Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Press Conference on 11th December,2003

On 11th  December, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Liu Jianchao held the regular press conference.

Liu Jianchao: Good afternoon.  I'm ready to take up questions.

Q: During Chen Shui-bian's CNN interview, he said that as long as the mainland does not renounce the use of force against Taiwan, the Taiwan people will not be coerced into concessions.  What's your response to this?

A: I'm not in the position as a Foreign Ministry spokesman to comment on what Chen Shui-bian has said.  However, I do wish to introduce to you what Premier Wen Jiabao said on the Taiwan question during his meeting with President Bush.  He said that our basic policy for the settlement of the Taiwan question is peaceful reunification and "one country, two systems".  We have the utmost sincerity and will make the utmost efforts to achieve peaceful national reunification.  So much as we respect Taiwan people's yearning for democracy, we absolutely will not tolerate such separatist activities as the so-called "defensive referendum" made up by the Taiwan authorities under the pretext of democracy in their attempt to disintegrate Taiwan from the mainland.   It serves the interests of the people across the Taiwan Straits to maintain peace and stability in the region.  Unswerving opposition to "Taiwan independence" is the only remedy for peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.  Premier Wen also reiterated that as long as there is a glimmer of hope, we will never give up efforts for peace.  President Bush, for his part, stated that the US side understands China's concerns, and that the US Government adheres to the "one China" policy, abides by the three Sino-US Joint Communiqués, and opposes to Taiwan independence.  This policy will not change.  In addition, he said that recent messages from Taiwan aiming at changing the status quo is unsettling, and the American side does not support this, and opposes to any unilateral action which attempts to change Taiwan's status quo.  The Chinese side expressed its appreciation to the US position.

Q: Also on Taiwan.  The US Government noted that it will abide by the three Sino-US joint communiqués and the Taiwan Relations Act.  What's your comment on the US policy towards Taiwan, especially the Taiwan Relations Act?

A: The so-called Taiwan Relations Act was made by the US side unilaterally, and it is inconsistent with the principles in the three Sino-US joint communiqués.  The Chinese side has firmly opposed to it at the very beginning.

Q: The High-Level Conference for the purpose of signing the UN Convention against Corruption is now being held in Mexico.  According to reports, China has formally signed the Convention.  Could you brief us in this regard?

A: on December 10th Mexico local time, China's Vice Foreign Minister and head of the Chinese delegation Mr. Zhang Yesui attended the High-Level Conference for the purpose of signing the UN Convention against Corruption in Merida, Mexico, and signed the UN Convention against Corruption on behalf of the Chinese Government.

Under the auspices of the UN, it has taken over two years to complete the drafting of the UN Convention against Corruption, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 31st October 2003 and is open to countries to sign at the high-level conference from 9 to 11 December in Merida.  The Convention is the first global anti-corruption legal instrument and has set up universally accepted standards against corruption, established the principles for the return of illicitly acquired assets which have been transferred to other countries, and for the first time in history, established a mechanism at the international level for the prevention and combat of corruption as well as strengthening international cooperation, thus laying a solid legal foundation for the cause of international anti-corruption and helping international cooperation against corruption.

The Chinese Government supports the making of such a vital international legal instrument against corruption and participated in the whole negotiation process in the spirit of sincerity, cooperation and seeking truth from facts.  We have made positive contribution to the making of the Convention.  The fact that we have signed the Convention demonstrates once again the firm determination of the Chinese Government to fight against corruption and its clear-cut position for stronger international cooperation.

Q: Premier Wen Jiabao said at the evening banquet with overseas Chinese that his visit to the US has been a success.  What's your comment on this?  On issues such as Taiwan, North Korean Nuclear Question and China-US trade, have you reached your expectations?

A: Though Premier Wen Jiabao's official visit to the US was as brief as four days, it was tight in schedule, full in content, broad in consensus, and rich in results.  We believe that this visit is a complete success and that it will exert great impact on the continued development of Sino-US constructive relations and cooperation.

