Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan briefed Tuesday's press conference on the visit of Robert S. Mueller, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States.  

According to Kong, Mueller is making his first visit to China from April 19 to 21. Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Zhou Yongkang met with him Tuesday morning and exchanged views on the two nations' cooperation on law enforcement, counter-terrorism and fighting international crimes.

Kong also said the 15th meeting of the Sino-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) is aimed at pushing forward mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

"The meeting is also expected to expand consensus and narrow differences between China and the United States," Kong said.

Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi left Beijing Monday for the United States and will co-host the meeting with US Secretary of Commerce Donald L. Evans and Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick in Washington on Wednesday, said Kong. She will also meet other US leaders, congressmen and businessmen.

The two sides will find many areas of agreement and mutual interests during the meeting, said Kong. But both China and the United States will also raise their own concerns during the meeting.

China will urge the United States to ease control on exports of high-tech products to China and stop investigation into China's products exported to the United States, Kong added.

Sino-US trade has witnessed rapid growth, with trade volume hitting US$126 billion last year, and bilateral trade has maintained robust momentum in the first quarter of this year, said Kong.

First set up in 1983, the JCCT has been the highest level bilateral consultation mechanism on trade and commerce between China and the United States. But this year's session is the highest level of the past decade.

The spokesman yesterday reiterated concern and strong dissatisfaction with the first tourist groups to the Nansha Islands organized by Vietnam.

The islands are disputed territory between the two countries.

Disregarding China's repeated representations and firm opposition, Vietnam's tourist activities infringed on China's territorial sovereignty and violated the consensus reached between the two nations, Kong said.

Kong told reporters that Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi summoned the Vietnamese Ambassador to China Tran Van Luat on Friday to express China's strong concerns.

The move leads to a complication of the situation in the South China Sea and will not help resolve disputes, Kong said. Vietnam also broke its commitments set forth in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea between China and the Association of Southeastern Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"We again urge the Vietnamese side to honor its commitments and immediately stop taking any action that may further complicate the situation so as to keep peace and stability in the South China Sea," said Kong.

When answering an inquiry about the visit of DPRK leader Kim Jong-il to China, Kong said China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) are friendly neighbors with a tradition of high-level visits.

"It is very important for the two countries' leaders to communicate and keep in contact in various forms, to constantly exchange views on important international issues and issues of common concern," Kong said.

Kong said China is confident that the third round of six-party talks will be held before the end of June while meetings on setting up a working group will be held before the talks.

Kong said that the six-party talks were established as a mechanism to resolve the Korean nuclear issue in a peaceful way, which China considers beneficial and necessary.

China has been in close contact with the other parties, said Kong, adding that China submitted a draft of a conceptual document for setting up a working group for the six-party talks, and all sides have accepted the draft.

All the parties do have some disparities in setting up the working group, and that is inevitable, said Kong. China is making its contribution in this regard with cooperation from the other parties.

According to the Chairman's Statement released at the end of the second round of six-party talks that were held February in Beijing, the involved parties agreed to set up a working group to deal with technical issues and to hold the third round of six-party talks before June.

Turning to the Iraqi issue, the spokesman reiterated China's position that the issue should be resolved within the UN framework. This stance remains unchanged, he said.

There are three requirements for the United Nations to play a key role in Iraq.

First, the safety situation in Iraq should be stabilized, Kong said.

Another one is that of "Iraqi people governing Iraq" with the restoration of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Third, the reconstruction of Iraq should be started as soon as possible, Kong said.

Moving on to the Mideast situation, the spokesman said that the international community should reinforce efforts in promoting the peace process in the Middle East when tension is escalating in the region.

Kong said that immediately after learning of the assassination of the Islamic resistance movement Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi in an Israeli Defense Forces security operation, China aired its strong condemnation. He said China believes target killing will not solve problems.

He expressed hopes that all parties will exercise restraint when tension is escalating, and the international community will strengthen efforts in promoting the peace process in the region.

In another development, the spokesman restated that China hopes Canada will give careful thought to the Chinese position on the Dalai Lama's visit and not provide a platform for him.

Kong said that the Dalai Lama is not purely a religious figure but a political activist engaging in splitting China. In the context of the smooth development of Sino-Canadian relations, Canada should not provide a platform for the Dalai Lama.

China has noticed some statements from the Canadian side, Kong said, noting that nevertheless, China hopes the Canadian government will reconsider the issue and correct its mistake.

Turning to Sino-Russian ties, Kong said that China is fully confident in the prospect of bilateral relations.

Kong said that the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Russia has been developing well in recent years and the bilateral cooperation and exchanges in all areas including in the political affairs were also improving continuously.

Kong said Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing will visit Russia later in April and attend the regular meeting for foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Moscow on April 23.

"This is an important visit and I believe it could start the personal exchanges between the Chinese and Russian foreign ministers from a new basis and the two ministers could set up a close working relationship to further promote the smooth development of China-Russia strategic partnership," Kong said.

Kong said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov will visit China from April 20 to 22 at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Cao Gangchuan.

He said the Chinese government and military leaders will hold talks with Ivanov and the two sides will exchange views on military exchanges, bilateral relations, regional and international situation as well as other issues of common concern.

"China and Russia will have a series of important high-level visits this year, covering bilateral exchange and cooperation," Kong said.

Also at yesterday's briefing, Kong announced that at the invitation of Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Gerhard Schroeder, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium Guy Verhofstadt, President of European Commission Romano Prodi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Italy Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Tony Blair and Prime Minister of Ireland Bertie Ahern, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will pay an official visit to the above-mentioned countries and the headquarters of the European Union between May 2 and 12.

Kong also announced that Indonesian Foreign Minister Hasan Wirayuda will visit China from April 27 to May 1 at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing. Prior to the visit, Wirayuda will attend the 60th session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations to be held in Shanghai.

According to Kong, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Robert Woonton will pay an official visit to China from April 24 to May 1, at the invitation of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

(Sources including Xinhua News Agency and China Daily, April 21, 2004)