China is willing to further cooperate with the international
community in the fight against terrorism, said Chinese Foreign
Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao in Beijing Tuesday.
Liu said at a regular press conference the position that China
holds in fighting terrorism has always been very clear. China
stands for countering terrorism of any form and calls on
international cooperation in this respect.
The counter-terrorism cooperation China has carried out can be
called "multilateral," Liu said.
China has cooperated effectively not only with big powers like
the United States and Russia, but also with neighboring countries,
especially member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization. Such cooperation, in the fields of diplomacy,
information and military, will be continued.
Zhao Yongchen, deputy director of the counter-terrorism bureau
of the Ministry of Public Security, has said very clearly that
China is willing to cooperate with the international community in
combating terrorism and the Chinese government hopes the other
countries in the world to support China's fight against
terrorism.
At a press conference in Beijing Monday, Zhao called on
authorities in all countries to disband the "Eastern Turkistan"
terrorist organizations China has identified, ban their activities
in their territories, forbid support, financing and harboring of
these organizations and to freeze their assets.
The Chinese Ministry of Public Security made public at Monday's
press conference four identified "Eastern Turkistan" terrorist
organizations, namely, East Turkistan Islamic Movement, East
Turkistan Liberation Organization, World Uygur Youth Congress and
East Turkistan Information Center, along with a list of 11
identified members of the organizations.
Liu quoted Zhao as saying that China urges the governments of
all nations to carry out criminal investigation into the 11
identified terrorists according to law, capture and transfer them
to China to bear their criminal responsibility.
The spokesman also denied that China had helped the Iraqi army
make military plans to combat the US and Britain forces, saying
such reports are totally "groundless."
Liu was asked to comment on a report that Chinese anti-aircraft
experts helped the Iraqi army to plan combat air raid operations by
the coalition forces of the United States and Britain in 2002-2003
in violation of related UN resolutions on sanctions against
Iraq.
Liu said such reports were totally "groundless and
irresponsible."
"China has always strictly abided by all UN resolutions on
Iraq," said Liu. "China never had military contact and exchanges of
any kind with the regime of Saddam Hussein after the Gulf war
crisis in 1990."
With respect to the date of the second round of six-party talks
on the Korean nuclear issue, the spokesman said it is yet to be
determined because there are still differences among the parties
concerned.
The six-party talks, involving The Democratic People's Republic
of Korea (DPRK), the United States, Russia, the Republic of Korea
(ROK), Japan and China, aimed to resolve the nuclear issue on the
Korean Peninsula and contribute to peace and stability in Northeast
Asia and the world.
The three-day first round of talks, held in Beijing in late
August, was regarded as a good beginning for the peaceful
resolution of the DPRK nuclear issue.
Liu said China had done a lot to prepare for the second round of
talks, with support from all parties.
China had consistently held that the peaceful settlement of the
nuclear issue through dialogue conformed to the interests of all
parties and was therefore the only correct choice.
Acknowledging that the parties were in close consultation, Liu
said China hoped they would show greater flexibility and continue
to prepare for the second round at an early date.
Also at yesterday’s briefing, the spokesman said China's
diplomatic efforts in 2003 are "positive, constructive and
fruitful," and China is willing to enhance cooperation with the
international community for world peace and stability.
Liu said China's new leadership has adhered to the independent
foreign policy of peace, maintaining its continuity and
stability.
At the same time, the Chinese government has progressed with the
times and actively explored further development in diplomacy.
Liu said China continues to develop friendly relations with its
neighbors, enhance cooperative ties with developed countries, and
has made new progress in expanding friendship and cooperation with
developing countries.
China earnestly fulfills its international obligations and holds
international disputes should be properly settled through dialogue
and talks. China has played a constructive role in dealing with
major issues, strengthening international counter-terrorism
cooperation and maintaining world peace and stability.
It is China's view that peace and development remain the two
major themes of the present era, the spokesman said. However,
non-traditional security issues, such as terrorism, environmental
protection, transnational crimes and severe acute respiratory
syndrome, have posed grave challenges to world peace and
development. China is willing to enhance cooperation with all
countries and make its due contribution to safeguarding world peace
and stability.
(Xinhua News Agency December 17, 2003)