The Chinese government resolutely opposes any attempts to interfere in its internal affairs, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Thursday at a regular briefing in Beijing.
It has been reported that Martin Lee along with two members of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Legislative Council will give evidence to a US Senate hearing on the issue of democracy in Hong Kong.
Liu said Hong Kong's democratic issues are part of China's internal affairs, and Basic Law provides guarantees for the development of democracy in Hong Kong and its people's democratic rights.
"The Chinese people are wise enough to handle Hong Kong's affairs according to law and any random comments are not necessary,'' he noted.
He added the Chinese government has made clear to the United States its position and concerns over the issue.
In another development, the spokesman said although China is not a signatory state to the Ottawa Convention for some concerns, China agreed with the Convention's principles.
Liu said China is a signatory state to the Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Body-Trap and Other Devices of Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.
China strictly abided by prohibitions of manufacturing and use of landmine according to the Protocol, Liu said, adding China would assist countries troubled with landmine in demining.
He said China has actively participated in the international cooperation for demining including making donations to United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Clearance, supplying equipment and holding international training courses for land clearance and dispatching experts to countries troubled with landmine for training.
He said China will strengthen exchanges and cooperation with countries concerned and make its due efforts for international landmine clearance.
Also at Thursday's briefing, the spokesman said China appreciates Bangladesh's adherence to the one-China policy.
The government of Bangladesh has denied allegations that there are official institutions of Taiwan operating in the country, Liu said.
Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Morshed Khan said Bangladesh will continue to support the one-China policy and consider Taiwan as a province of China, according to Liu.
Morshed Khan also indicated there is no sense in
Taiwan authorities holding a referendum because they cannot legally hold such a vote without the approval of the central government of China, Liu said.
Liu also announced that Afghanistan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah will visit Beijing on March 10 at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.
He said China cares deeply about the situation in Afghanistan and fully supports the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
Bilateral trade between China and Afghanistan has been rapidly recovering in recent years, Liu said.
Last year the trade volume between the two nations reached more than US$27 million, up 35 percent from 2002.
Chinese companies are starting economic and trade cooperation with Afghanistan and there is huge potential and a bright future for cooperation between the two sides, Liu said.
In 2002, China promised US$150 million worth of assistance to Afghanistan's reconstruction and nearly US$50 million of such assistance has been fulfilled.
Assistance projects include a hospital in Kabul, which will be completed this year, and a reservoir where ground will be broken in April.
(Sources including China Daily and Xinhua News Agency, March 5, 2004)
