China's signing of the UN Convention Against Corruption
has shown again the government's firm determination in fighting
corruption and clear-cut position on strengthening international
cooperation in this regard, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman
Liu Jianchao.
Liu said the Chinese government supports the stipulations of the
convention and it has participated in the negotiation process in
the sincere, cooperative and realistic spirit and made positive
contributions to the stipulation work.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui signed the document
Wednesday on behalf of the Chinese government during a high-level
political conference that opened Tuesday in Merida of Mexico with
participants from 125 countries.
Liu said the convention was passed by the UN General Assembly on
Oct. 31 this year after over two years of drafting under the
leadership of the United Nations, and it has laid a firm legal
foundation for international anti-corruption and is conducive to
international cooperation to this end.
He said the convention, the first consensus-based framework to
combat corruption worldwide, establishes the principles for the
recovery of corruption assets transferred to other countries, and a
mechanism at the international level for the prevention of and
fight against corruption and strengthening of international
cooperation.
Premier's US Visit a Success
Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to
the United States was a "complete success", which will surely exert
an "important and positive influence" on the growth of Sino-US
ties.
Liu Jianchao said that during Premier Wen's short but
compactly-organized stay in the United States, the two sides
reached consensus on a broad range of issues and the visit was very
substantial.
During the visit, the spokesman noted, Wen had an in-depth
exchange of views with President George W. Bush and other US
leaders on bilateral ties, and reached wide-ranging and important
consensus on further promoting the growth of the constructive and
cooperative relations between China and the United States.
The two sides agreed that strengthening their reciprocal
cooperation is in the fundamental interests of the people of both
nations and conducive to the world peace and stability.
Liu said that on the Taiwan issue, leaders from both sides
agreed that it is of pivotal significance to safeguard the peace
and stability across the Taiwan Straits.
Premier Wen reiterated the Chinese government's basic policy on
the issue, and President Bush promised that the United States will
adhere to the one-China policy, abide by the three US-China joint
communiques and opposes Taiwan's independence or any unilateral
actions that seek to alter the status quo.
The Chinese side appreciates the US stance on the Taiwan issue,
he noted.
The leaders of both countries also fully exchanged views over
the further expansion and deepening of the Sino-US trade and
economic cooperation, Liu said.
Wen proposed resolving the problem of trade deficit through
reciprocity, equal consultation and further growth of trade and
economic cooperation, and Bush voiced his full endorsement. They
also decided to upgrade their commerce and trade joint committee
and hold the committee's first meeting next spring.
While staying in the US, Wen also had extensive contact with
American people from all walks of life, Liu said. The premier
briefed them on China's situation in all spheres, which further
enhanced the mutual understanding of the people of the two
nations.
Relevant departments of the two nations also held consultations
and reached consensus on issues including trade and economic
cooperation, transportation, plant quarantine and environment
protection. Liu said they also signed agreements on navigation and
transpiration cooperation.
In addition, the two sides also agreed to hold the sixth annual
consultations on defense affairs between their vice-defense
ministers and the fourth counter-terrorism consultations early next
year in Beijing, the spokesman said.
Stance on Taiwan Reiterated
The spokesman also reiterated the Chinese government's stance on
the Taiwan issue at the press conference.
Liu said China will "do its utmost, with utmost sincerity," to
bring about peaceful reunification of the country, by quoting what
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told US President George W. Bush during
their talks on Tuesday.
Wen Jiabao said that China's fundamental policy on the Taiwan
issue is "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems,"
according to Liu.
The Chinese premier also said China respects the desire of
people in Taiwan for democracy, but China "can absolutely not
accept and tolerate" the attempts of the Taiwan authorities to use
democracy as an excuse and attempt to resort to a "defensive
referendum" to split China.
Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is
conducive to the interests of the people on both sides of the
strait, Wen said, adding that only when "Taiwan independence" is
firmly opposed, can peace and stability be maintained.
The mainland of China will not give up its efforts for peaceful
reunification of the country as long as there is a glimmer of hope
of resolving the issue peacefully, Wen said.
