China has expressed strong dissatisfaction with and opposition to a US State Department human rights report.

 

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said at Tuesday's regular press conference the irresponsible statements in the report will not improve Sino-US relations or human rights dialogue between the two countries.

 

"China has made extensive progress in the human rights arena in the past years, economically, politically and socially. Moreover, the country has included protection of human rights in the Constitution, creating a legal framework for the well-being of its people," he said.

 

Liu noted that China is sparing no effort to improve its human rights situation in order to build a harmonious society.

 

China has urged Washington to acknowledge all of the facts and to stop using the human rights issue to interfere in China's internal affairs. It also called for Sino-US human rights dialogue to continue on an equal footing and in a non-confrontational fashion to narrow differences. 

 

"We hereby remind the US government to look at problems of human rights abuses existing domestically, and think about putting its own house in order," he said.

 

In response to a report that Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) plans to submit its first draft constitutional revision in March, Liu advised Japan to take a prudent approach.

 

Japan's pacifist constitution, enacted after World War II, forbids the maintenance of an army and involvement in warfare. But as a leading economic power in today's world, Japan's ambitions to play important roles politically and militarily have increased.

 

The LDP aims to present the constitutional revision for discussion at the 50th anniversary of its establishment in November, with the intent to revise the war-renouncing Article 9.

 

"As Japan's neighbor, China sincerely hopes that Japan conscientiously learns its lessons and gives due consideration to the concerns of Asian countries it invaded in World War II. China hopes that it will be prudent in making any revision concerning military security," said Liu, noting that Japan's peaceful development is in the fundamental interest of both the country itself and the region.

 

Turning to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Liu said that China urges all parties concerned to show their sincerity and flexibility to the resumption of the six-party talks and reiterated that it is a common aspiration of the participants and the international community to continue the talks.

 

He noted that consensus had been reached and substantial results made in the previous talks. But the talks are now confronted with difficulties caused by many factors.

 

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said in early February that it wanted the six-party talks to continue, but it was compelled to suspend its participation for an indefinite period. The statement aroused deep concern.

 

DPRK top leader Kim Jong-il told Wang Jiarui, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, during his visit in February that the country would return to the negotiating table if its conditions were met for the next round of talks.

 

Liu said Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei will visit the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Wednesday. He said the two sides have held several consultations over the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

 

According to the spokesman, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing discussed the issue with ROK Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-moon over the telephone Monday afternoon. Both agreed to strengthen cooperation with the aim of resuming the six-party talks as soon as possible.

 

Turning to Lebanon, Liu said, "China is concerned with the development of its situation, and hopes it can maintain stability."

 

Lebanon's prime minister and cabinet quit yesterday, highlighting a two-week long crisis that started with the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in a February 14 bombing.

 

(CRI.com, Xinhua News Agency, China Daily, March 2, 2005)