Premier Wen had in-depth exchange of views with President Bush and other leading US officials on bilateral relations and reached broad and important consensus on the furtherance of Sino-US constructive relations and cooperation.  On the Taiwan question, I have just introduced to you what has happened.  The two leaders also exchanged extensive views on the further expansion and deepening of China-US trade and economic cooperation.  Premier Wen proposed five principles in this regard such as mutual benefit and mutual complementarities, consultation on an equal footing, and settling unfavorable trade balances through continuous commercial cooperation, to which President Bush expressed his utter agreement.  Furthermore, the two leaders decided to upgrade the level of China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT), whose first meeting will be held next spring.

During this visit, Premier Wen also met with various American communities, to whom he briefed on China's developments to further enhance mutual understanding of the two peoples.  Relevant departments of the two countries also conducted extensive talks and reached a series of agreement on strengthening cooperation in the fields of trade and commercial ties, transportation, plant quarantine, and environmental protection.  China-US marine transport agreement and Memorandum of Understanding for transportation sci-tech cooperation were also signed. In addition, the two sides decided that the sixth China-US annual defense consultation for vice defense ministers and the 4th anti-terrorism consultation will be convened in Beijing early next year.

Q: The President of Israel will be visiting China soon.  He will be the first Israeli president to visit China since the cancellation of Falcon plane sales to China.  Is his visit a balance of the United Nations' Asian Meeting on the Question of Palestine in China?

A: The question of the plane contract reached between China and Israel has already been solved.  We warmly welcome the upcoming visit to China by the Israeli President.  China always advocates friendly relations and cooperation with all nations in the world, including those in the Middle-east, on the basis of the five principles of peaceful coexistence.  We believe that to develop bilateral friendly relations and cooperation between China and Israel conforms to the interests of the two nations and two peoples while facilitating peace and development in the Middle-East.

I have introduced to you the United Nations' Asian Meeting on the Question of Palestine that you've just mentioned, which will be held in Beijing from 16th to 18th of this month.  Over 200 representatives, experts and scholars from Asia-Pacific countries, the United Nations and relevant NGOs will attend the meeting.  At present, China is closely cooperating with the UN to prepare for the meeting.  China's Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo will attend and address the opening ceremony.  The theme of this meeting is "Mobilizing International Support for Peaceful Solution of the Question of Palestine".  During the meeting, the UN will co-sponsor with the Beijing University to hold an NGO meeting for the Middle-east question.

It happens that the Israeli President's visit to China is quite close to the meeting, which is merely a coincidence.  It does, however, reflect China's willingness to foster friendship and cooperation with all Middle-east nations including Israel.

Q: According to our information, China's peace-keeping forces to the Democratic Republic of Congo shall complete the first alternation in recent days.  Is there any more information?

A: In April this year, China sent a 175-membered transportation contingent and a 43-membered medical team to join the UN peace-keeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Before the troop left, the Information Department of the MFA organized some foreign journalists for interviews, which, I believe, is still fresh in your mind.  In the past months, the Chinese peace-keeping forces have overcome various difficulties and successfully completed their mission.  Their outstanding performance has been widely acknowledged and acclaimed.  According to relevant UN rules and the actual needs, these forces will complete their first alternation in recent days.  The new forces will be in place on December 13 while all the alternated peace-keeping forces will return to Beijing on December 15.

As Permanent Member of the Security Council, China has always supported UN peace-keeping missions and UN efforts to resolve African conflicts while actively participating in UN peace-keeping operations in Africa.  UN Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed appreciation to the Chinese side when he met with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao recently.  The Chinese side is willing to further participate in UN peace-keeping missions to make its share of contribution to regional and world peace and stability.

Q: The US, Japan and ROK have reportedly released a joint statement concerning the next round of six-party talks, and asked the Chinese side to forward to the DPRK.  Has China conveyed this statement to the DPRK? Do China and the DPRK have any comments on this statement? Is there still hope for a six-party talk this year?

A: On the issue of the nuclear question on the Korean Peninsular, China as the mediating party has maintained close communication with all parties to the six-party talk.  At present, the US, ROK, Japan, Russia and the DPRK have all expressed their positions in various ways, which have been conveyed to relevant parties by appropriate means.  We will continue our consultation with all parties, and identify and confirm consensus so as to create conditions for the second round of talks and push forward the negotiation process.  We also hope that all parties could cherish every single bit of hard-reached consensus and continue to demonstrate flexibility so that the second round of talks could be launched at an early date and be fruitful, and that the process could continue.  As to the timing of the second round of six-party talks, all parties are still conducting consultation, so it is entirely dependent on the preparation.

