China and Japan should resolve the dispute over Diaoyu Islands
through negotiation and consultation, Foreign Ministry spokesman
Kong Quan said at Tuesday's regular press
conference.??
It is reported that Japanese Defense Agency drafted a proposal
to prevent possible maritime attacks on the disputed "southwestern
islands," including Diaoyu Islands.
Commenting on this development, Kong said that Diaoyu Islands
and neighboring islands have been China's territories since ancient
time, though Japan holds a different view.
China has always maintained that the dispute should be addressed
by negotiation and consultation, Kong said. "No unilateral action
should be taken."
Kong told the press conference that the United States clearly
denied that it had invited Taiwan's "envoy delegation" to President
George W. Bush's forthcoming inauguration.
According to the reports of Taiwan media, the Taiwan authorities
would assign an envoy delegation to Bush's inauguration on January
20. The delegation was said to be headed by Lee Yuan-tseh and
include several political figures.
Kong said China had expressed concerns over this to the US and
was clearly told that the US did not invite or recognize the
so-called "envoy delegation" sent by the Taiwan authorities.
As a representative of the Chinese government, Chinese
Ambassador to the US Yang Jiechi will attend Bush's second-term
inauguration.
Commenting on US Congressman Curt Weldon's recent visit to China
and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kong said the
US and the DPRK should continue all kinds of contact and exchanges
with goodwill and flexibility to convene the next round of
six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue as early as
possible.
Weldon headed a six-member US congressional delegation to visit
Pyongyang from January 11-14. After that, his delegation came to
China at the invitation of the Chinese People's Institute of
Foreign Affairs.
Cheng Siwei, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the
National People's Congress (NPC),
conferred with Weldon on "overall Sino-US relations, exchanges
between the two legislatures as well as other issues of common
concern, including the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue," Kong
said.
Weldon's visit to DPRK is "conducive to mutual understanding
between the DPRK and the US, and created a relatively good
atmosphere for the early convening of the next round of six-party
talks," Kong said.
"China will continue to make efforts in this regard as before,"
he said.
Kong said Sino-Vietnamese relations have advanced substantially
over the past 55 years.
Since China and Vietnam established diplomatic relations in
1950, the leaderships of the two countries have kept close contact,
while understanding and trust between the two peoples have steadily
improved, he said.
In recent years, the two countries' leaderships have mapped out
a guideline for securing long-term stability, looking to the
future, boosting neighborly friendship and exploring all-around
collaboration, he said, adding that historical problems such as
border disputes are thus being solved in an active manner.
Kong said a further strengthened relationship is in the
interests of both countries and good for cooperation and
development of the region. "China attaches great importance to the
progress of Sino-Vietnamese ties and is willing to boost it to
higher level through common efforts."
In another issue, Kong said China stands firmly against
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).?
"In recent years, China has passed a series of laws regarding
nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their carriers, and
has strictly implemented these laws," he said.
He also denounced the US punishment of some Chinese companies
who cannot be proved to have been involved with WMD
proliferation.
Kong announced that Mauritian Prime Minister Paul Raymond
Berenger will pay an official visit to China from January 23 to 29
as guest of Premier Wen
Jiabao.
(Xinhua News Agency, CRI.com January 19, 2005)