China will continue to join the international efforts to help Iraq achieve peace, stability and development, said Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing in an interview with German weekly Der Spiegel last Wednesday.  

According to information provided by the Chinese Foreign Ministry Tuesday, Li said China has done a lot before and during the Iraq war.

In order to maintain the authority of the UN Security Council, safeguard the basic interests of Iraqi people and ensure the long-term stability of the gulf region, China immediately put forward three propositions when the war ended, Li said.

The three propositions include: the United Nations should play an all-round role in Iraq's reconstruction and the international community should actively participate in it; Iraq should exercise its national sovereignty as soon as possible and the new government should be elected by Iraqi people and should be of broad representativeness; and each party's legal interest in Iraq should be fully respected and maintained.

In addition, China promised to provide 25 million US dollars humanitarian aid to Iraq at an international donors' conference held in Spain in October, he said.

Li said China has always actively participated in relevant consultations of the UN Security Council and made important contributions in maintaining the unity of the UN Security Council and promoting the role of the United Nations in Iraq's reconstruction.

(Xinhua News Agency December 3, 2003)