The Foreign Ministry said yesterday that new measures concerning
the release of news in China by foreign news agencies won't affect
coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games by visiting
journalists.
Ministry spokesman Qin Gang made the remarks at a regular press
conference when asked to comment on the "Measures for Administering
the Release of News and Information in China by Foreign News
Agencies."
He said the measures were aimed at standardizing the foreign
media's distribution of news and information, regulating domestic
users' subscription to such material, promoting the orderly
dissemination of news reports and protecting the legitimate rights
and interests of foreign media and domestic users.
Qin said China was an open society and had always given a
welcome to the foreign media reporting on the country.
"China will continue to improve its work and provide more
services, convenience and help to foreign media and journalists,"
said Qin. China also hoped foreign journalists would observe the
laws and regulations of their resident country, he added.
In 1996 the State Council first authorized Xinhua News Agency,
the state news agency, to administer the publication in China of
economic information by foreign news agencies. The recent measures
were just a "reasonable continuation" of the 1996 administration
measures, said Qin.
Qin also said that the injured Chinese diplomat in Syria was in
stable condition in a local hospital. Qin explained that the
political counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Syria, Li Hongyu, was
slightly injured when hit in the face by flying shrapnel. He'd been
taken to hospital for emergency treatment.
The US embassy in Damascus, capital of Syria, was attacked
by a group of militants Tuesday morning. Three militants were
killed but no one in the embassy was injured. The Chinese embassy
is located very close to the US embassy.
The attack occurred at about 10:05 AM (07:05 GMT) and intense
gunfire was heard.
The district, where many foreign missions, security
installations and the homes of senior Syrian government officials
are located, has been sealed off by security guards.
Another 10 citizens were also injured in the terrorist assault.
The attack happened just one day after the fifth anniversary of the
September 11 terrorist attacks on the US carried out by Osama bin
Laden's al-Qaida terror network.
In response to the question of the nomination of Rabiya Kadir, a
member of the "East Turkistan" terrorist force, as a Nobel Peace
Prize candidate, Qin said Rabiya's statements and actions, aimed at
destroying the peace and stability of Chinese society, ran against
the original intention of the Nobel Peace Prize. He wondered what
the motivation for the nomination was.
Qin said Rabiya had been arrested and sentenced for damaging
national security by China's judicial organ. Rabiya had colluded
with "East Turkistan" terrorist forces abroad, distorted facts and
maliciously attacked the Chinese government under the pretence of
"democracy" and "human rights." Rabiya had frequently engaged in
anti-Chinese activities aimed at splitting the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from China,
he said.
Also at the briefing, Qin said the Chinese government had
conveyed to the UN its willingness to send more troops to join
the UN Interim Force to Lebanon. The dispatch of more troops was
still under consideration, he added.
China was always concerned about and supported the Mideast peace
process and deemed it important for stabilizing the Mideast
situation to carry out the UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and
to expand and deploy forces at an early date, Qin said.
"As a permanent member of UN Security Council and a peace-loving
country China will make positive contributions to this end," Qin
said. Under Resolution 1701 the UN forces will be expanded to
15,000 troops to monitor a cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon's
Hezbollah group.
On Sino-Japanese relations Qin said the Japanese side should
make a wise political decision under the current situation to
enable bilateral relations to develop in a sound way.
Qin said the proper handling of history was the political
foundation of China-Japan relations and would help Japan to improve
its relations with Asian neighbors as well as its international
image. He called on Japan to work jointly with China to overcome
the current difficulties and make active efforts for the
development of bilateral relations.
The Chinese government always attached great importance to the
good neighborly relationship of cooperation with Japan and was
willing to develop bilateral relations on the basis of the three
Sino-Japanese political documents, while adhering to the principle
of taking history as a mirror and looking into the future, he
stressed.
Qin reiterated the stance of the Chinese government on the
Taiwan issue, saying it always opposed those having diplomatic ties
with China to conduct official communications with Taiwan.
Japan should abide by its commitment made in the three
Sino-Japanese political documents when handling the Taiwan issue --
namely to abide by the one-China policy. Qin also expressed good
wishes for the newly born baby of the Japanese imperial house.
Qin said China opposed Japan starting any new dispute on the
East China Sea. He stressed that the development of the Chunxiao
oil and gas field was carried out within the non-disputed Chinese
waters and thus was the normal activity of China of exercising
sovereign rights.
Therefore, there was no obligation or requirement for China
to report to Japan on oil and gas exploitation, said Qin. On the
disputed area of East China Sea, Qin said the two sides should
resolve the dispute through consultation.
He said the East China Sea was not yet delimited and China had
never accepted the so-called "middle line" claimed by Japan and
would never accept it in the future. China wouldn't become involved
in discussion on joint-development of the East China Sea based on
the "middle line," said Qin.
When responding to when the next round of China-Japan talks --
which have gone six rounds -- would be held, Qin said the date
would be set after consultation of both sides.
On the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue, Qin said China hoped all
sides would make joint efforts to resume the six-party talks as
soon as possible. The current situation on the Korean Peninsula was
still sensitive and complicated, said Qin. The concerned sides
should focus on how to push for the resumption of the six-party
talks. He hoped all sides could show flexibility in creating
favorable conditions for the early resumption of talks.
He appealed to all parties for patience, calm and wisdom and to
avoid taking any action that might intensify disputes and cause the
current situation to deteriorate. "China still hopes to
restart the talks via dialogue and consultation," Qin told the
press.
The six-party talks involve China, North Korea, the US, South
Korea, Russia and Japan. Discussions reached a stalemate when North
Korea criticized the US for imposing "financial sanctions" against
it.
In reply to a question on whether or not China had plans to send
senior officials to North Korea or invite any of their officials to
China, Qin said, "China and North Korea have maintained exchanges
at various levels." If the two nations planned an exchange of
visits the information would be released immediately, he added.
Qin also announced that the top legislative bodies of China and
Russia were to hold a roundtable in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province from September 18 to
19.
Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee
of the National People's Congress (NPC) and Russian Federation Council
Chairman Sergei Mironov will attend the opening ceremony and give
speeches.
The roundtable discussion is one of the national level events of
the "Year of Russia," which has staged more than 130 activities in
China. The "Year of China" will take place in Russia in 2007.
On state visits, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing will lead a delegation to attend
the 61st general debate of the UN General Assembly session from
September 17 to 23, Qin announced. After the session Li will pay an
official visit to Saint Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda from
September 24 to 27.
Li is expected to address the session of general debate and
to conduct a series of bilateral and multilateral activities
including meeting with UN General Secretary Kofi Annan, President
of the UN General Assembly Haya Rashed Al Khalifa and foreign
ministers of relevant countries, Qin said.
Li would also hold consultations with the Rio Group and
Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, the spokesman
said.
The 61st session's general debate is to be held from September
19 to 27, focusing on issues of UN reform, the appointment of the
successor to Annan, development goals, counter-terrorism and
environmental protection.
Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Law and Security
Affairs Widodo Adi Sutjipto is to pay an official visit to China
from September 17 to 21, announced Qin. Widodo will co-chair with
State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan the first ever meeting of
China-Indonesia dialogue mechanism at deputy prime minister
level.
(Xinhua News Agency September 13, 2006)