On the afternoon of June 15, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Jiang Yu held the regular press conference
Jiang: Good afternoon everyone, I shall begin with an announcement.
At the invitation of President Hu Jintao, President Abdoulaye Wade of the Republic of Senegal will pay a state visit to China from June 21st to 26th, 2006.
With that, I am happy to take your questions.
Q: The SCO summit just concluded, what has been achieved? Any agreements signed? How do you assess the meeting?
A: I believe many friends saw the live this morning, when the summit marking the 5th anniversary was held in Shanghai – the birth place of the organization. Leaders of the SCO members and observers, President of Afghanistan and representatives of several international organizations attend the summit.
The meeting reviewed the achievements of the organization in the past five years and designed the blueprint for its future development. President Hu delivered an important speech, giving high credit to the significant role of the organization in enhancing good-neighbourly relations and friendship among members, safeguarding regional peace and stability and promoting regional economic development. He proposed to strengthen strategic coordination; consolidate good-neighbourly friendship; deepen all-round development driven by practical cooperation; expand civilization exchanges, reinforce social basis and uphold opening-up cooperation with a view to safeguarding world peace.
Leaders of the six member states also signed a declaration on the SCO's fifth anniversary, a statement on international information security and several important documents, adopted a series of resolutions aimed at enhancing internal organization, and issued a joint communiqué. Relevant authorities signed documents on security, trade and educational cooperation.
During the summit, an entrepreneurs' committee was officially launched. The mechanism will help to improve direct exchanges among entrepreneurs of member states and reinforce regional economic cooperation.
Thanks to the concerted efforts of all the parties, the summit concludes with complete success, reaching its goal of enhancing mutual confidence, promoting unity and intensifying cooperation.
Q: President Ahmadinejad said today that Iran would like to coordinate with the SCO to prevent outside forces from intervening in Central Asia. He did not specify any country though it is quite clear he was referring to the US. Do you have any comment?
A: We have always held that state-to-state relations should be dealt with on the basis of the five principles of peaceful coexistence and the spirit of the UN Charter. We endorse SCO's "Shanghai Spirit" – mutual trust and benefit, equality, coordination, respect for diversified civilizations and common development. The SCO is a non-aligned organization which does not stage confrontation or target at any third party or country. The past five years has witnessed the significant contribution of the SCO in maintaining world and regional peace and stability, pressing ahead with democratic international relations and promoting harmony in the region and the world at large. Iran is a sovereign country. The remarks of President Ahmadinejad during the meeting represent the position of Iran.
Q: In their addresses this morning, India and Pakistan expressed their willingness to be a full member of the SCO. Is the SCO ready to take them on board?
A: With respect to membership and observers' status, there are still no legal documents for that within the framework, hence no legal basis. The next task for the organization is to formulate relevant legal documents to lay a legal foundation. There are currently four observers of the SCO, namely India, Pakistan, Iran and Mongolia. Members are having vigorous discussions on how to let observers better participate in pragmatic cooperation within the framework of the organization.
Q: President Ahmadinejad invited leaders of SCO members to attend a meeting hosted by Iran. Is China willing to take part in meetings held by Iran? With respect to the report issued by Amnesty International last week, why China refuses to release information of its weapon export? Why does China refuse to register with the UN its statistics of conventional weapons transfer in the past eight years?
A: Heads of SCO member states and observers as well as guests addressed the meeting this morning, raising some proposals. SCO members will study them. The SCO has an important principle, which is, any issue within the framework of the organization will be determined on the basis of negotiated unanimity.
UN Register of Conventional Arms is an authoritative and transparent mechanism on conventional weapons transfer within the UN framework, through which information of weapons export and import among members are registered. China attaches importance to it and adopts an active and constructive attitude in registering with the mechanism. However, a handful of countries register their arms sale to China's Taiwan Province, violating the purposes and principle of the mechanism. Therefore, China decides to suspend registration. Our position is clear on this matter. So long as those countries stop registering its weapon export to Taiwan, China will resume participating in the Register.
Q: What's China's assessment on the current Sino-Japanese relations?
A: The Chinese Government has always attached great importance to Sino-Japanese relations. President Hu Jintao has repeatedly stressed that China and Japan should be committed to peaceful coexistence, long-term friendship for generations to come, mutual-beneficial cooperation and common development. We hope that the Japanese leader could make correct decisions, overcome the current political obstacles in the bilateral relations, so that the bilateral relations could return to a track of healthy development at an early date.
Q: Japan interpreted what President Hu Jintao said during his meeting with the new Japanese Ambassador to China as that Chinese leaders might visit Japan if Prime Minister Koizumi expresses explicitly that he will stop visiting the Yasukuni Shrine. What's your comment on that?
A: The Chinese Government has always been dedicated to improving and developing the Sino-Japanese relations in the spirit of "taking history as a mirror and facing towards the future". We hope that Japan could correctly understand the sincerity displayed and efforts made by China to improve bilateral relations, so as to eradicate the political obstacles in the bilateral relations at an early date, and get the bilateral relations out of the current impasse with concrete moves.
Q: Certain officials were investigated because of corruption. What's your comment on that? The U.S. Department of Treasury sanctioned 4 Chinese companies, claiming that they were involved in helping Iran to make weapons of mass destruction and missiles. What's China's comment on that?
