These remarks constitute a gist of statements Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan made in response to questions by Chinese and foreign reporters at a press conference at the First session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC) held at the Great Hall of People Thursday afternoon.

China unswervingly adheres to the independent foreign policy of peace, Tang said. The mission of China's diplomatic work is to "safeguard world peace and promote common development."

The major theme of the present era is peace and development, he noted. In this aspect, China, like many other countries, faces both important opportunities and stark challenges. Tang said China would continue to develop normal relations with other countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

China's foreign policy features consistency and stability which will remain unchanged, he said.

On the Iraq issue, Tang said: "We are still working hard for a political solution and to try to avoid war... At this moment, it is absolutely unnecessary to put aside Resolution 1441 and introduce a new resolution."

He said weapons inspection by UN personnel in Iraq "should be strengthened."

"We have to continue the inspection until we get to the bottom of this," Tang said. "War does not serve the interest of any country in the world," adding that War in the Gulf would produce a "catastrophic humanitarian disaster".

Tang would leave for New York to attend conference of the UN Security Council on Iraqi issue. He told the press, "This is my third visit to the UN within a month on the same issue."

In response to a reporter's question concerning the veto power at the UN Security Council Meeting, Tang said, "I think it is too early for you to raise this question. There is still a possibility for a political solution."

China will take its own decision in accordance with its independent foreign policy of peace, he added.

When asked whether China backed a joint statement by France, Germany and Russia issued on Wednesday, the foreign minister said China's position on Iraq is consistent with their joint statement, noting that every effort has to be made to avoid war.

"China endorses and supports the contents of the joint statement," he said.

Meanwhile, China has no secret deals with the three nations on the Iraq issue, although their stance on the Iraq issue is consistent, Tang said, China nevertheless often exchanges views with the three countries.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, he said, China will continue to try its best to seek a political solution on Iraq.

The issue of Iraq is at a critical juncture of military action and a political solution, he reaffirmed. "China's position on this issue is known to all, we hope that a political solution can be found within the framework of UN Resolution 1441."

Moreover, he said, "Diplomacy at the Security Council is still going on, we are not yet at the end of road to a political resolution. There is still a possibility of political and diplomatic resolution."

The tasks spelled out by the UN Security Resolution 1441 have not been fully accomplished, especially the tasks for weapons inspection, and efforts should be continued to strengthen weapons inspection, seek a political solution and avert a war.

As a result, he added, China considers it unnecessary to put aside Resolution 1441 and introduce a new one.

One can find the best proof to this as more and more people worldwide are protesting and voicing their opinions against war, Tang said.

With regard to China's oil supplies in case of war, Tang said that China had made preparations to diversify and maintain its mainly imported oil and gas supplies in the event of a war in Iraq, acknowledging that "we have long since made preparations, I don't think the impact will be so great that China will have to adjust its foreign policy."

"China had worked out a strategy of diversifying sources' of imported gas and oil.

On the topic of the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), he said, the resolution of the issue hinges on the direct dialogue between the DPRK the United States.

Noting that China wants the US and DPRK to hold direct talks and holds that pressure or sanctions against the DPRK would only complicate the nuclear issue, Tang said, "We have all along called for dialogue and opposed pressure or sanctions against the DPRK because of the nuclear issue."

"Because, rather than solving the problem, this can only lead to further complication of the situation," he added.

Tang disclosed that China had been working to persuade the two sides to come to the table for talks.

Moreover, he said, China is not after publicity acclamations, and what it has been doing has been done at a down-to-earth manner and there have been initial concrete results.

China has noticed the DPRK has said that it had no intention to develop nuclear weapons and may accept inspection through bilateral channels with the United States.

"China has made a lot of efforts to promote the peaceful talks" between the two sides, Tang said.

He said China's basic stance on the DPRK nuclear issue is that the Korean Peninsula should be denuclearized and peace and stability on the peninsula be maintained, underlining that the most effective means to resolve the issue is to realize the direct dialogue between the DPRK and the United States.

The denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is conducive to the DPRK and the countries concerned, Tang added.

The deadlock between the DPRK and the US, he said, stems from the lack of trust between the two sides.

China is in opposition to exerting pressures or imposing sanctions against the DPRK owing to the nuclear issue, because such actions would make the situation on the peninsula even more complicated and not helpful to resolving the DPRK nuclear issue, he said.

Meanwhile, he said, China would adopt positive and open attitude towards whatever means beneficial to peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and the peaceful resolution of the DPRK nuclear issue.

He went on to note what attitude the DPRK and the United States adopt determines how the DPRK nuclear issue would be resolved.

On the question of Sino-US Ties, Tang underlined that the three China-US joint communiques should be respected and fully implemented

The crux of the matter to the healthy and steady development of Sino-US relations is for the United States to handle the Taiwan issue appropriately.

Acknowledging that the two sides were in close consultation on issues as Iraq and DPRK, he emphasized that "we should view this relationship from the long-term and strategic perspective, and we have to further increase mutual understanding and trust."

Moreover, he said, China and the US needed to "recognize and respect differences."

On China's ties with Africa, the foreign minister said with pride that China attaches great importance to its relations with African countries and other developing countries, and would provide assistance for them to the best of its capacity in a sincere way.

In response to a question by a Japanese reporter from the NHK on China's ties with Japan, Tang said the attitude of "taking history as a mirror and looking forward to the future" should be taken in handling the Sino-Japanese bilateral relationships.

Japan should learn lessons from history and abide by the three basic documents on Sino-Japanese relations, he said.

Essential and necessary conditions have to be created for future high-level exchanges between the two nations, the Chinese foreign minister said, adding that the three documents, namely, the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan, the Sino-Japanese Joint Declaration, and the Sino-Japanese Statement, should be observed and implemented to the full.

The bilateral ties between the two countries have run into difficulties due to official visits to the Yasukuni Shrine by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in recent years.

When asked on Sino-Pakistan relations, Tang spoke highly of Pakistan's war on terror, saying that Pakistan has made substantial, positive efforts in the international war on terror.

Tang also praised the long-term and traditional friendship between China and Pakistan, describing it as "an all-weather relationship." The cooperation between China and Pakistan is beneficial to peace, stability and development in South Asia, he said.

In reply to a question on legislation of Hong Kong, he said it is China's internal affair and it is related to Article 23 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), and no foreign country should make irresponsible remarks on the issue.

It's international common practice to make laws to prohibit criminal activities that endanger national security and unity, said Tang, adding that the Hong Kong SAR is fully entitled to make laws of its own according to the Basic Law.

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2003)