APRIL 6 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: NO PLANS FOR HAMAS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 BEIJING 006530 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ECON PHUM PARM KNNP CH JP SUBJECT: APRIL 6 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: NO PLANS FOR HAMAS VISIT; VFM WU TO TOKYO; JCCT; SINO-JAPAN RELATIONS BEIJING 00006530 001.4 OF 004 Summary -------------- ¶1. Key points made at the April 6 MFA press briefing are as follows: - There are no plans for Palestinian FM Mahmoud Al-Zahhar to visit China. - VFM Wu Dawei will travel to Tokyo to meet with the other heads of the Six-Party Talks delegations, but will not attend the NEACD. - China hopes for fruitful JCCT discussions. Eleven Chinese enterprises and over 200 Chinese entrepreneurs will travel with Vice Premier Wu Yi to sign or negotiate business deals in agricultural products, airplanes, software, auto parts and telecommunication equipment. - MFA Spokesperson Liu claimed Chinese people are satisfied with their rights and freedoms, while the United States should focus on its own problems, stop maintaining double standards and end its interference in China's internal affairs. - Each visit to the Yasukuni Shrine by Japan's leader is a blow to the China-Japan relationship. China hopes Japan will respond responsibly and positively to the Chinese leader's recent clear message on how to improve one of the most important relationships in the world. - Commenting on China's presidency of the UNSC, Liu said China hopes for peaceful solutions to the Iranian and DPRK nuclear issues through dialogue and looks to India and Pakistan to build on improved relations to quickly solve outstanding issues. - China does not view the U.S.-India nuclear deal as an attempt to contain China. - Liu said the purpose of Defense Minister Cao Guangchang's current visit to the DPRK is to strengthen bilateral ties and not a response to recent U.S.-ROK exercises. - China hopes other countries understand that China is seeking win-win relationships in Latin America that will bring tangible benefits to all parties. End summary. No Plans for Palestinian FM to Visit China -------------- ¶2. Denying that there are any plans for Palestinian FM Mahmoud Al-Zahhar to visit China, MFA Spokesperson Liu Jianchao said the reports about a visit must have been the result of "misinformation." Liu confirmed that PRC Ramallah Office Director Yang Weiguo had met with the Al-Zahhar and conveyed the message that China wants to develop even friendlier relations with Palestine and hopes the Palestinian government will take active steps towards peace in the Middle East. VFM Wu Dawei Will Meet with Six-Party Heads in Tokyo -------------- -------------- ¶3. Asked whether VFM Wu Dawei would attend the Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue (NEACD) meeting in Tokyo, Liu reported that Wu would be in Tokyo at the same time as the NEACD but would not participate in the event. Instead, the purpose of Wu's visit to Tokyo is to meet with the other Six-Party Talks heads of delegatiom. This will not be the a new round of Six-Party Talks but does represent a good opportunity for the heads of delegations to exchange views on how to overcome the difficulties of getting to the next round of Six Party Talks. Denying that he had information about Wu's exact plans in Tokyo, Liu said the timing of Wu's meetings with other heads of delegation would depend on their schedules. Liu said the various parties should make joint efforts for the early resumption of the Six-Party Talks and the early realization of the contents of the joint statement. Liu denied having any knowledge about reports that DPRK VFM Kim Gye-Gwan is currently in Beijing. BEIJING 00006530 002.4 OF 004 ¶4. Liu said MFA Asian Affairs Department officials and Ministry of National Defense officials would represent in the NEACD in an unofficial capacity. China-U.S. Trade Relations and Business Deals -------------- ¶5. Liu said China and the United States are important trading partners and bilateral trade serves the interests of both countries, with the United States being China's second largest trading partner and China the fourth largest export market for the United States. The JCCT is an important mechanism for the discussion of common interests and the exchange of views on problems in U.S.-China trade. Liu expressed hope that the upcoming JCCT session would be fruitful. ¶6. Asked to comment on reports that PRC companies will purchase $15 billion of U.S. goods prior to President Hu's visit to the United States, Liu reported that 11 Chinese enterprises and 202 Chinese entrepreneurs would accompany Vice Premier Wu Yi to the United States. Visiting 14 cities in 13 states, the Chinese businesses will sign or negotiate contracts for agricultural products, airplanes, software, auto parts and telecommunication and other electronic equipment. As for the total value of the contracts, Liu said that would need to wait for a few more days. Chinese People "Satisfied" with Rights and Freedoms -------------- -------------- ¶7. Asked about the U.S. Human Rights Report's criticism of China's human rights record, Liu argued that China had realized remarkable achievements in protecting human rights, with the Chinese people enjoying rights and freedoms as set out in the constitution. The Chinese people are satisfied with their situation and the international community is satisfied with China's efforts, claimed Liu. He urged the United States to correct its own human rights problems, to stop maintaining double standards and to end its interference in the internal affairs of other countries. Asked whether human rights would be part of President Hu's discussions with President Bush, Liu said he did not know the the specifics of the visit. Sino-Japan Relations -------------- ¶8. China's relations with Japan was again a major topic. Liu said the current difficulties in relations is because of individual Japanese leaders' visits to Yasukuni Shrine to pay tribute to the Class A war criminals enshrined there and that each visit is a blow to the Chinese people and Sino-Japan relations. The proper handling of the historical