The Foreign Ministry stated yesterday that China's recent outer
space test had not violated international rules.
"The experiment was not directed at any country nor did it pose
any threat to any country," said ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu at a
regular news briefing.
She reiterated China's stance as opposed to any weaponization or
arms race in outer space.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday again
expressed concern over China's recent outer space test, calling it
"a troubling symptom of military activities that are outsized for
Beijing's interests."
Responding to the creation of a new US-Africa Command
headquarters, Jiang said China extends its fervent hope that all
countries will work for peace, stability and development in
Africa.
The Bush administration announced earlier this week that the
Pentagon will establish a new US-Africa Command headquarters that
will coordinate US military and security interests throughout the
continent.
Jiang said China had received the report, and added that
achieving lasting peace and stability in Africa is the common
desire of all countries in the region.
Commenting on a trial in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jiang said
the suspect, Huseyin Celil, is a Chinese citizen, effectively
ruling out any application of the Consular Agreement signed between
China and Canada in 1997.
Jiang was responding to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's
alleged displeasure that Canadian diplomats did not attend the
trial in China of the so-called Canadian citizen.
Jiang stressed that Celil is a Chinese citizen of Uygur ethnicity. He is on trial for his alleged
involvement in a series of violent incidents and terrorism
activities. She said Celil is on an international wanted list and
is a key member of the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement,
recognized as an international terrorist organization by the
UN.
Celil was taken as a refugee by Canada in 2001 but was later
arrested in Uzbekistan in 2006 and extradited to China on terrorism
charges.
Commenting on China's recent scientific surveying activity in
waters off the Diaoyu Islands, Jiang noted the "prior notification"
mechanism set up by China and Japan for ocean surveying was there
for an enhancement of mutual trust. It does not affect their
respective stances on issues concerning maritime law, adding the
mechanism did not concern the survey activity.
She said China was merely exercising its legitimate sovereign
right when its vessel conducted a marine survey in the waters
adjacent to the Diaoyu Islands.
(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency February 9, 2007)
