Hong Kong issues are China's internal affairs and China does not need any foreign interference, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao at a regular briefing in Beijing Thursday.

"Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong," Liu said in response to a request for comment on the remarks of US Senator Sam Brownback.

In an article published recently in the Asian Wall Street Journal, Brownback said events in Hong Kong are not merely China's internal affairs, and if Beijing continues to frustrate the will of the people of Hong Kong on the issue of democracy, "we must begin to question whether or not the Basic Law is a suitable foundation for Hong Kong's government."

Such remarks only reveal his lack of knowledge of Hong Kong's history and current situation, Liu said.

"Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong, and Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs," Liu said. "The Chinese government and people have the determination, capability and wisdom to maintain and safeguard Hong Kong's stability and prosperity."

"We don't need any foreign interference, which will bring no good to anyone," Liu said.

In another development, the spokesman said China is willing to strengthen cooperation with the Afghan side in fields like policing and relevant departments of the two sides are holding talks on cooperation in such regards.

While currently there is a policeman working in Afghanistan, Liu said there is no more information about future cooperation.

He reiterated that China has been supporting and taking part in the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Turning to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana's visit to China from March 16 to 17, Liu said China and the European Union both attach importance to Solana's upcoming visit.

Liu said this is the first official visit by Solana since he took the office of secretary-general of the EU Council and high representative for the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy.

During his visit, Solana will meet with Premier Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, Liu said. He will also pay a visit to the Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and give a speech at Tsinghua University, one of the top universities in China. Solana's visit to China is invited by Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.

Solana will exchange views with Chinese leaders on regional and international issues, including the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Liu said the EU has not showed intention to the Chinese side for participating in multilateral talks on the DPRK's nuclear issue.

But China appreciates the EU's efforts in helping make the second round of six-party talks happen and its efforts to push the issue to a peaceful solution, he said.

China hopes that the nuclear issue can be solved soon through dialogue and diplomacy while the security concerns of the DPRK are resolved, he said, adding that such progress requires patience.

As the third round of the six-party talks will be held by the end of June, the working group of the talks will be formed soon, according to the spokesman.

Liu said at the second round of talks all parties agreed to form a working group to prepare for the third round of talks.

China, as the host country, will create a blueprint with details such as the function of the working group. Chinese FM staffs are working for that, said Liu.

After the blueprint is created, China will discuss it with other five sides and hopes to hear their voice and get their support.

The second round of the six-party talks to resolve the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula was held in Beijing from Feb. 25 to 28. The talks involve China, the DPRK, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan.

Also at yesterday's briefing, the spokesman announced that Joseph J. Urusemal, president of the Federated States of Micronesia, will visit China from March 19 to 25.

The president was invited by Chinese President Hu Jintao, Liu said.

(Sources including Xinhua News Agency and China Daily, March 12, 2004)