Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei is on a visit in North
Korea to push for the process of the six-party talks, said Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Qin Gang at a regular press conference on Tuesday.
Wu, top negotiator of the Chinese delegation to the six-party
talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, conferred with his
North Korean counterpart Kim Kye-gwan on current situation and
future efforts, Qin said.
Qin said the six-party talks achieved positive progress, and
this momentum should be sustained.
All concerned parties should increase mutual trust and work
actively to fulfill their agreements, Qin said, urging that
relevant targets should be put into practice.
The six-party talks involve China, North and South Korean, the
US, Russia and Japan.
Japan's missile test
Qin said China hopes Japan's actions, including its latest
missile test, are beneficial for regional peace and trust.
Japan on Monday successfully tested a US-built missile system
off the coast of Hawaii. It has been designed to track and destroy
missiles, according to the Japanese defense ministry.
"We noticed Japan has reiterated on many occasions that it
pursues the road of peaceful development," Qin told reporters.
"The Chinese side hopes that the actions of Japan are favorable
for regional peace and stability, and conducive for mutual trust
among the countries in the region," he said.
He declined to comment on reports that the US-Japan joint
missile effort was aimed at China-developed medium-range
missiles.
Responding to questions on the test's influence on situations
across the Taiwan Strait, Qin said "the Taiwan issue is China's
internal affair, and China opposes any interference from any
country in any forms into Taiwan affairs."
Protest in Vietnam
China urged Vietnam to take efficient measures to prevent
protesting incidents targeting China from happening again, Qin made
the remarks in response to a question concerning recent protests in
Vietnam targeting China.
The protests happened in Vietnam's two cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi
Minh City, on Sunday, while similar incidents took place on Dec. 9,
according to Qin.
"China pays close attention to protests in Vietnam targeting
China," he said. He urged Vietnamese leaders to take effective
measures to stop it and avoid bilateral ties from being hurt.
Several hundred demonstrators marched near the Chinese Embassy
in Hanoi and its consulate in Ho Ch Minh City on Sunday, protesting
against China's sovereignty over the Xisha and Nansha islands,
according to Vietnamese news reports.
Qin said earlier that China had indisputable sovereignty over
the South China Sea and the adjacent waters. This was China's
consistent stance.
Leaders of the two countries had exchanged views on this issue
several times and agreed to settle the dispute through dialogue and
consultation to safeguard the stability of the South China Sea and
Sino-Vietnamese relations, he added.
J-10 fighter jets
China denied selling J-10 fighter jets to Iran, saying the
reports were "groundless" and "irresponsible".
"China has never consulted with Iran on the so-called fighter
jets issue, and has no consideration in this regard," Qin said.
The Chinese government always takes a prudent and responsible
attitude towards arms exports and imposes strict controls over such
exports according to China's international obligations and domestic
laws and regulations, he said.
Ties with Russia
Qin said China would like to make joint efforts with Russia's
new leadership to further boost the strategic partnership of
cooperation between the two nations.
Qin made the remarks in response to reports of Russian President
Vladimir Putin's decision to lead the government after the March
election.
"We have taken note of the reports," Qin said. "Russian people
have their rights to choose a development road that accords with
Russia's domestic situation."
China believes Russia's presidential election will proceed
smoothly, Qin said.
He hailed China-Russia relations since Putin took office in
2000."China spoke highly of President Putin's important
contribution to the development of our bilateral ties. We expect to
push forward the relations with Russia's new leadership," Qin
said.
Putin said on Monday that he will lead the government if First
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev wins the March presidential
election.
Bali roadmap
China welcomed the roadmap adopted at the UN climate change
conference in Indonesia's Bali, calling on joint efforts from the
international community to reach a global climate agreement by the
end of 2009.
"The roadmap has shown the way and set a timetable for future
negotiations on global climate change," Qin said.
China will continue to participate actively in relevant
negotiations, he said, urging developed countries to continue to
reduce emissions after 2012 according to the roadmap, and to
leverage new funding and support for technology transfer, finance
and adaptation for the developing world.
The 12-day UN climate change conference ended last Saturday with
the adoption of the Bali roadmap, which is expected to launch
negotiations on a crucial international climate change regime up to
2009.
The roadmap includes a clear agenda for the key issues to be
negotiated up to 2009, including actions for adapting to the
negative consequences of climate change, ways to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions, ways to deploy climate-friendly technologies and
financing both adaptation and mitigation measures.
The conference was attended by more than 11,000 people, making
it the largest UN climate change gathering ever held.
Next year's UN climate change conference will be held in Poznan,
Poland.
Japanese PM's visit
China and Japan are making active contacts and preparations for
Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's visit to China, Qin
said.
Fukuda had told Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Singapore last month that he
hoped to visit the country at an early date, possibly within this
year or at the beginning of next year.
Qin said the exact date of the visit would be announced after it
is agreed upon by the two sides.
Bolivian FM's coming visit
Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca will pay an
official visit to China from Dec. 20-24 as guest of Foreign
Minister Yang Jiechi, Qin announced.
(Xinhua News Agency December 19, 2007)
