China on Thursday requested the Spanish government to
investigate the cause of the fire set to a Chinese warehouse in
Spain and severely punish those responsible.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said at a routine news
briefing in Beijing that China has asked the Spanish government to
safeguard Chinese citizens' personal and property security in
Spain.
"Assistant Foreign Minister Shen Guofang has met with the
Spanish ambassador to China. China's ambassador to Spain also met
officials with the Spanish Foreign Ministry, expressing China's
strong concern," Kong said.
Shen Guofang on Thursday called in the Spanish ambassador to
China, and urged the Spanish government to take concrete measures
to fully investigate the case immediately and punish those
involved.
Shen also requested compensation for the losses of Chinese
businessmen and action to guarantee the safety and property of
Chinese people living in Spain.
Ambassador Jose Pedro Sebastian de Erice condemned the violence
and said the Spanish government has promised to "protect the
integrity of (Chinese nationals) and avoid a repetition of such
acts."?
On September 16, around 500 people demonstrated in the Carrus
industrial zone in Spain's city of Elche chanting "Chinese out" and
set fire to the warehouse of a Chinese shoe shop and a container
causing losses of 800,000 euros (US$984,000).
Officials from the Chinese Embassy in Spain traveled to Elche
the next day to negotiate with local authorities and urged them to
take effective measures to protect the legal rights of Chinese
businessmen.
Chinese Ambassador to Spain Qiu Xiaoqi said the Elche incident
is the first serious case of violence against Chinese businessmen
in Spain, adding that the embassy has strongly condemned the
acts.
Chinese circles were in uproar after the incident and some
businessmen have shown concern for their future in Spain.
An official with the Chinese Embassy surnamed Lin told China
Daily yesterday that the situation has calmed since early
yesterday morning and most of the shops have resumed business.
"Most Chinese businessmen have calmed down," Lin said, adding
that most Spanish people are friendly towards Chinese.
Ten suspects were arrested on September 16 and another five were
arrested yesterday by local police with investigations continuing,
said Lin.
Lin said it is still too early to say whether there are "deeper
motivations behind the case."
Local residents said that before the violence some anonymous
leaflets protesting cheap shoes from Asia were circulated in the
zone. Some leaflets even encouraged arson.
Local officials said the protests were organized by a "small,
non-representative group" acting without authorization.
Elche, located in the southeast of the country, is the capital
of Spain's footwear industry. In the past two years, the number of
Chinese shoe shops in Elche has grown to over 60. Chinese shoe
shops in Spain cater to a wide range of styles from children to
ladies and gents.
"Good quality and reasonable prices have made Chinese shoes very
popular here in recent years and it is also why Chinese shoe shops
boomed so rapidly in Spain," Lin said.
Also at yesterday's briefing,?Kong Quan said China
has long strongly opposed US arms sales to Taiwan, which violate
the three Sino-US joint communiqués and the one-China policy
promised by the US.
In addition, Kong denounced the US's unilateral decision to
punish a Chinese company that it accuses of proliferating
technologies of weapons of mass destruction.
"China has a firm stance and effective measures against
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their carriers,
and is able to take immediate action when such things happen. China
completely disagrees with the US action against Chinese companies
and entities based on its domestic laws," the spokesman said.
Kong said this is not good for Sino-US cooperation in the field.
China demands the US withdraw its wrong decisions.
In response to a reporter's question, Kong said China hopes the
Russian government will urge oil giant Yukos to complete its
cooperation project with China.
Kong said Yukos has signed a contract to supply crude oil to
China and he hopes that contract will be fulfilled.
Yukos says it will partly suspend its crude oil supply to
China.
Kong believes Premier Wen Jiabao and Russian Prime Minister
Mikhail Fradkov will discuss energy cooperation during their
meeting in Russia this week.
In another development, Kong said the UN should decide on the
new permanent members of the Security Council only after full
discussion.
Japan, Germany, Brazil and India have so far expressed the hope
to be admitted as permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Kong said opinion is divided on the new permanent members of the
council.
Kong said China understands the aspiration of all countries
taking an active part in world affairs.
Kong Quan announced Premier Wen Jiabao will pay an official
visit to Vietnam and attend the fifth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)
summit in Hanoi from Oct. 6 to 9 at the invitation of Vietnamese
Prime Minister Phan Van Khai; and French President Jacques Chirac
will pay a state visit to China and attend the opening ceremony of
the French Culture Year from Oct. 8 to 12 at the invitation of
Chinese President Hu Jintao.
Kong also confirmed that Chinese Finance Minister Jin Renqing
and Governor of the People's Bank of China Zhou Xiaochun will
attend a special meeting with the Group of Seven (G7)
industrialized countries on Oct. 1.
He said to keep contact with G7 is in the interest of both sides
as well as the world peace and stability. China is willing to
participate in such meetings.
G7 was launched in 1975 with five members -- the United States,
Japan, Britain, Germany and France -- in response to the world
oil-price shock. Italy and Canada joined later.
(Xinhua News Agency, China Daily,
CRI.com?September 24, 2004)