China Thursday expressed its "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to the annual human rights report of the United States, which accuses China of "backsliding" on human rights.  

It is obvious to all that China has made progress in the human rights arena, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue Thursday at a regular news briefing.

"We hope the United States can treat China's progress and achievements on human rights objectively and correctly, and correct its mistaken practice of submitting such reports," she said.

The report, criticizing human rights situation in other countries and regions, also blamed the Hong Kong government for failing to announce a timetable for public consultations on moving towards full democracy.

Zhang said that the issues of Hong Kong relate to China's internal affairs and China opposes any country interfering in Hong Kong affairs.

The United States did not sponsor a resolution against China last year.

But US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Lorne Craner told reporters the United States was heading in the direction of proposing a UN resolution on China's human rights record.

Zhang said that Chinese government always advocates for holding human rights dialogues on an "equal and mutually respected" basis.

In past years, China and the United States held frank and sincere talks on human rights, which have been proved to be good for strengthening mutual understanding and reducing differences, according to Zhang.

She hoped the two countries can resolve differences on human rights through dialogue.

Moving on to the ongoing six-party talks on the Korean nuclear issue, the spokeswoman said all participants to the talks are making efforts to fix their consensus at the talks in a written form.

However, the final outcome is "hard to predict", Zhang said.

Various parties began consultations before the talks, Zhang said, adding that whether such a common document can be passed depends on the efforts of the parties.

China has made it clear that the goal of China in the six-party talks is to "maintain a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula."

China hopes the talks "to proceed smoothly, achieve a good result and the dialogue mechanism to continue," she said.

In terms of the second plenary session of the talks held yesterday, Zhang said that six parties had in-depth and substantial discussions.

Zhang said the discussions, which lasted from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm Thursday, mainly focused on the detailed measures for the realization of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, but she declined to give further details.

She said the Chinese side has been in consultation with all parties on the issues and the parties concerned were also discussing the possibility of reaching consensus.

Zhang described the attitude of all sides at two days' meeting as "constructive, pragmatic and calm".

Zhang said the parties have all shown certain flexibility in resolving problems and keeping substantial discussions.

Since good preparation have been made prior to the talks, the parties all have clear understanding of the goals of the talks as well as the key problems and principles to be discussed at the talks, she said.

It is predictable that differences existed on certain issues, she said. As long as the six parties have common aspiration and show political wisdom, certain consensus will be achieved, she said.

Zhang also told the briefing that China's economic assistance to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has nothing to do with what the DPRK wants to achieve in the ongoing six-party talks.

"Such point is very clear," Zhang said.

China has for years provided economic aids to the DPRK within its capacity, she said. "All the assistance is aimed to help the people of DPRK to overcome temporary economic difficulties and recover their economy," she said.

China's policy towards the neighboring countries is to build friendly, peaceful and prosperous neighborhood, she said.

The six-party talks, involving China, the DPRK, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan, started Wednesday morning and will continue one more day on Friday.

Also at yesterday's briefing, the spokeswoman expressed her appreciation for Spain's adherence to the one-China policy.

The Spanish Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it would continue to support the one-China principle and reject the so-called "Taiwan referendum."

Spain said in a communique that the approval for holding a referendum in Taiwan had been a serious mistake which should have been avoided and which would affect the region's stability.

Zhang said the "open and clear opposition" of Spanish government to Taiwan authorities' practice is good for deepening Sino-Spanish mutual understanding and promoting friendly cooperation in various fields.

The spokeswoman also revealed at the briefing that the Chinese government has decided to provide 5 million yuan (US$607,000) emergency humanitarian aid materials to Morocco, which suffered a strong earthquake in that country's northeastern Alhucemas Province. The temblor killed nearly 600 people.

And the Red Cross Society of China also provided US$30,000 aid to its Moroccan counterpart, according to Zhang.

President Hu Jintao has sent his condolences to Moroccan King Mohammed VI, and a Chinese medical team in that country has also taken part in rescue work, said Zhang.

In another development, the spokeswoman said that the Chinese government is actively seeking international cooperation in the fight against bird flu.

Zhang said the government is deeply concerned about the prevention and control of the disease. The Ministry of Agriculture has set up an effective epidemic reporting mechanism with the World Health Organization and United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

She said the FAO has approved an emergency technical cooperative project in personnel training and expert exchanges in helping China prevent the spread of avian influenza.

China has promised to provide active viral strains to international agencies, and the first batch of inactivated samples were dispatched on Feb. 24, she said.

China is also offering help to neighboring countries hit by the disease, providing US$450,000 in foreign exchange to Vietnam and Thailand. The Ministry of Agriculture also offered equipment, including protective suits, gloves, detergents and packing bags, worth 200,000 yuan (US$24,184) to Vietnam.

(Sources including China Daily and Xinhua News Agency, February 27, 2004)