Bush said during his talks with Wen Jiabao that the United
States understands China's concern over the Taiwan issue, and that
the US government adheres to the "one-China" policy, remains
committed to the three Sino-US joint communiques and opposes
"Taiwan independence".
The United States does not approve of the recent messages from
Taiwan to change its status quo, Bush said, adding that the United
States opposes any unilateral attempt to change the status quo of
Taiwan.
Liu said the Chinese side appreciates the active stance of the
United States on the Taiwan issue.
Liu also stressed China has always opposed the Taiwan Relations
Act which is unilaterally set by the US side and runs counter to
the three Sino-US joint communiques.
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Enhancing friendship with all Mideast nations
China is willing to develop its friendly, cooperative ties with
all Mideast countries including Israel, Liu said.
China warmly welcomes the imminent visit by Israeli President
Moshe Katsav from Dec. 14 to 20, he said, acknowledging that China
will develop its friendly cooperation with all countries worldwide
including Mideast nations based on the Five Principles of Peaceful
Co-existence, and Sino-Israeli friendship not only complies with
the interests of the two nations and their people but benefits
peace and development in the Middle East region.
The UN Asian Meeting on the Question of Palestine will be
co-sponsored by the Chinese government and the United Nations in
Beijing from Dec. 16 to 18, said Liu.
With the theme of "Arousing International Support for a Peaceful
Solution of the Question of Palestine", the conference will have
about 200 participants, including officials from the United Nations
and relevant countries and noted experts and scholars on the
Mideast issue, he said.
Liu said Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo would attend
and address the opening ceremony of the meeting.
The Israeli president's visit and the meeting fully indicates
China's readiness to strengthen its friendship with all Mideast
countries including Israel, the spokesman added.
More involved in UN peacekeeping operations
China is ready to get more involved in the peacekeeping
operations of the United Nations to make its efforts to safeguard
the peace and stability of the region and world, said the Chinese
Foreign Ministry spokesman.
Liu said that China in April this year dispatched a force to the
Democratic Republic of Congo to participate in the peacekeeping
operations of the United Nations. The force includes a 175-person
sapper company and a 43-person medical team, he added.
Liu noted that the Chinese peacekeeping force has overcome
difficulties and completed its tasks over the past months, and has
been highly praised by all sides.
According to the UN regulations and the needs of the reality,
Liu said, the Chinese peacekeeping force will complete its first
shift and come back to Beijing on Dec. 15, and the substitute force
will take their position on Dec. 13.
Liu said that as a permanent member of the UN Security Council,
China has always supported the UN's peacekeeping operation and its
efforts to settle the conflict in Africa, and has actively
participated in the peacekeeping operations in the region.
He noted that not long ago, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan
expressed his gratitude for China's contributions to peacekeeping
operations during his meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
Parties concerned should cherish consensus on 6-party
talks
China hopes the parties concerned will treasure the hard-earned
consensus reached on the fresh round of six-party talks on the
Korean nuclear issue and show more flexibility so as to initiate
the talks at an early date and make progress.
Liu Jianchao said that China has been in close contact with the
other parties involved in the talks, namely, the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic
of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan, and transferred their stances and
proposals to each other in proper ways.
China will continue consulting with the relevant parties and
find consensus to create conditions for the second round of
six-party talks, said the spokesman. The parties concerned are
still making consultations on the talks and the specific date for
the talks hinging on the preparation of the talks.
Progress of Japan-ASEAN relations welcome
China is pleased to see the new progress in the relations
between Japan and the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN), said the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman.
Liu made the remark in response to Japan's upcoming declaration
of joining the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast
Asia.
He said that China congratulates the special summit opened
Thursday between Japan and the ASEAN in Tokyo, capital of
Japan.
China is ready to work with Japan and the ASEAN to promote
cooperation in East Asia and achieve the prosperity and development
of Asia, the spokesman said.
(Sources from China Daily and Xinhua News Agency December 12,
2003)