Vice Foreign Minister Lü Guozeng is expected to fly to Teheran today for "political consultations" with Iranian diplomats relating to the standoff over their country's nuclear program.

 

"During his three-day working visit to Iran, Lü will discuss with Iran's Foreign Ministry officials ways to prevent the nuclear issue from escalating given recent developments," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Jianchao said yesterday at a regular news briefing.

 

Both sides will also discuss the ties between them and other regional and international issues of common concern, Liu said.

 

The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will decide on March 6 whether Iran should be referred to the UN Security Council over its nuclear program, which, as Western countries suspect, is an intention to build nuclear weapons.

 

China insists that the Iranian nuclear issue be resolved through diplomatic channels.

 

After meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Beijing, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said on Wednesday that there was still room for diplomatic measures to resolve the issue within the framework of the IAEA without referring the matter to the Security Council.

 

Iran and Russia are discussing a proposal to enrich uranium in Russia for Iranian power plants, which is seen by some as a "last chance" to defuse the row before Western governments seek sanctions.

 

Turning to Sino-Japanese relations, Liu said the two sides will hold the fourth round of consultation on the East China Sea issue in early March. It was agreed during Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai's visit.

 

Premier Wen Jiabao, State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and Commerce Minister Bo Xilai each met with Nikai on Wednesday.

 

According to Liu, the two sides reached consensus on improving economic and trade cooperation especially in the field of environmental protection, energy saving and two-way investment.

 

"China considers this kind of cooperation beneficial," Liu said.

 

He said that China also stressed the importance of the Japanese side correctly dealing with the historical issues as well as sticking to the principles of the three political documents signed by the two countries.

 

Since October 2004, China and Japan have convened three rounds of talks on the East China Sea issue.

 

Moving on to Palestine, Liu said China does not have plans to contact the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), its new governing party.

 

China has provided the Palestinian people with aid where possible. "If the Palestinian side brings forward similar requests to us in the future, China will still consider it seriously," Liu said.

 

China advises the international community not to take any measures that might worsen the living conditions of the Palestinian people at this current stage, he said.

 

China hopes the new government of Palestine can safeguard the ultimate interests of the Palestinian people and further promote peace in the Middle East, he continued.

 

Hamas, identified as a terrorist group by the US and Israel, attained a landslide victory in the January 25 parliamentary elections. It has rejected negotiations with Israel despite the Western threat to cut off aid if it failed to meet certain conditions.

 

At present, Hamas leaders are enlisting support from the Arab and Islamic world to make up the monetary shortfall.

 

Iran on Wednesday pledged to provide financial assistance to the cash-strapped Palestinian National Authority following Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal's talks with Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

 

In another development, Liu said China will continue to crack down on intellectual property rights piracy.

 

He acknowledged that lots of piracy cases still exist in China as the country is in the primary stage of development.

 

"However, China's attitude toward the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) is serious and earnest," he said.

 

China will take further measures to combat piracy cases, he added.

 

Moving on to Taiwan matters, Liu said that Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian's intention to abolish the "national unification council" should alert other countries to the "dangerous" actions of "Taiwan independence" forces. Liu added that China hopes certain countries can work with China to maintain stability and development across the Taiwan Straits.

 

Chen has made a series of "Taiwan independence" remarks since his Lunar New Year's Day speech, including abolishing the "national unification council" and the "national unification guidelines," and "applying for UN membership under the name of Taiwan."

 

(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency February 24, 2006)