Recently, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang answered journalists' questions via telephone on China-EU relations, US-India civil nuclear agreement and Jordanian Foreign Minister's visit to China.

Q: Recently, the Council of European Union (EU) foreign ministers adopted a conclusion document on its comprehensive strategic partnership with China. What comment does China have?

A: On December 12th , the Council of EU foreign ministers adopted a conclusion document on China-EU comprehensive and strategic partnership. The conclusion welcomes the new policy paper on China issued by the European Commission a few days ago and stresses that the EU will continue to be strongly committed to the muturing of EU's comprehensive strategic partnership with China. The document reiterates one-China policy and expresses the willingness to work on lifting the arms embargo against China. China welcomes the positive factors in the conslusion document of the EU council and the policy paper of EU. We are ready to join hands with the EU to bear in mind the overall interests of China-EU relations and take a constructive attitude to push forward the constant development of China-EU conprehensive and strategic partnership.

Q: It is reported that the US congress adopted the bill on the civil nuclear agreement between the US and India last week. US President will sign the bill soon. What comment does China have?

A: As for the nuclear cooperation between the US and India, we always maintain that the cooperation of all countries on the peaceful use of nuclear energy should be conducive to safeguarding the priniple and effectiveness of international non-proliferation mechanism.

Q: Jordanian Foreign Minister Khatib will visit China in the coming days, when the two sides will establish a group for strategic dialogues between China and Jordan. Can you introduce the objective of his trip and the strategic dialogue group?

A: Foreign Minister Khatib's upcoming visit is aimed at exchanging views with China over bilateral relations and issues of common interest. He and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing will jointly sign the Memorandum of Understanding on Establishing China-Jordan Strategic Dialogue Group.

The group is aimed at raising the level of friendly relations and cooperation between the two sides in a comprehensive way, communicating on issues of common interest, instructing bilateral exchanges and cooperation in all fields and enhancing mutual understanding and coordinatin on international issues.

China and Jordan are both developing countries with a long-term friendship between the peoples. Over the past 29 years since the establishment of diplomatic relationship, the two countries have witnessed smooth development of friendly relations and cooperation in all fields, including constant political mutual visits, and increasingly higher level and larger scale of economic and trade cooperation. China attaches great importance to the traditional and friendly relations with Jordan. It is in the fundamental interests of both peoples to further enhance bilateral mutually-beneficial cooperation.