issue is important for the sound and steady development of bilateral relations and to prevent the reoccurrence of historical tragedies. Asked to comment on why China has recently blamed the poor relations on the actions of Japan's leader and not the Japanese people, Liu said that the people of China and Japan have a history of over 1000 years of largely living in harmony with mutual trust and respect. The current impasse is solely because of the visits by Japan's leader to Yasukuni Shrine. The Japanese people have nothing to do with the impasse, while most of the Chinese population wants good relations with Japan. Liu said China's leader recently sent a clear message to Japan and China hopes Japan will respond in a responsible and positive manner. ¶9. Remarking that the Sino-Japanese relationship is one of the most important in the world, Liu claimed that the Chinese Government is dealing with Japan from a strategic point of view with its long-term interests in mind, as well as with the understanding that good relations serve the interests of both countries. Liu said that no matter what happens over the historical issue, China would maintain relations with Japan based on the three PRC/Japan political documents. China hopes that Japan will take history as a mirror and look to the future. For its part, China will continue to promote people-people exchanges to strengthen the relationship, according to Liu. ¶10. In response to more specific questions on the BEIJING 00006530 003.4 OF 004 China-Japan relationship, Liu said China has every right to engage in exploration in the Chunxia gas fields, which are entirely within Chinese territory. On the cessation of Japanese ODA to China, Beijing is expecting Tokyo to adhere to their bilateral agreement and unilateral action by Japan would not be helpful. Liu remarked that China hopes all issues can be resolved through dialogue. Internal Affairs -------------- ¶11. Pushed to comment on the inconsistency in how China defines internal affairs, Liu said internal affairs are not decided by individual countries and suggested the reporter look at the UN Charter for definitions. Liu said that while human rights are an internal affair and China rejects interference by others seeking to promote human rights in the PRC, China does see the benefit of engaging in dialogue based on equality and mutual respect in order to learn about how to improve human rights in all countries. Arguing that Japanese leaders' visits to Yasukuni Shrine are not Japan's internal affair, Liu said the visits hurt the feelings of people in other countries and affect Japan's bilateral relations with its neighbors, including China. PRC Presidency of the UN Security Council -------------- ¶12. Asked to comment about what China would do during its month-long UNSC presidency to promote peace in Iraq, Iran and South Asia, Liu said China, whether as a permanent member of the UNSC or as President of the UNSC, will continue to play an active role in promoting peace and development everywhere. On the Iranian and DPRK nuclear issues, China hopes a peaceful solution will be found through dialogue. Liu noted the steady improvement in India-Pakistan relations due to the constant efforts of both countries. China hopes India and Pakistan will sieze the opportunity and quickly solve their outstanding issues, including Kashmir, which will bring peace and development to the region. U.S.-India Nuclear Deal -------------- ¶13. Rejecting the view that the U.S.-India civilian nuclear agreement was part of an effort to contain China, Liu said Beijing welcomes improved U.S.-India relations that benefit regional stability. He also noted that China expects both countries to abide by their non-proliferation commitments. Defense Minister Cao's Visit to the DPRK -------------- ¶14. Asked to comment on whether Defense Minister Cao Guangchang's visit is in response to recent U.S.-ROK war games, Liu said Cao's visit is a bilateral exchange that will improve PRC-DPRK relations and is not targeted at a third country. Cao's visit will also increase stability in the region. Liu said he had no information on a meeting between Cao and DPRK leader Kim Jong-Il. China in Latin America -------------- ¶15. Asked to comment on growing economic and political relations between China and Latin American countries, Liu said that politically, China is following the path towards peaceful development, while economically it is seeking mutual benefit through economic cooperation. China's goal is a win-win situation and Beijing will always keep the interests of other countries in mind, continued Liu, expressing hope that other countries would understand this. Liu said Latin American countries are satisfied with the expanding political and economic relations with China that have lead to tangible results to benefit of all. Singapore Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong's Visit -------------- -- ¶16. Liu reported that Singapore Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong will visit China April 12 -18. He will meet with Premier Wen, State Councilor Tang and CPPCC National BEIJING 00006530 004.3 OF 004 Committee Chair Jia Qinglin in Beijing and also visit Shanghai and Suzhou. Liu said the meetings will build on the positive momentum in China-Singapore relations that have been built on the frequent exchanges of high level visitors. Key topics will be the development of western China and how to increase person-to-person exchanges. Senior Moroccan Official in Beijing -------------- ¶17. Asked to comment on the purpose of the Morocco's Deputy Foreign Minister's current visit to China, Liu said the official was a special envoy sent to Beijing to pave the way for Hu's visit to Morocco which will occur as part of Hu's multi-nation April trip that includes the United States. Liu asked the reporters to wait a few more days and then he would be able to brief them on Hu's complete trip intinerary. Other Upcoming Visits -------------- ¶18. Kazakhstan FM Kasymzhomart Tokayev will visit to China April 13-15 and meet with Premier Wen, State Councilor Tang Jaixuan and FM Li Zhaoxing. Lithuanian FM Antanas Valenis will visit China April 12-19. RANDT