Q: If Premier Wen's visit to the US is described as a success, then what are the remaining differences between China and the US on the Taiwan question and trade issue?

A: I have just briefed you on the talks between Chinese and American leaders concerning the Taiwan question and the trade issue.  Successful as it is, the trip alone can not possibly resolve all issues between China and the US, especially certain specific question in our commercial and trade relations.  Therefore the two leaders did not constrain themselves by these specific trade issues.  Rather, they discussed ways for the Chinese and American sides to handle trade and economic relations from a strategic height.  In this context, Premier Wen put forward a five-point proposition, which I wish to review with you.  Firstly, strengthen cooperation and achieve mutual benefit and a win-win situation.  That is to say, we need to focus on priorities, and take each other's concerns into consideration.  Secondly, prioritize development so that unfavorable trade balances could be resolved through greater economic cooperation and trade, instead of cutting US imports from China.  This means that the trade balance issue should be resolved by expanded US exports to China.  We hope that the US side could lift its restrictions on exports to China.  Thirdly, establish a better economic and trade coordination mechanism.  The two leaders decided to upgrade the level of the JCCT, and Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi will be the chairperson for the Chinese side, and American Commerce Secretary Mr. Evans and Trade Representative Mr. Zoellick will co-chair the US side.  The JCCT will hold a meeting next spring when the two sides will conduct dialogue and consultation on some specific trade and economic questions.  Fourthly, settle questions through consultation on an equal footing instead of arbitrary set-up of limits or use of sanctions.  Fifthly, do no politicize economic and trade questions.  President Bush expressed his complete agreement with these proposals and said that China's rapid economic growth has attracted the attention of the world.  The US and China develop a strong bilateral relationship conforms to the interests of both sides.  Furthermore, President Bush stated that he will continue his commitment to maintaining Sino-US trade relations.

During this meeting, the two leaders frankly expressed their own views and reached broad consensus, which will be of importance and positive significance to the development of China-US relations in all areas including economic relations and trade.

Q: Does China consider the UN Convention against Corruption sufficient to deal with its domestic corruption?  Will China increasingly depend on foreign assistance to fight against corruption? The corruption question is believed by some as an institutional one, so will the Chinese Government reform some of its systems?

A: Certainly we do not think that a UN Convention against Corruption alone will help China solve all its questions of corruption.  But the Convention is, indeed, of positive significance for all countries in the world, including China, to fight against corruption and can provide essential assistance.  To fight against corruption is the staunch position and policy of the Chinese Government and the Chinese judicial institutions.  Over the years, China has attained major progress and results in combating corruption.  But needless to say, there is still much work to do and we will continue to explore effective ways to fight against corruption so as to eradicate this malignant tumor of the society.  In the meantime, corruption is not exclusively a Chinese phenomenon, and many countries are burdened with anti-corruption.  It was exactly because of these reasons that we saw it necessary to make the UN Convention against Corruption.  All countries are in need of strengthened international cooperation to combat corruption together.

Q: You said that China has signed the UN Convention against Corruption.  Are signatory states able to get the illicit money back and extradite relevant personnel through the use of relevant articles of the Convention? If there are no such articles, is China still holding bilateral talks with relevant countries on the extradition of  relevant personnel and the return of  the illicit money ?

A: The UN Convention against Corruption establishes the principle of returning illicitly acquired assets which have been transferred to other countries.  As to which other countries have also signed this Convention, it is still under confirmation as this Convention is just been signed.  With regard to China's extradition cooperation with relevant countries, it is true that we do have such treaties with some countries, and not yet with others.  We will consult with relevant countries on the anti-corruption question so that these corruptive persons could be extradited back to China for legal proceedings.

After the press conference, some reporters asked the spokesman for comments on Japan's announcement of formal accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) of Asean.  To this, Mr. Liu Jianchao said that the Chinese side wishes to express its congratulations on the convocation of the Japan and Asean Summit.  China is happy for the new progress in Japan-Asean relations.  China itself joined the TAC not long ago.  We are willing to join Asean and Japan to promote East Asian cooperation to achieve Asian prosperity and development.
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