China and India have agreed to hold the seventh round of border
talks in New Delhi in late February.
The Foreign
Ministry announced this after visiting Indian Foreign Secretary
Shyam Saran met with Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Dai
Bingguo for the two-day second-round strategic talks in
Beijing, which concluded yesterday.
The ministry's spokesperson Kong Quan said at yesterday's
regular press conference that the talks between the two sides
concern international and regional issues, including the situation
in South Asia and bilateral ties.
Bilateral relationship "benefits the people of both countries,
and is conducive to peace and stability in Asia, and will also play
a positive role in South-South cooperation," he said.
Kong also announced India's Oil Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar will
pay a three-day visit to Beijing starting today.
Invited by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Aiyar is scheduled to hold
talks with officials from the commission and energy enterprises in
order to reinforce energy ties.
Ahead of his trip, Aiyar told local press that at least five
agreements will be signed with seven more likely to be finalized
during his visit.
Kong was also asked to comment on the foreign media report
concerning the proposed visit by North Korean leader Kim
Jong-il.
Kong said that he had "no specific information" about the
trip.
"Of course Kim plans to visit China," he said. "But as for the
exact time of the visit, I will release the information when I am
authorized."
Kong said the US sanctions against North Korea had introduced
"complicated factors" to the six-party talks on the Korean
Peninsular nuclear issue.
"My view is that we are facing a difficult situation now but all
parties should make efforts so as to resume the next round of talks
as soon as possible," he said.
Kong said China was staying in touch with all the parties
concerned, with its chief negotiator Wu
Dawei, also vice foreign minister, having recently met his
Japanese and South Korean counterparts.
The US Embassy in Beijing also confirmed that US chief
negotiator Christopher Hill would visit China on Thursday,
following visits to Tokyo and Seoul, to discuss the fate of the
nuclear talks.
The six parties concluded the first phase of their fifth-round
talks in Beijing in November.
Turning to
Sino-Japanese ties, Kong said the two sides have agreed in
principle to hold the next round of consultations on the East China
Sea issue at an early date.
The agreement came after informal talks on Monday between Cui
Tiankai, head of the Foreign Ministry's Asian Affairs Department
and Kenichiro Sasae, head of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asia
and Oceania Affairs Bureau.
According to Kong, both sides frankly exchanged views on
relevant issues, agreed to have further discussions on joint
exploration and took a constructive attitude toward the work
concerned.
China has long advocated setting aside differences and
conducting joint exploration in the East China Sea, but has failed
to get positive responses from Japan, he said.
"China would like to work with Japan to push forward the joint
exploration in the East China Sea through consultation," he
said.
Kong also hoped the Japanese media would play a positive role in
enhancing mutual understanding between the general public of the
two countries.
He said Japan's resident media in Beijing have done a lot in
terms of comprehensive reporting of developments here, and
confirmed the media's coverage of China's positive attitude toward
the development of friendly and cooperative relations between the
two countries.
But he pointed out that some Japanese media are keen on playing
up the friction and problems emerging from recent kinks in
bilateral ties.
Turning to the Iranian nuclear issue, Kong said the "best
solution" currently is through talks between Iran and the three EU
nations -- the UK, France and Germany.
The talks have been stalled after Iran recently announced its
resumption of uranium-enrichment activities.
China hopes the talks can resume and make progress, Kong said,
adding that China has maintained close contact with the various
parties concerned to push forward the talks.
China has always advocated settling the Iranian nuclear issue
within the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA), he acknowledged.
Kong also announced that Foreign Minister Li
Zhaoxing will visit Nigeria from January 16-17 to upgrade
political and economic ties with the African nation.
Li will sign a memorandum of understanding on the
China-Nigeria Strategic Partnership and an economic and
technical agreement, Kong said.
"These agreements are very important because China-Nigeria
relations are developing steadily and bilateral economic and trade
cooperation is expanding," he said.
"The signing of the agreements will further promote and
accelerate the development of bilateral relations," he said.
Li will also visit Cape Verde, Senegal, Mali, Liberia and Libya
from January 11-19.
(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2006)