A: The Chinese Government is determined in its resolve to fight corruption. China signed the UN Anti-Corruption Convention in 2003, which was ratifies by the National People's Congress in last October. China will earnestly implement the obligations stipulated in the Convention, so that the Convention could play an effective role in China's fight against corruption.
As to your second question, the Chinese government firmly opposes the proliferation of WMD and does not allow any corporate or individual to engage in or support proliferation activities. The above stance is determined and clear. The Chinese government will handle seriously any activities in violation of China's non-proliferation policies and export control regulations.
The U.S. government failed to provide any convincing evidence and applied its own domestic laws in imposing sanctions of assets freeze on China Great Wall Industry Corporation and three other Chinese firms. That was groundless and extremely irresponsible. China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition.
China and the U.S. have common interest in non-proliferation and have conducted fruitful cooperation. The above-mentioned move by the U.S. has seriously undermined Sino-U.S. cooperation in this regard and is not conducive to the development of bilateral ties. We urge the U.S. to alter its above decision and completely abandon the erroneous practice of inflicting sanction and pressure.
The Chinese Government will implement its non-proliferation policies, regulations and its international commitment as always, and stand ready to continue to conduct international non-proliferation exchanges and cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
Q: Officials from Panama are advocating the expansion project of the Panama Canal around the world. China has yet to establish diplomatic relations with Panama. It is said that these officials will visit China. Could you tell us when they will come?
A: I do not have information in this regard. I will check it for you. China attaches importance to the development of relations with countries which are yet to have diplomatic relations with China, including Panama. The Taiwan question was the sole obstacle in the development of the normal relations between these countries and China. Since China and Panama opened trade representative office in each other's land in 1996, the exchanges have been frequent, with mutual understanding growing and economic and trade cooperation enlarging continuously. I would like to reiterate that the Chinese Government is willing to establish and develop normal relations with Panama on the basis of Five Principal of Peaceful Coexistence.
Q: Is there any agreement to be signed during Premier Wen's tour to Angola?
A: Premier Wen Jiabao will pay an official visit to seven countries in Africa from June 17th to 24th, including Egypt, Ghana, the Republic of Congo, Angola, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. Cooperation agreements in the fields such as justice, health, commerce and trade will be signed during his visit to Angola. These agreements are still under consultation.
Q: Premier Wen has a tight agenda, seven countries in a week. When will the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation be held? Has Egyptian President Mubarak confirmed that he will come? China-Angola oil cooperation agreement arouses concern among the member states of Pairs Club, which always criticizes Angola's lack of transparency in revenue. What's China's position?
A: This is Premier Wen's second tour to Africa, which is oriented towards the whole African continent. He will meet with leaders of the seven nations and extensively exchange ideas with the leadership there on bilateral relations, China-Africa relations and regional and international issues of common interest in the spirit of promoting friendship, expanding mutual trust, mutual beneficial cooperation and common development. Earlier this year, the Chinese Government issued China's African Policy. In April, President Hu paid a successful visit to 3 African countries. This is China's another major move toward Africa with a view to further consolidating and developing traditional China-Africa friendship, expanding mutually-beneficial cooperation, establishing and developing new China-Africa strategic partnership.
On China-Angola oil cooperation. China has imported some oil from foreign countries to meet domestic demand in recent years. As far as I know, a large majority of Angolan oil China imports is purchased from the international market. As to the specific volume, you can find it from the statistics of China's General Customs.
It's the 50th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa. China –Africa relations have stood the test of ever-changing international situation. Both China and Africa nations are developing countries and have extensive consensus and common interest in many aspects as well as willingness to intensify our cooperation. We hope to establish new strategic partnership featuring political equality and mutually trust, economical cooperation of mutual-benefit as well as cultural exchanges and emulation. China and Africa reached consensus on holding the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the 3rd Ministerial Meeting in Beijing this November. President Hu has sent invitations to relevant countries and received warm response from African nations. The Forum will be a major event for leaders of China and Africa to make joint efforts to review friendship, consult cooperation, seek common development and work together for the future.
Q: Some western nations criticize Angola's lack of transparency and ignorance of human rights. But China attaches no strings in developing economic and trade cooperation with Angola. What's China's position?
A: China and Africa sympathize and support each other, and conduct friendly cooperation. The economic and trade cooperation between us is conducted in the spirit of mutual benefit and common development. The cooperation has vigorously promoted Africa's economic and social development, bringing benefit to both peoples. I want to point out that President Hu raised 5 proposals in the UN 60th anniversary summit to help the developing countries. The proposals are mainly oriented towards African countries. China has all along been committed to helping Africa to realize peace and stability. Since 1990, China has participated in 12 UN peace-keeping missions in Africa. On the UN reform, we attach importance to the issue of development. On the UN Security Council reform, China suggests to increase the representation of developing countries, especially African nations.
The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation has evolved into a platform for collective dialogue and pragmatic cooperation between China and Africa in recent year. China has reduced or written off debt of 31 African countries, and granted duty-free special treatment to 190 products from 29 least-developed African nations. These measures vigorously promoted African's economic development. China's assistance to Africa within its capacity attaches no political strings.
If there are no further questions, thank you for your presence. Bye!