Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang Thursday announced that
Chadian Minister of External Relations Ahmad Allam-Mi will pay an
official visit to China from April 18-20, the first China trip of a
foreign minister from Chad since the two countries resumed
diplomatic ties last August.
Allam-Mi is invited by his Chinese counterpart Li Zhaoxing, and during his stay, the two
foreign ministers will hold talks and exchange views on bilateral
ties and other issues of common concern, Qin said.
Allam-Mi will also attend a ceremony marking the renewed
operation of Chad's embassy in Beijing.
Since the two countries resumed diplomatic ties last August,
bilateral exchanges had seen a steady increase, Qin said, adding
bilateral trade volume also witnessed remarkable growth.
"We are willing to exchange opinions with the Chadian side on
developing bilateral relations and other issues of common concern
during Allam-Mi's visit," the spokesman said.
China and Chad established formal diplomatic links in 1972 but
China severed diplomatic relations with Chad in 1997 when the
country "resumed" diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
On Aug. 6 last year, Li Zhaoxing and Allam-mi signed a joint
resolution to recommence diplomatic ties between the two
countries.
Also on Thursday, China condemned the two terrorist bomb blasts
that shook the Algerian capital Algiers Wednesday morning.
"China opposes any form of terrorism and condemns the twin
blasts incident in Algeria. We express our profound condolences
over the victims and offer sympathy and solicitude for families of
the victims," Qin Gang said in a statement.
The blasts, one of which targeted the prime minister's
headquarters, have caused 33 deaths so far, Algeria's Interior
Minister Noureddine Yazid Zerhouni told press on Thursday.
On Tuesday, three suicide bombers blew themselves up one after
another in Morocco's largest city of Casablanca, killing at least
one person and injuring dozens of others.
"We are shocked by the violent attacks in Algeria and Morocco
and extended our condolences to families of those who died in the
bombings," Qin said earlier Thursday at a regular briefing.
Turning to Sino-Japanese relations, Qin said that China would
like to learn from Japan and work more closely with Japan in the
energy sector.
On Wednesday, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo
Abe signed a joint press communiqué calling for stronger
cooperation on energy and environmental protection.
Noting China and Japan are both big energy consumers, Qin said
Japan boasts advanced technology in the energy sector, particularly
in clean energy and renewable energy.
"China would like to gain useful experience from Japan as the
country pursues a path to sustainable development and strives to
build a resource conserving and environmentally friendly society,"
Qin said.
Also on Thursday, Director of the National Development and
Reform Commission Ma Kai co-chaired with his Japanese counterpart
the first China-Japan energy policy dialogue in Tokyo.
"The dialogue will help China and Japan understand each other
and work more closely," the spokesman said. "Hopefully exchange of
this kind will continue and produce new fruits."
As for Sino-Portuguese relations, Qin said Macao's return to China has added new vigor to
the relations on the eve of 20th anniversary of signing of the
Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration.
The governments of China and Portugal officially signed the
Joint Declaration on the Question of Macao in Beijing on
April 13, 1987, which explicitly stipulates that the Chinese
government would resume the exercise of sovereignty over Macao as
of December 20, 1999.
Since Macao's return in 1999, the Basic Law of Macao Special
Administrative Region has been enforced and the principles of "one
country, two systems," "Macao people governing Macao" and "a high
degree of autonomy" have been carried out, Qin said.
Macao's economy is developing and progress has been achieved in
Macao's cultural and social development, which we are glad to see,
he added.
"Macao's return is a successful model of cooperation between the
governments of China and Portugal," Qin added.
Qin said the Sino-Portuguese relations have developed
continuously in recent years with leaders of the two countries
keeping close contact and bilateral cooperation and exchanges in
various fields expanding.
China is willing to work jointly with Portugal in pushing
forward bilateral ties, the spokesman said.
In another development, Qin urged actions by all parties to
promote progress of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula
nuclear issue.
"We hope relevant parties will consider the general situation,
overcome difficulties and implement the initial steps of the
February 13 joint document as soon as possible to promote the
continuous progress of the six-party talks," said Qin.
The talks have been in recess since March 22 due to difficulties
in resolving the issue concerning the transfer of the allegedly
illicit funds of North Korea frozen in a Macao-based bank.
Qin said China hopes the issue can be resolved properly as soon
as possible, adding settlement of the issue should be conducive
both to safeguarding financial and social stability of Macao and
promoting the process of six-party talks.
He stressed that the September 19 joint statement and the
February 13 joint document have shown the political will of all the
six parties to realize denuclearization?of the Peninsula
through dialogues and negotiations and through the six-party talks
process, and such will has not changed.
Qin said he still had no information about when the six-party
talks will be resumed.
Referring to the Darfur issue, China welcomes an agreement
reached in a tripartite meeting among the Sudanese government, the
United Nations (UN), and the African Union (AU), calling for
resolving the Darfur issue through equal dialogues.
Representatives of the three parties reached the agreement on
increasing UN logistic support for the AU peacekeeping force in
Darfur on Monday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
"We hope parties concerned continue to implement the peace plan
put forward by former UN chief Kofi Annan through equal dialogues,
and properly settle the Darfur issue so as to promote early peace,
stability, and development in the region," Qin said.
The Sudanese government, the UN, and the AU worked out last
November a three-phase support package concerning the light and
heavy logistic support to be provided by the UN to AU's
peacekeeping force in Darfur.
In response to the latest situation in Kyrgyzstan, Qin expressed
deep concern and called for international efforts to play a
constructive role in maintaining stability in the country.
Qin made the remarks when asked to comment on whether the
current situation in Kyrgyzstan would affect a summit of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) scheduled to be held in the
country's capital Bishkek in August.
According to reports, thousands of opposition members have
launched protests and rallies since April 9 to press President
Kurmanbek Bakiyev to step down. The president's decree last
December to reverse several constitutional amendments and recover
the authority to form the cabinet has triggered anger among
opposition members.
Qin said the August summit is very important for the SCO
development, noting the member states agreed to give full support
to Kyrgyzstan, who is the present SCO's rotating chair, to properly
prepare for the summit.
He said China sincerely hopes that Kyrgyzstan can maintain
stability and develop its economy,as this is in the fundamental
interests of the people in and beyond the country's borders.
Qin also announced that British deputy Prime Minister John
Prescott will pay an official visit to China from April 19-25, at
the invitation of Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan.
(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2007)
