Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BEIJING20107
2006-09-21 10:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:  

SEPTEMBER 21 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: SINO-JAPAN

Tags:  PREL PHUM EAID JA IR TH LE CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5672
OO RUEHBC RUEHCN RUEHDE RUEHGH RUEHKUK RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0107/01 2641016
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211016Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7662
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES IMMEDIATE 0195
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA IMMEDIATE 0479
RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE IMMEDIATE 0092
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 020107 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM EAID JA IR TH LE CH
SUBJECT: SEPTEMBER 21 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: SINO-JAPAN
RELATIONS, HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE OLYMPICS, THAI COUP, IRAN,
UNIFIL, LATIN AMERICA AND AID TO AFRICA


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 020107

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM EAID JA IR TH LE CH
SUBJECT: SEPTEMBER 21 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: SINO-JAPAN
RELATIONS, HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE OLYMPICS, THAI COUP, IRAN,
UNIFIL, LATIN AMERICA AND AID TO AFRICA



1. Key points made at the September 21 MFA press briefing
were:

-- China hopes new LDP leader Shinzo Abe will make concrete
efforts to improve Sino-Japanese relations.

-- China and Japan will hold the Sixth Round of their
strategic dialogue in Tokyo from September 23 to 24.

-- Japan's proper handling of historical issues is key to the
development of bilateral relations.

-- China claims Amnesty International,s Human Rights Report
on China and the Olympics is biased, politically motivated,
and factually incorrect.

-- China has issued a travel warning and set up a 24-hour
hotline for Chinese citizens affected by the coup in Thailand.

--China believes EU talks with Iran have been productive and
hope this momentum will continue towards a peaceful
resolution.

-- China is still consulting with the UN on specific
arrangements for the arrival of troops China recently
committed to UNIFIL.

-- Chinese leaders recently met with leaders of Costa Rica,
Peru and Argentina.

-- China is committed to helping African nations and their
people through the China-Africa Cooperation Forum.

Sino-Japanese Relations
--------------


2. China hopes that Shinzo Abe, the newly-elected President
of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will make concrete
efforts to improve Sino-Japanese relations, MFA Spokesperson
Qin Gang said on September 21. The bilateral relationship is
based on the three Sino-Japanese Joint Communiques and China
hopes Japan will honor its commitments. Dai Bingguo will
meet with Japanese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Yachi
Shotaro at the sixth round of their Strategic Dialogue to be
held September 23-24 in Tokyo. Qin has no information on a
possible meeting between Dai Bingguo and Shinzo Abe.


3. In response to repeated questions for further information
on possible obstacles to Sino-Japanese relations, Qin added
that Sino-Japanese relations are based on the "proper
handling of historical issues, including the Taiwan issue."
Japan has undermined the relationship's two foundations:

using "history as a mirror for the future" and the three
political documents between Japan and China. Japan must
return to these fundamentals and take concrete actions to
improve relations.


4. "Koizumi has bee Prime Minister for five years, and the
chang in Sino-Japanese relations can be seen by all,"Qin
said in response to AFP's request for an assessment of
Koizumi. As to whether China was optimistic or pessimistic,
he said it would "have to watch what Abe says and does." In
response to a question by Tokyo News, Qin declined to comment
on whether or not a Sino-Japanese Summit would be possible if
Abe refuses to commit to not visiting Yasakuni Shrine. He
stressed that Beijing's policy has not changed and encourages
reporters to look at previous statements. Qin refused to
answer a question on whether Communist Party International
Department Director (CCID) Wang Jiarui would travel to Japan.

Human Rights and the Olympics
--------------


5. Amnesty International,s (AI) September 14 Human Rights
Report on China is biased, groundless and motivated by
political purposes, Qin said in response to an AP reporter,s
request for comment on AI's statement that China was failing
to meet promises to improve human rights it had made during
its bid for the 2008 Olympic Games. Qin said it was too
narrow to say China was only making an effort to improve
human rights in order to win the Olympic Games, noting that
respect for human rights was enshrined in China,s
constitution. Preparation for the 2008 Games is proceeding
in an orderly fashion and China is fulfilling its commitment
and showing it has the capacity to hold a successful Olympic
Games.


BEIJING 00020107 002 OF 002


Military Coup in Thailand
--------------


6. Political changes in Thailand are internal affairs and
China remains committed to a policy of non-interference, Qin
said. As a friendly neighbor, China hopes Thailand will
experience harmony, prosperity and peace. China has set up a
24-hour hotline for Chinese citizens and issued a travel
alert on its website advising visitors to Thailand to
reschedule travel. The Chinese Embassy in Thailand will
remain vigilant and provide all necessary assistance to
Chinese citizens, including Hong Kong residents.

New Iran Deadline?
--------------


7. Qin responded to an AFP reporter,s statement that China
and other interested countries had set a new deadline for
Iran by stating that he had not heard of any such news. Qin
said China,s position on the Iran nuclear issue,
specifically that diplomatic consultations and negotiations
would resolve the issue, remained unchanged. He noted that
European Union High Representative for Common Foreign and
Security Policy Javier Solana,s recent talks with Iran had
been productive and that he hoped would maintain the momentum
towards a peaceful resolution. He hoped all parties would
express restraint and flexibility in the meantime.

UNIFIL
--------------


8. China is still consulting with the UN on specific
arrangements for the arrival of the troops China recently
committed to the Lebanon reconstruction effort, Qin told the
AFP reporter asking for an update on the issue.

Latin America
--------------


9. Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing met Costa Rican President
Oscar Arias Sanchez at the UNGA to discuss the two countries
work towards establishing and developing &normal
state-to-state relations,8 Qin said. He added that on Vice
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi,s recent visit to Peru and
Argentina, Yang exchanged views on bilateral relations and
cooperation between China and their respective foreign
ministries.

Development Assistance to Africa
--------------


10. China is committed to helping African nations and their
people through the China-Africa Cooperation Forum, Qin read
from a prepared statement. China has already written off the
debts of 31 heavily indebted nations and President Hu has
promised to grant low-interest loans to 39 such nations.
China actively supports poverty alleviation programs and
encourages other nations to do so as well. Loans should be
efficient and conducive to long-term development goals,
helping recipients to develop their own capacity. China is
committed to technical cooperation programs and to increasing
imports from Africa to support sustainable long-term
development.
RANDT