Q: Yesterday, Pope John Paul II extended an
apology to China for errors of the colonial past. Besides,
the Pope said that his last wish is to possibly come to
China. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comments on
that?
A: We have noted the press
report on the message by Pope John Paul II. However, we have
not seen the whole text yet. We will study his
message.
China is willing to improve relations
with the Vatican. However, we have two principles: First,
the Vatican must end the so-called “diplomatic
relations” with Taiwan, recognize the PRC Government
as the sole legitimate government representing the whole of
China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s
territory. Secondly, the Vatican should not interfere in
China’s internal affairs under the pretext of
religious affairs. Our principled position on this question
remains unchanged.
Q: A US
official recently claimed that the compensation issue of the
plane collision incident is a done issue, because the
Chinese side has not come up with the issue for months. What
is your comment?
A: I have heard of
the report. However, I do not know which US official made
the above remarks. I have made clear our position on this
issue on many occasions. I believe the US side is also well
aware of our position.
Q: The
Japanese cabinet held a meeting today on Sino-Japanese trade
dispute. They have decided not to officially impose trade
sanctions on China even after the 8th November deadline.
They would prefer first to consult with the Chinese side.
What is China’s position?
A: On
the trade dispute, I wish to stress that the Chinese
Government always stands for a settlement through talks. It
is our consistent policy. The current dispute came as a
result of Japan’s restrictive measures. To resolve the
issue, it is up to the Japanese side to take the lead. It is
also up to Japan as to when the dispute could be resolved.
Q: The 4th WTO Ministerial
Meeting will be held in Doha. It is learnt that the meeting
will examine and approve the decision on China’s
membership into the WTO. However, some people disagree with
the timing of the meeting. What is your
comment?
A: I have been informed that
the WTO members are preparing, as scheduled, the 4th WTO
Ministerial Meeting to be held in Doha, Qatar. Positive
progress has been made. The Doha meeting is going to be held
at an important historic juncture. It will have far reaching
and profound impact on the world trade and the multilateral
trade mechanism. The upcoming conference will examine the
decision on China’s entry into the WTO. China attaches
great importance to the conference and has made thorough
preparations. We will send a high level delegation to
participate in the meeting. Besides, Qatar is a friend of
China. We believe Qatar will make the meeting a success and
contribute to the revival of the world economy and the
development of the multilateral trade mechanism. We wish the
meeting a crowning success.
Q:
It was reported by the Hindustan Times that the
Taliban’s commander-in-chief claimed that China is
helping the Taliban to fight the United States. What is your
comment?
A: The above report is a
complete fabrication. I wonder what the newspaper is driving
at to publish such a distorted report at such a period.
Since the outbreak of the 11 September Incident, some
individuals in the world is not satisfied with being out of
the limelight. They have tried every means to undermine
China’s image. Their attempts could lead to nowhere.
Q: Does China have any
concrete proposals on the restoration of peace in
Afghanistan?
A: The concrete program
for the settlement of the Afghan issue should be drawn up in
light of the development of the situation. At the moment,
our position on the Afghan issue could be summarized as
follows: Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial
integrity should be safeguarded. It is up to the Afghans
themselves to independently come up with a solution. The
future government of Afghanistan should be widely based,
represent the interests of various ethnic groups and live in
harmony with the other countries, especially its neighboring
countries. The settlement should be in the interest of
safeguarding regional peace and stability. The UN should
have a more active role to play in the political settlement
of the Afghan issue.
Q: Are
there any Afghan refugees in China? If the Afghan refugees
pour into Xinjiang, will China accept
them?
A: The Afghan refugee issue is
a long-standing problem waiting for a solution. I believe
that the international community does not wish to see a new
wave of refugees due to the deterioration of the regional
situation. Over the years, China has provided assistance to
the Afghan refugees within its own capability. Recently, we
have donated some more commodities to the refugees. China is
closely watching the development of the situation. We are
ready to work with the international community for a proper
solution to the issue.
So far, there is no
wave of Afghan refugees into China. If you are aware of the
geographical conditions along the Sino-Afghan border, you
will understand that it is unlikely for such a thing to
happen.
Q: The war in
Afghanistan is like to lead into the Ramadan. The US army
also claimed that the war would not stop during the period.
It will lead to domestic chaos in Pakistan. The Pakistani
government will come under heavy pressure. What is
China’s consideration?
A: You
have raised a hypothetical question. As a friendly neighbor
of Pakistan, we closely watch the domestic development in
Pakistan. We hope to see a stable situation there. It is of
vital importance to the Pakistani people and to the
international fight against terrorism. Recently, we provided
to Pakistan 10 million RMB yuan worth of commodity
assistance. In the future, we will carry on our friendly
exchanges and cooperation with Pakistan. On Pakistan’s
internal affairs, we will never interfere in them. We
believe that the Pakistani government and people could
properly deal with their own affairs.
Q: Will the Afghan war
and the chaos in Pakistan have any short term or long term
negative impact upon China?
A: The
terrorist activities have been a common enemy to the
international community. As I have just mentioned, we will
carry on our friendly ties with Pakistan. However, the
current situation has made it difficult to smoothly carry
out some projects, especially those projects along the
borders between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Thus, we wish to
see an early restoration of peace and stability in the
region. This is not only in the interest of the local
people, but also serves the interest of neighboring
countries.
Q: It is reported
by China Daily today that China is well prepared in the case
of an attack by bio-chemical weapons. What is your comment?
Do you believe that Beijing or some other cities is under
threat?
A: The Chinese Government
attaches great importance to the prevention and handling of
any sort of terrorist activities, including the attacks by
bio-chemical weapons. The relevant government departments
have drawn up detailed plans to prevent and handle possible
attacks by bio-chemical weapons. Checks on key commodities,
luggage and persons at points of entry and exit have been
strengthened. Strict quarantine on suspicious
luggage and substance will be carried out and sufficient
storage of medicines and vaccines are prepared. In
case of attacks by bio-chemical weapons, China will,
according to the Law on the Prevention of Infectious
Diseases and other relevant laws, handle quickly at the
first minute of discovery and control resolutely.
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