DECEMBER 15, 2009 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: NORTH KOREA CARGO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 003338 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM PARM MNUC KNNP SENV CH KN CB TH JP CA FR SUBJECT: DECEMBER 15, 2009 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: NORTH KOREA CARGO PLANE IN THAILAND, LIU XIAOBO, UIGHURS IN CAMBODIA, CLIMATE CHANGE ¶1. Key points at the December 15 MFA press briefing were: -- It is up to the UN Security Council to consider the cargo plane detained in Thailand for suspected arms smuggling. -- Western criticism of China's persecution of Charter 08 signer Liu Xiaobo is "unacceptable." -- The 22 Uighurs seeking asylum in Cambodia were "involved in crimes" and are being investigated by Chinese authorities. Thai Interception of North Korean Arms -------------- ¶2. At the December 15 regular Foreign Ministry press conference, spokesperson Jiang Yu said that she had "noted reports" that the Royal Thai Government had detained a cargo plane believed to have been carrying arms from North Korea. It would be up to the UN Security Council to decide whether these actions were in line with relevant resolutions, said Jiang. Liu Xiaobo -------------- ¶3. Western criticism of China's persecution of Charter 08 signer Liu Xiaobo was "unacceptable," said the spokesperson. China was a country ruled by law and would brook no interference in its legal system. In China, only the guilty faced punishment and China opposed foreign forces use of such cases against China, said Jiang. Uighur Asylum Seekers -------------- ¶4. The 22 Uighurs seeking asylum in Cambodia were "involved in crimes" and were being investigated by Chinese authorities, said Jiang. International refugee protection systems should not be used as a haven for criminals. He Yafei Comments, and Copenhagen Conference -------------- ¶5. On December 14, in an interview in Copenhagen with the Financial Times, China's Vice Foreign Minister, He Yafei, was quoted as saying "financial resources for the efforts of developing countries (to combat climate change) are a legal obligation." "That does not mean China will take a share - probably not. We do not expect money will flow from the US, UK (and others) to China." At the press briefing, Jiang attempted to clarify He's statement. Jiang said that China understood and attached great importance to the concerns of developing, African and small island nations. China was willing to give priority to these nations when dispersing UN funds to fight climate change. Developed countries had an obligation to support developing countries' efforts to combat climate change, however. Jiang claimed that in the years since the creation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC),the commitments of the developed world remained "on paper only." China had worked to combat climate change using its own resources, but with more support, it could do more. Developed countries should work to provide "extra, fresh and adequate" support to developing countries. ¶6. Wen Jiabao would depart for Copenhagen on December 16 to make an important speech, said Jiang. China believed that relevant parties should strengthen cooperation and expend political will to reach an agreement. Any setbacks at the Copenhagen conference were the result of "regression" in the positions of developed countries regarding technical and financial support, said Jiang. Developed countries now sought to abandon the FCCC, the Kyoto Protocols and the Bali Roadmap and had put forward a "plethora" of demands on developing countries, Jiang claimed. It was the legal obligation of developed countries to take the lead on emissions reductions and to support the development of less developed nations. China was coordinating its position with developing countries and would continue to follow the FCCC, Kyoto Protocols and the Bali Roadmap. Canadian Repatriation -------------- ¶7. Lai Changxing is a Chinese citizen who was head of the Xiamen-based Yuanhua Group -- a firm implicated in a large smuggling and corruption scandal in the late 1990s. Lai resides in Vancouver, British Columbia and is often described as "China's most wanted fugitive." At the press briefing, Jiang observed that China had "taken note" of reports that Lai Changxing was not on a list of Chinese citizens who would be repatriated to China by Canada. China and Canada maintained cooperation in areas of law enforcement and would soon sign an MOU on combating cross-border crime. Lai was a criminal wanted by Chinese public security forces and should be BEIJING 00003338 002 OF 002 returned to China for processing, said Jiang. French Visit -------------- ¶8. French Prime Minister Francois Fillon would visit China from December 20-22. During his visit Fillon would meet with President Hu Jintao, NPC Chairman Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao to exchange views on the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership and other major issues of strategic concern. China-France relations had recently seen sound development, increased high level exchanges and active cooperation. China was willing to work with France to implement the consensus for future bilateral development. Xi Jinping to Japan -------------- ¶9. Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping recently completed his meeting with Japanese Emperor Akihito, said Jiang. The visit of Xi to Japan would play an important role in the development of the "strategic and mutually beneficial" relationship between the two countries. Xi's visit was progressing smoothly and the Japanese Government had made "very considerate arrangements." GOLDBERG