Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui attended the inauguration of Afghan President Hamid Karzai as the government's special envoy, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhang Qiyue in Beijing Tuesday at a regular press conference.
Zhang said Li met with the former Afghan king, Mohammad Zahir Shah, Vice President Abdul Karim Khalili and Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah of the interim government in Kabul on Monday.
She added that China supports Afghanistan's peace process and reconstruction, and that she believes the country will ultimately fulfill lasting peace and economic development through joint efforts.
Turning to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Zhang said no timetable has been made so far for the next round of six-party talks, but all relevant parties are working hard on consultation and coordination.
The talks have been stalled since June and the scheduled fourth round failed to be held in September.
Joseph DeTrani, US special envoy for the Korean nuclear issue, is visiting China, Zhang said. He met with Zhou Wenzhong, vice foreign minister, Cui Tiankai, director-general of the Foreign Ministry's Department of Asian Affairs and Ning Fukui, ambassador for Korean Peninsula affairs.
Zhang called on all parties concerned to continue their efforts with sincerity and flexibility so as to resume the six-party talks as soon as possible. The talks involve south and north Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the United States.
Zhang said China hopes the European Union (EU) will lift its arms embargo in the interest of better relations. She said China does not intend to buy weapons from the EU, but believes the ban is a form of political discrimination against China.
She said the embargo should not be linked to human rights issues, which should be solved through dialogue. Premier Wen Jiabao will discuss the ban at the Seventh China-EU Leaders' Meeting in The Hague.
Turning to the UN, Zhang said that China supports its reform, and backs the organization in playing an important role in maintaining world peace and promoting development.
She added that China hopes UN members can discuss the report of a high-level panel, which offered 101 recommendations on ways of reforming the world body, over a long period.
Moving on to Taiwan, Zhang said China welcomes the attitude the US government has adopted on the issue.
Responding to Taiwan leader Chen Shuibian's plan to replace "China" with "Taiwan" in the names of its enterprises and missions abroad if his party wins the weekend's legislative election, a US State Department deputy spokesman said: "These changes of terminology for government-controlled enterprises or economic and cultural offices abroad, in our view, would appear to unilaterally change Taiwan's status and for that reason we're not supportive of them."
Zhang pointed out that Chen Shui-bian's separatist attempt is the root of cross-Straits tensions.
Zhang also announced that Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will pay an official visit to China from December 14 to 18 at the invitation of Premier Wen Jiabao, and State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan will pay an official visit to Kyrgyzstan from December 9 to 10.
She also announced that Jose Ramos-Horta, East Timor's minister of state and minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, will visit China from December 13 to 15 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing. During his visit, he will preside over the inauguration ceremony of his country's embassy in Beijing.
(Xinhua News Agency, CRI.com December 8, 2004)
