Q: It is reported that a Russian advance
group arrived at Kabul on November 18. Does China also have
any plan to send people to Afghanistan recently for
consultations with the parties concerned
there?
A: As the permanent member of
the UN Security Council and the neighbor of Afghanistan, we
support UN’s leading role in the solution of the
Afghan issue and the efforts within this framework of all
the parties concerned contributing to the restoration of
peace of Afghanistan within this framework. We also stand
for the establishment of a broadly-based coalition
government in Afghanistan that represents the interests of
all ethnic groups in Afghanistan and live in harmony with
the other countries especially its
neighbors.
Q: Taliban is now
collapsing in Afghanistan and the political situation there
is moving towards stability. Therefore the trade and
economic opportunities also increase. Has the Chinese
government set any restriction on Chinese corporations in
handling business in Afghanistan? Are there any regulations
in this regard? Are Chinese corporations free to conduct
business there?
A: At present the top
priority is to push forward an early establishment of a
transitional authority in Afghanistan that is broadly-based
and represents the interests of all ethnic groups. As the
permanent member of the UN Security Council and the neighbor
of Afghanistan, over a long period of time, China, together
with the international community, has made unremitting
efforts for an early restoration of peace in Afghanistan. In
light of the current situation, we also support all efforts
conducive to the realization of peace in Afghanistan. Once
peace and stability is restored there, China is also ready
to join the international community in participating the
rebuilding of Afghanistan.
Q:
It is reported that during President Putin’s phone
call with President Jiang Zemin yesterday, the two sides
agreed to conduct the expert-level consultations on
terrorism. How do you evaluate the prospect of China-Russian
cooperation on anti-terrorism?
A: I
am quite willing to brief you on the relevant situation.
Yesterday President Jiang Zemin touched upon this issue in
his phone call with President Putin. I should say that the
issue of terrorism has become a common issue facing the
international community. The Chinese side is willing to
enhance the cooperation with all countries in the world in
fighting terrorism. During the APEC meeting, China and
Russia agreed to establish an anti-terror working group
between the two sides to exchange views and expand
cooperation in the fields of combating terrorism. In
yesterday’s phone call, the two sides also agreed that
the first meeting of the China-Russia working group against
terrorism will be held in Beijing at the end of this month.
This is of great significance to strengthening the strategic
cooperation between the two countries. The two delegations
are both headed by the deputy foreign ministers of the two
countries. At the forthcoming meeting, the two sides will
have a wide-ranging exchange of views on the current
situation in the fight against terror, consolidating the
cooperation on combating terrorism and some other
issues.
Q: Recently, the
leaders of the African countries have visited China
frequently and brought about a great development of
China-Africa relations. What has China done in developing
its relations with the African
countries?
A: The Chinese government
has all along attached importance to Africa. Strengthening
and developing the friendly relations and cooperation with
the vast developing countries including the African
countries has always been a major component of China’s
independent foreign policy of peace. The traditional
friendship between China and Africa has enjoyed a long
history, well established in the hearts of the people, and
withstood the test of time and changes in the world. China
is the biggest developing country and Africa, the continent
with the largest number of developing countries. At the
start of the new century, both sides share the keen
aspiration of further developing their friendly relations
and cooperation and jointly pushing forward the
establishment of a new international economic and political
order. For this purpose, the China-Africa Cooperation
Forum-Beijing Ministerial Meeting 2000 was held last year to
press ahead the mechanism of the cooperation for the
establishment of a long-term stable partnership based upon
equality and mutual benefit.
After the end of
the cooperation forum, the friendly relations and
cooperation between China and Africa has got further
development by implementing the follow-up activities. The
major measures taken by the Chinese side include: Firstly,
China has maintained frequent exchange of high-level visits
and strengthened its political consultations and cooperation
with the African countries. The two sides also enhanced
consultations and mutual support in international affairs to
jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the
developing countries. Secondly, China has carried out its
promises at the forum. China efficiently handled the
procedures of debt reduction with the relevant countries and
has signed the protocols on the debt exemption with 21
African countries. Meanwhile, China expanded the scale of
the human resources training in Africa and increased the
assistance to Africa within its capacity. Thirdly, China
stepped up its economic and trade cooperation with Africa.
The trade between the two sides set a record by hitting 10
billion dollars in 2000. Since October last year, China has
set up 58 corporations in Africa. This year, the
newly-contracted projects reached 1.672 billion dollars.
Fourthly, China improved the follow-up mechanism after the
forum. China has held the first high-level consultations
with Africa on the follow-up activities, during which the
two sides approved in principle the procedures on the
follow-up mechanism of the forum. The above-mentioned
procedures have enriched and added fresh impetus to the
friendly relations and cooperation between China and Africa.
It is our belief that with the further implementation of the
follow-up work, the friendly relations and cooperation
between our two sides will undoubtedly get further
consolidated and improved.
Q:
It is reported that seven corporations in the US have agreed
to sell diesel submarines to Taiwan. What is your comment on
that?
A: We are firmly opposed to US
arms sales to Taiwan, especially sales of submarines, and
made solemn representations on this issue to the US side on
many occasions. We urge the US side to be aware of the
serious danger of the its arms sales to Taiwan, strictly
abide by the three China-US Joint Communiqués,
especially the provisions of the August 17th Joint
Communiqué, stop its arms sales to Taiwan including the
submarines and refrain from further damaging the Sino-US relations.
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