APRIL 28 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: UIGHUR DETAINEES, SWINE FLU,

UNCLAS BEIJING 001136

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PHUM CH JA FR MX

SUBJECT: APRIL 28 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: UIGHUR DETAINEES, SWINE FLU,
ASO VISIT


1. Key points at the April 28 MFA press briefing:

-- The Uighur detainees being held at Guantanamo Bay are "members of
the East Turkestan Islamic Movement" and "should be handed over to
China."

-- China takes the swine flu issue "seriously" and has "jump
started" a program to respond to the threat.

-- President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will meet with
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso during his upcoming visit and
"exchange views on issues of common and respective interest."

Uighur Detainees
--------------


2. The Uighur detainees being held at Guantanamo Bay are "members of
the East Turkestan Islamic Movement" and "should be handed over to
China," said MFA spokesperson Jiang Yu at the April 28
regularly-scheduled MFA press briefing. China will "handle them
according to law" and opposes "any country accepting these suspects"
into its territory.

Pork Ban
--------------


3. China takes the swine flu issue "seriously" and has "jump
started" a program to respond to the threat, said the spokesperson.
A "multi-department mechanism" has been established to strengthen
quarantine capabilities and monitor points of entry. China has also
"enhanced cooperation with the World Health Organization to enhance
the effectiveness" of its response. The disease has not entered
China, but this eventuality "cannot be ruled out." On April 26 the
General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and
Quarantine and the Ministry of Agriculture jointly banned imports of
pork from affected areas in the United States and Mexico, said
Jiang. China hopes relevant countries "can be understanding" of the
ban.

Japan-China Ties and Nuclear Transparency
--------------


4. President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will meet with
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso during his upcoming visit and
"exchange views on issues of common and respective interest," said
Jiang. China-Japan relations are currently at a "critical stage"
and China would like to establish a sound and stable basis for
bilateral ties. Responding to statements made by Japanese Foreign
Minister Hirofumi Nakasone criticizing the transparency of China's
nuclear arsenal, Jiang said that China's nuclear policy is
"completely transparent." China also actively supports complete
denuclearization, said Jiang.

China-France Ties
--------------


5. President Hu Jintao met with Speaker of the French National
Assembly Bernard Accoyer on April 24, said the spokesperson.
Accoyer delivered a letter from French President Nicolas Sarkozy
inviting Hu to visit France. China is willing to enhance
communication and cooperation with France to deepen bilateral
relations and combat the financial crisis.

Chiang Mai Initiative
--------------


6. China attaches great importance to cooperation in the ASEAN plus
three, said Jiang. Regarding the Chiang Mai Initiative to manage
regional short-term liquidity problems, which will be discussed by
the ASEAN plus 3 in an upcoming meeting of the Asia Development Bank
in Bali, Jiang noted that all parties have "reached a consensus" and
are working on implementation. China hopes that a consensus can be
reached on foreign exchange reserves by the end of May, said Jiang.


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