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China spares no effort to seek a peaceful solution of the Iraq
issue and see no necessity for another UN Security resolution on
Iraq, and the country would like to see a nuclear-free Korea
peninsula.
These remarks constitute a gist of statements Foreign Minister Tang
Jiaxuan made in response to questions by Chinese and foreign
reporters at a press conference at the First session of the 10th
National People's Congress (NPC) held at the Great Hall of People
Thursday afternoon.
China unswervingly adheres to the independent foreign policy of
peace, Tang said. The mission of China's diplomatic work is to
"safeguard world peace and promote common development."
The major theme of the present era is peace and development, he
noted. In this aspect, China, like many other countries, faces both
important opportunities and stark challenges. Tang said China would
continue to develop normal relations with other countries on the
basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.
China's foreign policy features consistency and stability which
will remain unchanged, he said.
On
the Iraq issue, Tang said: "We are still working hard for a
political solution and to try to avoid war... At this moment, it is
absolutely unnecessary to put aside Resolution 1441 and introduce a
new resolution."
He
said weapons inspection by UN personnel in Iraq "should be
strengthened."
"We have to continue the inspection until we get to the bottom of
this," Tang said. "War does not serve the interest of any country
in the world," adding that War in the Gulf would produce a
"catastrophic humanitarian disaster".
Tang would leave for New York to attend conference of the UN
Security Council on Iraqi issue. He told the press, "This is my
third visit to the UN within a month on the same issue."
In
response to a reporter's question concerning the veto power at the
UN Security Council Meeting, Tang said, "I think it is too early
for you to raise this question. There is still a possibility for a
political solution."
China will take its own decision in accordance with its independent
foreign policy of peace, he added.
When asked whether China backed a joint statement by France,
Germany and Russia issued on Wednesday, the foreign minister said
China's position on Iraq is consistent with their joint statement,
noting that every effort has to be made to avoid war.
"China endorses and supports the contents of the joint statement,"
he said.
Meanwhile, China has no secret deals with the three nations on the
Iraq issue, although their stance on the Iraq issue is consistent,
Tang said, China nevertheless often exchanges views with the three
countries.
As
a permanent member of the UN Security Council, he said, China will
continue to try its best to seek a political solution on Iraq.
The issue of Iraq is at a critical juncture of military action and
a political solution, he reaffirmed. "China's position on this
issue is known to all, we hope that a political solution can be
found within the framework of UN Resolution 1441."
Moreover, he said, "Diplomacy at the Security Council is still
going on, we are not yet at the end of road to a political
resolution. There is still a possibility of political and
diplomatic resolution."
The tasks spelled out by the UN Security Resolution 1441 have not
been fully accomplished, especially the tasks for weapons
inspection, and efforts should be continued to strengthen weapons
inspection, seek a political solution and avert a war.
As
a result, he added, China considers it unnecessary to put aside
Resolution 1441 and introduce a new one.
One can find the best proof to this as more and more people
worldwide are protesting and voicing their opinions against war,
Tang said.
With regard to China's oil supplies in case of war, Tang said that
China had made preparations to diversify and maintain its mainly
imported oil and gas supplies in the event of a war in Iraq,
acknowledging that "we have long since made preparations, I don't
think the impact will be so great that China will have to adjust
its foreign policy."
"China had worked out a strategy of diversifying sources' of
imported gas and oil.
On
the topic of the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic
of Korea (DPRK), he said, the resolution of the issue hinges on the
direct dialogue between the DPRK the United States.
Noting that China wants the US and DPRK to hold direct talks and
holds that pressure or sanctions against the DPRK would only
complicate the nuclear issue, Tang said, "We have all along called
for dialogue and opposed pressure or sanctions against the DPRK
because of the nuclear issue."
"Because, rather than solving the problem, this can only lead to
further complication of the situation," he added.
Tang disclosed that China had been working to persuade the two
sides to come to the table for talks.
Moreover, he said, China is not after publicity acclamations, and
what it has been doing has been done at a down-to-earth manner and
there have been initial concrete results.
China has noticed the DPRK has said that it had no intention to
develop nuclear weapons and may accept inspection through bilateral
channels with the United States.
"China has made a lot of efforts to promote the peaceful talks"
between the two sides, Tang said.
He
said China's basic stance on the DPRK nuclear issue is that the
Korean Peninsula should be denuclearized and peace and stability on
the peninsula be maintained, underlining that the most effective
means to resolve the issue is to realize the direct dialogue
between the DPRK and the United States.
The denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is conducive to the
DPRK and the countries concerned, Tang added.
The deadlock between the DPRK and the US, he said, stems from the
lack of trust between the two sides.
China is in opposition to exerting pressures or imposing sanctions
against the DPRK owing to the nuclear issue, because such actions
would make the situation on the peninsula even more complicated and
not helpful to resolving the DPRK nuclear issue, he said.
Meanwhile, he said, China would adopt positive and open attitude
towards whatever means beneficial to peace and stability of the
Korean Peninsula and the peaceful resolution of the DPRK nuclear
issue.
He
went on to note what attitude the DPRK and the United States adopt
determines how the DPRK nuclear issue would be resolved.
On
the question of Sino-US Ties, Tang underlined that the three
China-US joint communiques should be respected and fully
implemented
The crux of the matter to the healthy and steady development of
Sino-US relations is for the United States to handle the Taiwan
issue appropriately.
Acknowledging that the two sides were in close consultation on
issues as Iraq and DPRK, he emphasized that "we should view this
relationship from the long-term and strategic perspective, and we
have to further increase mutual understanding and trust."
Moreover, he said, China and the US needed to "recognize and
respect differences."
On
China's ties with Africa, the foreign minister said with pride that
China attaches great importance to its relations with African
countries and other developing countries, and would provide
assistance for them to the best of its capacity in a sincere
way.
In
response to a question by a Japanese reporter from the NHK on
China's ties with Japan, Tang said the attitude of "taking history
as a mirror and looking forward to the future" should be taken in
handling the Sino-Japanese bilateral relationships.
Japan should learn lessons from history and abide by the three
basic documents on Sino-Japanese relations, he said.
Essential and necessary conditions have to be created for future
high-level exchanges between the two nations, the Chinese foreign
minister said, adding that the three documents, namely, the Treaty
of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan, the Sino-Japanese
Joint Declaration, and the Sino-Japanese Statement, should be
observed and implemented to the full.
The bilateral ties between the two countries have run into
difficulties due to official visits to the Yasukuni Shrine by Prime
Minister Junichiro Koizumi in recent years.
When asked on Sino-Pakistan relations, Tang spoke highly of
Pakistan's war on terror, saying that Pakistan has made
substantial, positive efforts in the international war on
terror.
Tang also praised the long-term and traditional friendship between
China and Pakistan, describing it as "an all-weather relationship."
The cooperation between China and Pakistan is beneficial to peace,
stability and development in South Asia, he said.
In
reply to a question on legislation of Hong Kong, he said it is
China's internal affair and it is related to Article 23 of the
Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), and
no foreign country should make irresponsible remarks on the
issue.
It's international common practice to make laws to prohibit
criminal activities that endanger national security and unity, said
Tang, adding that the Hong Kong SAR is fully entitled to make laws
of its own according to the Basic Law.
(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2003)
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