Premier Wen Jiabao will make an official visit to the Philippines from January 13 to 16, and attend a series of meetings in Cebu City, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said yesterday.

The meetings will include the 10th ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) plus Three (China, Japan and the Republic of Korea) summit, the 10th China-ASEAN summit, and an East Asian regional summit, Liu told a regular press briefing.

Wen will also chair the 7th annual meeting of leaders of China, Japan and the ROK.

Wen's visit, initially scheduled for December 11-14, was postponed due to Typhoon Utor, which ripped through the island country causing devastation.

On the issue of the South China Sea, Liu said that "China has indisputable sovereignty over the Xisha, Nansha Islands and adjacent islands. And we have all historical and legal evidence needed to prove this."

Liu was responding to accusations Vietnam had made on China infringing on its sovereignty by erecting structures marking the base points of China's territorial sea on the Xisha Islands.

This is an issue within China's sovereignty, and other countries have no right to intervene, Liu said.

He added that according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone, the Chinese government publicized the base points on the Xisha Islands in 1996.

Liu also revealed that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will pay an official visit to China from January 9 to 11.

A concert will be held to mark the 15th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Israel during Olmert's visit.

Liu also said China had extended its condolences following the death of Paek Nam-sun, foreign minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing had already sent messages of condolence to the DPRK, according to Liu.

He said Paek had worked hard on Sino-DPKR relations, and expressed his belief that his efforts would be sustained by the two sides.

Paek, who died on Tuesday at the age of 78, was appointed foreign minister in 1998. He paid his last official visit to China in June last year.

Source: Xinhua/China Daily