On 17 October, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue had a regular press conference.  She made the announcement of Maltese Prime Minister’s visit to China.

Q: Indian Defense Minister announced on 16 October the partial withdrawal of its troops along the India-Pakistan border.  But its forces in the India-controlled Kashmir remained.  What is China’s comment?

A: We welcome all measures that help defuse the tension between India and Pakistan.  As a close neighbor of South Asia and a friend to both India and Pakistan, China has all along called on the two countries to end the standoff and resume direct dialogue as soon as possible in the spirit of “peace being the most valuable”, in order to solve the existing disputes through peaceful means.  This not only serves the fundamental interests of India and Pakistan and the two peoples, but is also the common expectation of the international community.

Q: Recently the North Korean Government admitted to the US that it has a secret nuclear weapons development program.  Is China surprised at this?  And what is China’s reaction toward this?

A: China’s position on your question is very clear.  We always support the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsular and safeguard its peace and stability.  We believe that the nuclear issue of North Korea should be solved peacefully through dialogues and negotiations.

Q: It is reported that some senior US officials will travel to Asia to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue with Asian countries.  When will they arrive in China?  To my knowledge, a US Under Secretary of State and Assistant Secretary Kelly will visit China and when will they be here?  What will they discuss with China and will the Chinese side arrange journalists to report it?

A: Recently some senior US officials paid visits to China, which mainly prepared for President Jiang’s upcoming visit to the US.  These visits are part of the preparation for the third meeting between the two heads of state within one year.  The two sides will exchange views on issues of common interest during the meeting.

Q: The US and the UK have submitted a new proposal to the UN Security Council on the Iraqi issue.  What is China’s attitude towards this proposal?  Is China against it?

A: To my knowledge, the Security Council has not received any new draft resolution yet.  The Security Council started the open debate on Iraq from yesterday, and all parties are active in making remarks.  China supports the Security Council’s open debate on Iraq, which is to the concern of all parties at present.  We believe that under the current situation, it is necessary to listen to the voice from the broad members of the UN, and this will help the Council to push for the proper settlement of the issue.

China’s position on the Iraqi issue is very clear.  We have all along called for the political and diplomatic solution of the issue within the UN framework.  We hope that Iraq can implement all relevant UN Security Council resolutions in an earnest, strict and comprehensive manner and the imperative is to readmit UN weapons inspectors to Iraq at an early date.  Not long ago, the UN and Iraq have reached an agreement on the detailed arrangement of inspectors’ return.  So it is very important for them to return to Iraq and have on-site inspection at an early date.

Q: Would you please tell us the latest information of the casualties of Chinese citizens in the Bali blasts?

A: After the blasts in the Bali Island, the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia has left no stone unturned in learning the casualties of Chinese Mainland citizens as well as Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan people in the bombings.  At the last press conference, I said that a Mainland citizen was injured in the blasts.  According to the latest report of the Chinese Embassy, this person was slightly hurt and has returned home after simple treatment in the local hospital.  The latest name lists of casualties and those have been hospitalized provided by the Indonesian police have shown no Chinese casualty.  The Chinese Embassy is still trying its best in learning the conditions of the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan people who have disappeared in the incident and is ready to offer assistance at any time.  You may know that the Chinese Embassy has already announced an assistance hotline number and sent consular officers to the site to learn the fact.  If there are further developments, I will update you on it.

Q: Terrorism has become a serious globe problem.  Egyptian President Mubarak has on many occasions called for an international conference on fight against terrorism to discuss how to carry out the campaign against terrorism.  Does China support such proposal?

A: The September 11 incident and recent blasts in Indonesia have again shown that terrorism is the common foe of the entire mankind and the most serious threat to world peace, economic development and social stability.  China strongly condemns terrorist activities of all forms and we believe that no matter when and where it happens, who commits it and whom is targeted at, terrorist activity should be firmly stamped out.  As for President Mubarak’s proposal, China actively supports it.  We are ready to further cooperate with various countries in counter terrorism and believe that the international community should intensify cooperation in this regard.

Q: Did China have emergency contacts with the US and North Korean governments and asked them to clarify the relevant report?

