China expected all concerned parties would continue to fulfil
their commitments in earnest and implement the second phase action
plan on resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue in an
all-round and balanced manner, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson
Jiang Yu at a regular press conference on Thursday.
Jiang said that with the joint efforts of all participants in
the six-party talks, the second phase action plan
was under implementation.
Some areas witnessed faster pace, while others were in slower
pace. Jiang said this was normal.
Jiang said the all-round implementation of the second phase
action plan would open a broader prospect for the six-party
talks.
According to a six-party talks joint document released in
Beijing on Oct. 3, 2007, North Korea agreed to disable all its
existing nuclear facilities and provide a complete and correct
declaration of all its nuclear programs by the end of 2007.
The six-party talks, initiated in 2003 and aimed at resolving
the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, involve China, North and South
Korea, the US, Russia and Japan.
Indian PM's coming visit
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will pay an official visit
to China from Jan. 13 to 15 at the invitation of Premier Wen Jiabao, Jiang announced.
Jiang said China warmly welcomes and attaches great importance
to Singh's upcoming visit and hopes this visit will enhance the
friendship between the two peoples, expand bilateral mutually
beneficial cooperation in various fields and promote the long-term,
healthy and stable advancement of China-India strategic and
cooperative partnership.
Jiang noted that the China-India relations currently see sound
momentum of development. Last year, the two countries jointly held
the China-India Tourism Year, conducted frequent high-level
exchanges, and enhanced bilateral cooperation in various fields.
The two sides also carried out sound bilateral coordination in
dealing with international affairs, Jiang said.
The bilateral trade from January to November 2007 topped 34.2
billion U.S. dollars, a year-on-year increase of 54 percent, Jiang
added.
Noting that China and India, as the world's two largest
developing countries, are faced with common mission for development
and both committed to promoting world and regional peace and
stability, Jiang said. China is willing to make joint efforts with
India to push the bilateral strategic and cooperative partnership
to a new stage.
On the border issue, Jiang said the Chinese and Indian special
representatives conducted three meetings in 2007 and had helpful
discussions, adding that China hopes to make further efforts
together with India to strive for a mutually acceptable, fair and
reasonable solution as soon as possible.
FM's African tour
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi's upcoming African visit will
jointly promote the new type of strategic partnership between China
and Africa, Jiang said.
The purpose of the visit is to increase mutual understanding,
expand mutually beneficial cooperation and carry out the consensus
reached at the Beijing Summit of Forum on China-Africa
Cooperation in 2006, Jiang Yu said.
Yang will pay official visits to South Africa, the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi and Ethiopia from Jan. 7 to 11,
according to the Foreign Ministry.
Jiang said Yang will meet with state leaders and hold talks with
his counterparts of the four countries.
Trade between China and Africa surged in 2007, boosted by lower
tariffs and other beneficial policies agreed on during the Beijing
Summit.
Zhai Jun, Chinese assistant foreign minister, said in a recent
interview that friendly cooperation between China and Africa had a
"bright future".
"China and Africa have more than 50 years of friendly relations
and it is an important part of China's foreign policy to
consolidate and strengthen cooperation with African countries,"
Jiang said.
Pakistan general election
China hopes Pakistan's general election would be held smoothly,
said Jiang.
"China hopes the election could be held smoothly and Pakistan
would maintain stability and development," Jiang said.
Pakistan's parliamentary polls, originally scheduled for Jan. 8,
would be postponed to Feb. 18, the election commission said
Wednesday.
"This is Pakistan's internal affairs," Jiang said, adding that
China respects the decision of Pakistan.
(Xinhua News Agency January 4, 2008)
