FM press conference on Feb. 28 (Full Text)

Q: First, Special Representative Wu Dawei of the Chinese Government on the Korean Peninsula Affairs met with his ROK counterpart Lim Sung-nam in Bejing yesterday. Please give us more information. Second, in the UN Security Council's discussions on the DPRK's nuclear test, the US and the ROK called for severe sanctions against the DPRK, which is different from China's attitude. What is China's comment?

A: On February 27, Wu Dawei, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on the Korean Peninsula Affairs, held talks with Lim Sung-nam, top ROK nuclear negotiator and Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs of the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on the situation of the Korean Peninsula.

China's position on the UN Security Council's discussions on the DPRK's nuclear test is clear, so it is with our position on safeguarding peace and stability of and denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. China supports the UN Security Council in taking appropriate reaction to show opposition to the DPRK's nuclear test. Meanwhile, the reaction should be prudent, moderate and conducive to denuclearization and non-proliferation of the Korean Peninsula as well as peace and stability of the Peninsula and Northeast Asia. In the above spirit, China has been communicating with all parties concerned including the ROK on relevant discussions at the UN Security Council. China always maintains that the only correct way to fundamentally resolve the Korean nuclear issue is to address relevant parties' concerns in a comprehensive and balanced way through dialogue and negotiation. We will make unremitting efforts to this end.

Q: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at the House of Councillors meeting on February 27 that it is difficult to predict China's intention of targeting Japanese ships and planes with fire-control radar on frigates and called on the establishment of a maritime liaison mechanism between the two sides to avoid miscalculation. On the same day, Japanese media released photos of Chinese maritime surveillance ships' so-called tracking of Japanese fishing boats, saying that "once open fire, the fishing boats and the crew members would end up feeding fishes." What is China's comment?

A: Both the Chinese Ministry of National Defense and the State Oceanic Administration have clarified the facts and expounded China's solemn position on the so-called "fire-control radar" issue and maritime surveillance ships' machine guns "targeting" Japanese ships. I would like to point out that recently the Japanese side has repeatedly distorted the facts, hyped false information about China, instigated antagonism and smeared China. It is neither responsible nor conducive to the settlement of the issue. We urge the Japanese side to respect the facts, show sincerity and make concrete efforts to manage and properly deal with relevant issue through dialogue.

Q: Relevant parties and international media generally made positive comments on the talks on the Iranian nuclear issue in Alma-Ata which concluded yesterday. What role did China play in the dialogue and negotiation on the Iranian nuclear issue and what is China's expectation for the future?

A: The talks have yielded positive results. The two sides had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on how to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue with a constructive attitude and agreed to hold an expert-level meeting and a new round of talks in the near future for further discussions on relevant proposal. This round of talks takes the first step on the path of launching a substantive negotiation on the Iranian nuclear issue and is conducive to resolving the issue through dialogue and negotiation.

China remains committed to promoting peace talks. We joined in the P5 plus one mechanism in 2006 and have participated in four rounds of talks between the P5 plus one countries and Iran as well as one expert-level meeting since last year. We have been in close communication with all major parties, encouraging them to be flexible and practical and accommodate each other's concerns in a bid to find a solution. We also made specific proposals on how to narrow differences and build up consensus. China's constructive role has been appreciated by relevant parties.

There is still a long way to go for the comprehensive, long-term and proper settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue. We hope relevant parties could increase confidence, show further sincerity and flexibility and intensify dialogue and negotiation for an early progress of the talks on the Iranian nuclear issue. China will continue to play a constructive role to this end together with all parties.

Q: What has China done after 9 Hong Kong tourists were killed in the hot-air balloon explosion in Egypt on February 26?

A: 9 Hong Kong citizens of China were killed in the hot-air balloon explosion in Luxor of Egypt on February 26. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) attaches great importance to the incident. The Center for Consular Assistance and Protection launched the contingency mechanism at once, and a working group led by officials from the Department of Consular Affairs left for Egypt on the same evening to assist the Chinese Embassy in Egypt and the group from the Immigration Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in dealing with the aftermath. The Chinese Embassy in Egypt sent a working group to the scene upon learning the incident. Ambassador Song Aiguo called senior officials of the Egyptian government, requiring the Egyptian side to find out the cause of the incident as soon as possible, properly keep the bodies and the victims' belongings and assist in dealing with the aftermath.

On the noon of February 27, the MFA working group arrived in Cairo and immediately started work. Ambassador Song Aiguo and the working group called for a meeting with relevant officials from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry and expressed China's concerns. The Egyptian side expressed deep condolences to the Chinese victims and promised to complete the investigation and inform China as soon as possible and assist China in dealing with the aftermath with all efforts.

On the afternoon, Ambassador Song Aiguo and the working group met the bereaved families at the airport and expressed sympathy to them.

The MFA will continue to guide the Embassy and the working group in Egypt in dealing with the aftermath.

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