Premier Wen Jiabao will visit four South Asian countries next month and attend the Fourth Foreign Ministers' Meeting of Asian Cooperation Dialogue in Islamabad on April 6.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said at Thursday's regular press conference that Wen will visit Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India from April 5 to 12.

Liu said China and South Asian countries have long-term friendly relations and common understandings on maintaining world peace and promoting development. Wen's visit will strengthen regional cooperation and exchanges.

Commenting on a report that some Japanese members of the Ishigaki assembly in Okinawa Prefecture proposed enacting an ordinance concerning "Senkaku Day," Liu said any unilateral moves taken by Japan on the Diaoyu Islands are "unlawful and invalid." Senkaku is the name used by Japan for the Diaoyu Islands.

China firmly opposes such moves, which seriously infringe upon China's territorial sovereignty, said Liu, reiterating that Diaoyu and the surrounding islands have been a part of Chinese territory since ancient times.

He said China is concerned about the ordinance and has expressed its stance through diplomatic channels.

"China holds indisputable historical and lawful evidence" on the issue, he said.

As for Japan's bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Liu said China understands that Japan wants to play a bigger role in the international arena, but that it hopes Japan "will have the correct attitude over historical issues."

Liu said that China supports concrete reforms of the United Nations Security Council, with priority given to increasing the UNSC's capacity to address threats and challenges and with changes made by consensus, based on democratic consultation.

Liu said China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) are working on a schedule for a visit by President Hu Jintao.

The invitation from the DPRK leader Kim Jong-il was conveyed by visiting Premier Pak Bong-ju during his Wednesday meeting with Hu, Liu said.

"The two sides will have consultations for concrete arrangements for the visit," he said.

No breakthrough was made on resuming the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue during a series of meetings over the past three days between Pak and Chinese leaders.

During his meeting with Premier Wen on Tuesday, Pak said the DPRK did not oppose a fourth round of talks and would return to the negotiation table when the conditions are ripe.

Liu said that Sino-US relations would in no way be undermined if the EU lifts its arms embargo on China.

The European Union should demonstrate political wisdom and courage and lift the arms embargo as soon as possible, Liu said.

On Wednesday, the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana said maintaining the ban was "unfair." A June timetable had reportedly been set but Solana said it was unclear whether it would be met.

"Some countries have fabricated excuses to prevent the lifting of the arms embargo," Liu said. "It is totally unreasonable."

Liu announced that former Vice Foreign Minister Zhou Wenzhong has been appointed China's ambassador to the United States.

Previously, the State Council appointed Yang Jiechi, former Chinese ambassador to the United States, as vice foreign minister.

Zhou began to serve in the Foreign Ministry in 1970 and was appointed vice foreign minister in May 2003.

(China Daily, CRI.com, Xinhua News Agency, March 25, 2005)