serious concern over North Korea's missile test. What about China?
A: China has always been making endeavor to resume the Six-Party Talks, to promote relevant parties to narrow their differences and build up consensus. China has been maintaining contact and consultation with relevant parties, making positive endeavor to resume the Talks. We hope relevant parties can proceed from the overall interest, overcome the current obstacles and adopt a flexible and pragmatic attitude so as to properly settle relevant questions. Parties need to do more for the relaxation of the situation and promote regional peace and stability.
Q: The G8 Summit will be held in St. Petersburg. Will Chinese leaders participate in the meeting? Does China plan to become a member of the G8, turning it to G9?
A: At the invitation of Russian President Putin, President Hu is going to attend the dialogue between G8 and developing countries in July. Their discussions will mainly focus on energy security, infectious disease prevention, education and Africa's development. China hopes to see further international cooperation through the meeting in light of the principle of "equality, mutual benefit, setting aside differences and seeking common ground, as well as having pragmatic, positive, and win-win cooperation".
As an important coordination mechanism for developed nations, G8 has played a very important role in international political and economic affairs. Both China and G8 countries are important members in the international community. China is a developing nation, holding that developed and developing nations should become equal and cooperative partners to achieve mutually beneficial and win-win result, and make joint efforts to meet global challenges. For that purpose, China participates in relevant G8 activities in light of this principle. In recent years, the contact between China and G8 has enhanced. We are willing to strengthen our dialogue and cooperation, which serves the interest of both, and benefits world peace, stability and development.
Q: Some searching engine failed to function since yesterday afternoon. Why?
A: I'm not aware of the specific information you mentioned. You should consult relevant ISPs. The Chinese Government adopts a positive attitude towards internet development. We are committed to creating sound environment for the development of internet. In the meantime, as many other countries in the world, China administrates the internet in accordance with law to protect public interest. This is rational and reasonable.
Q: China and Afghanistan signed an agreement. Please brief us the details.
A: Afghan's President Karzai is visiting China. He met with President Hu yesterday and signed China-Afghanistan good-neighborly and friendly cooperation agreement. They confirm that they will realize the agreement in real earnest, to enrich and develop bilateral comprehensive and cooperative partnership. They also propose to strengthen anti-terror, anti-narcotics cooperation and other in non-traditional security field. China respects Afghanistan people's choice of their social system and development road. We support the Afghanistan Government's endeavor to safeguard national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. We support and will participate in the process of Afghanistan reconstruction.
Q: It's International Refugee's Day today. What relevant activities will be held in China?
A: China acceded to the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its protocol in 1982, participating actively in international refugee cooperation. China maintains good cooperation with UN Refugee Committee in the settlement of Indo-China refugees. International community should provide effective protection and humanitarian assistance to refugees in light of the principle of international unity and responsibility sharing. To address the refugees question completely, it is imperative to safeguard international peace and stability as well as to promote common development. Only by so doing, can we eliminate the source of the problem.
If there are no other questions, thank you for presence. Bye!