UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 002059

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MNUC CH KN KS JA RS ST SP IN PK
SUBJECT: MARCH 27 PRESS BRIEFING: SIX-PARTY TALKS, PM WEN
TO ROK AND JAPAN, EAST CHINA SEA TALKS, JCS GENERAL PACE
VISIT, CHINA-RUSSIA JOINT STATEMENT, TAIWAN-ST. LUCIA
RELATIONS, VISITS


1. Key points made at the March 27 MFA press conference were:

-- The MFA Spokesman said no date has been set for the next
round of Six-Party Talks, discussed DAS Glaser's visit on the
Banco Delta Asia issue and ducked other questions about why
last week's Talks broke down.

-- Premier Wen will visit the Republic of Korea April 10-11
and to Japan April 11-13. The seventh round of East China
Sea Talks will be held in Tokyo March 29.

-- United States' Joint Chiefs of Staff General Pace met with
FM Li and visited Nanjing and Shenyang.

-- The China-Russia Joint Statement enshrines both countries'
consensus on energy cooperation and will benefit
international energy markets.

-- China strongly opposes recent contacts between Taiwan and
St. Lucia.

-- FM Li will visit Pakistan April 1-2 and New Delhi April
3-4.

-- Spanish First Deputy Prime Minister de la Vega will visit
China April 2-8 for opening ceremonies of the "Year of Spain
in China."

Six-Party Talks; DAS Glaser in Beijing
--------------


2. MFA spokesman Qin Gang said at the March 27 regular press
briefing that relevant parties are having consultations on
the Banco Delta Asia (BDA) issue and the resolve of all six
parties to the Six-Party Talks remains unchanged. No date
for the next round of Talks has been set. Asked about
Treasury DAS Glaser's meetings with the People's Bank of
China, MFA, DPRK officials and China's Bank Regulatory
Commission, the spokesman only confirmed Glaser was meeting
with relevant parties and departments. Qin deflected
detailed questions on BDA and declined to comment on a
question alleging that Russia's head of delegation blamed the
United States for the breakdown in Talks.

PM Wen to Visit ROK and Japan
--------------


3. Premier Wen will visit the Republic of Korea April 10-11
then travel to Japan April 11-13 at the invitat

ion of
President Roh and PM Abe, respectively. He had no details
about Premier Wen's schedule. The seventh round of East
China Sea Talks will begin March 29 in Tokyo and be led by
MFA DG for Asia Hu Zhengyue and Japan DG Kinichiro Sasae,
announced Qin.


4. Asked if Wen and Abe would discuss Japan's bid for a
permanent seat on the UN Security Council, Qin said this was
a UN issue to be handled multilaterally and required patience
to come to a consensus. China's cooperation with Southeast
Asian countries should not threaten any third party and is
conducted according to the policy of building mutual trust,
Qin said, noting that he had not read a recent Japanese
military report labeling a rising China as a threat to Japan.
China hopes to further joint efforts to promote peace and
stability in the region. Qin did not answer questions about
the Japan-DPRK abduction issue, PM Abe's statements on
comfort women or China's goals for the East China Sea talks.

JCS General Pace's Visit
--------------


5. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair General Pace met with FM Li
and visited Nanjing and Shenyang military districts as part
of military exchange between China and the United States,
said Qin. He referred reporters to relevant departments for
specifics on General Pace's activities in Shenyang and
Nanjing.

China-Russia Joint Statement: Consensus on Energy Coop
-------------- --------------


6. China and Russia energy cooperation is an important part
of bilateral relations and is being discussed along with
other regional and international issues during President Hu's

BEIJING 00002059 002 OF 002


ongoing state visit to Russia, Qin said. Both countries have
reached a consensus on energy cooperation, a point enshrined
in the recently signed Joint Statement. Cooperation between
China, the world's second largest oil consumer, and Russia,
the world's second largest oil producer, serves the benefits
of both countries and the international energy market.

Taiwan "FM" to St. Lucia, Possible Military Sale
-------------- ---


7. Qin said the PRC's Ambassador to St. Lucia expressed
Beijing's dissatisfaction over Taiwan's "so-called Foreign
Minister" James Huang's visit to the Caribbean nation, a move
which violates joint communiqus between St. Lucia and China
and has upset the Chinese people. This "attempt" of some in
Taiwan to establish two Chinas for "political aims" will
never succeed, he said. St. Lucia should abide by the "one
China" principle for the good of the bilateral relationship.


8. Beijing strongly opposes official contact and military
relations with Taiwan, the spokesman said when asked for
comment on the possibility of Taiwan selling fighter jets to
the Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala and Chile. Beijing hopes
these countries will properly handle the issue in accordance
with the "one China" principle, he said.

FM Li to Attend SAARC as Observer and Visit Pakistan
-------------- --------------


9. FM Li will attend the 14th annual summit of South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in New Delhi
April 3-4 at the invitation of the Indian government,
following a visit to Pakistan April 1-2 at the invitation of
FM Kasuri, announced Qin. This is the first time China is
attending the summit as an observer. Asked by Indian
reporters to elaborate on China's role in SAARC, Qin
emphasized the importance of the regional cooperative
organization and China's support as a friendly neighbor.
China will make its own positive contribution to the
stability and prosperity of SAARC following a policy of
equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, he said.

Spanish Deputy PM de la Vega to Visit China
--------------


10. Spanish First Deputy Prime Minister de la Vega will visit
China April 2-8, traveling to Xian and Beijing, announced
Qin. De la Vega will meet with PM Wen and State Councilor
Tang and attend the opening ceremony of the "Year of Spain in
China." The activities will promote mutual friendship and
understanding strengthening the two countries' strategic
partnership and cooperation in various fields including
education, politics, trade and culture, said Qin responding
to a Spanish journalist's request for more details.
RANDT