US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, also the top
US delegate to the six-party talks on the Korean nuclear issue,
will visit China next week as part of a renewed push to revive the
stalled negotiations, the Foreign Ministry said yesterday.
Hill is scheduled to visit Beijing next Wednesday and Thursday
for talks with Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei before flying to
Seoul, the ministry's spokesman Liu Jianchao told a regular news
briefing in Beijing.
Hill's visit comes on the heels of a New York Times
report that Washington was considering a new approach to Pyongyang
that would involve beginning negotiations on a peace treaty at the
same time as the six-party talks.
Liu said the negotiations are presently facing difficulties and
require the relevant sides to adopt a flexible attitude and push
for the early resumption of discussions in order to make continuous
progress.
He said that China would "welcome the two sides (the US and
North Korea) to take practical measures to narrow their differences
and reach a consensus," pushing forward the goal of a nuclear-free
Korean Peninsula and lasting peace in Northeast Asia.
The six-party talks, involving China, the US, Russia, Japan,
North and South Korea, are at an impasse. The last round of talks
ended last September on a less-than-positive note.
North Korea accused the US of imposing economic sanctions
against it and set the lifting of such sanctions as a precondition
for resuming the talks.
In another development, Liu deflected concerns over reports of
Beijing's purchase of US military equipment, saying the allegation
of spying is "totally fictitious."
He said China has a set of strict examination and supervision
procedures for military trading and enterprises tasked with
importing military equipment for the Chinese military would never
make a purchase without "legal and effective" documents from
suppliers.
The retort was in response to the case of a man from Taiwan who
worked as a sales representative for the Pentagon's biggest
supplier and who pleaded guilty on Wednesday to plotting to ship
advanced US weapons to China, including parts for US fighter
jets.
"The so-called allegations that China is conducting intelligence
collection of military science and technology in the US are purely
fictitious," Liu said.
It is reported that the Taiwan man also pleaded guilty in a US
federal court to being a covert agent for China.
Turning to Sino-Japanese relations, Liu said both sides have
gained a further understanding of each other's position, which is
conducive for the narrowing of differences, although there was no
breakthrough in the fifth round of talks on the East China Sea
issue held in Tokyo yesterday.
He said China is willing to continue sincere talks with Japan on
this issue in a responsible and active manner.
In response to a question concerning China's preparations for
emergency cases such as the recent unrest in the Solomon Islands,
Liu said China will strengthen consular protection of its overseas
organizations and citizens.
In other announcements, Liu told reporters the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO) will hold its summit meeting on June
15 in Shanghai, and heads of state of the six SCO member countries
will attend.
The member countries have agreed to invite those with observer
status as well as those countries and international organizations
that have established cooperative relations with the SCO, he
said.
In 2004 and 2005, the SCO accepted Mongolia, Iran, Indonesia and
India as observers.
The organization has also set up official links with many
international organizations, including the UN and the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Answering a question about whether Iran will attend the meeting,
Liu said that that was Iran's decision.
According to Liu, the summit will review and sum up the
achievements and experiences of the organization since it was
established five years ago.
The meeting will also decide the organization's development
orientation and measures to be adopted in future, Liu said.
Established in 2001, the SCO now groups China, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Liu also voiced his hope that China's efforts to combat SARS
would be appreciated fairly and objectively by various parties
including the World Health Organization (WHO).
He said the Chinese government and people have demonstrated
their resolve, solidarity and strong sense of responsibility in
fighting the disease in 2003.
The Chinese government not only successfully eliminated SARS
within China's territory and safeguarded the life and health of its
people, but forged a good exchange of experience and cooperation
mechanism with other countries and international organizations such
as the WHO.
Liu said East Timor President Xanana Gusmao will visit China
from May 29 to June 3 at the invitation of President Hu Jintao.
(Xinhua News Agency, China Daily May 19, 2006)