A: China always supports the denuclearization on the Korean Peninsular and this position is very clear.  We hope that the relevant issues can be peacefully solved through dialogues and negotiations.  The relevant parties should create a favorable political environment and atmosphere for the solution of the North Korean nuclear issue.

Q: Are there any latest developments in the US boy custody case in Zhengzhou?  Has the US contacted China in this regard?

A: What you have mentioned is an ordinary case involving family dispute.  The child is named Guo Daoyi and his parents married in China.  In accordance with the Marriage Law of the People’s Republic of China, if they want to divorce, they should go through the procedures in China.  The child’s mother has lodged a divorce case to the court and the parents are negotiating on the custodian right of Guo Daoyi.  We believe that this case will be solved soon.

Q: Did the North Korean delegation that is on a visit in China at present give hint to China that North Korea has a program for nuclear weapons development?  Would you please tell us something about the meeting between the delegation and Chinese leaders?

A: I am willing to brief you on the visit by the DPRK delegation to China.  The delegation with Mr. Yang Hyong Sop as the head arrived in Beijing on 15 October.  Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan held a banquet for the delegation at the noon of 15 October before he left for Argentina and Columbia.  On 16 October, Chairman Li Peng of the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress met with the delegation and hosted a banquet for them.  In the afternoon, Vice President Hu Jintao also met with the delegation and Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Jiang Chunyun held a welcoming dinner for them.  In addition, Dai Binguo, Minister of the International Department of CPC Central Committee also had a meeting with Mr. Yang Hyong Sop.  

The Chinese media have already made a quite a few reports on the visit, which is a good-will visit.  During the meetings, the two sides have introduced each other’s domestic economic and social development and both have expressed willingness to further strengthen and develop the traditional friendship between China and DPRK.  Vice President Hu underlined in the meeting that the leaders of the two countries have reached a consensus and in the new century, we should push forward the China-DPRK friendship to a new stage in the spirit of “inheriting traditions, looking into the future, good-neighborly friendship and intensifying cooperation”.  At present, the delegation has already left for Shanghai to continue its visit.  

Q: Iraqi President Saddam has once again won the general election.  What is China’s comment?

A: We always hold that the leadership election of one country is the own affairs of the country and its people.  We respect the independent choice by its people.

Q: The principled position of China on North Korean nuclear issue is to support the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsular and China and North Korea has a good neighborly friendship.  Under the current situation that North Korea has admitted its nuclear program, what measures will the Chinese Government take to create a favorable atmosphere on the Peninsular to peacefully solve the issue?

A: We learned the North Korean nuclear issue that you have mentioned from the news report and we are not aware of the details.  The Chinese side has all along supported the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsular and has made its own efforts for the maintenance of peace and stability on the Peninsular.

Q: Yesterday a Foreign Ministry official expressed welcome for Dr. Lee Yuan-tseh’s acting as the representative for Taiwan in the APEC meeting.  Why dose the Mainland choose this moment to express welcome?

A: Our attitude on this question is very clear.  Taiwan participates relevant APEC activities as a regional economy.  As for who will be sent by Taiwan to attend the APEC meeting, so long as it complies with the APEC MOU and relevant standard practice, we held no objection.

Q: Can you give a briefing on the detailed agenda of President Jiang’s US trip?  Can you rule out the possibility that China has provided nuclear materials for North Korea?

A: Yesterday afternoon’s news briefing at the IPC has already introduce the relevant information.  

On the second question, I think what you mean by your question is totally groundless.  China’s position on this question is very clear.  China is opposed to the proliferation of any weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons and we have always pursued a policy of not supporting, encouraging or helping other countries in developing weapons of mass destruction.

Q: You have just said that China learned from the news report the North Korean nuclear program and China is not quite aware of the truth at present.  Can I understand that the visiting North Korean delegation have not informed the Chinese leaders whom they met with of the relevant situation of this issue?  Is China ready to raise this question to the delegation?

A: I have already briefed you on the visit of the North Korean delegation in Beijing and the delegation has already left for Shanghai to continue visit.  During the meeting, the two sides have introduced each other’s domestic economic and social development.  Both have agreed that the two countries enjoy friendly relations and cooperation, and expressed determination to continue developing this relationship in the new century.  As for your question, I don’t think it will be touched upon in this visit.

Thank you.