China urged the Dalai clique to drop attempts toward "Tibetan independence", Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang said on Tuesday at a regular press conference.

 

"No matter what visage the Dalai clique appears in, no matter what they say, their nature is not to recognize Tibet as part of China, it is to sever Tibet from China." Qin was responding to press questions about a newly released report on Tibet's development and environment by the Dalai clique.

 

Qin said the report, which disregarded the truth, was hardly worth comment.

 

"The Dalai clique is always talking about Tibetan culture and the environment being ruined, but in fact, the Tibetan society, economy and culture have prospered, and the Tibetan people are happier with each passing day," he said.

 

"The only thing destroyed was the cruel and dark serfdom rule, which the Dalai clique wanted to restore," he added.

 

Qin said that the Dalai clique should discern the situation, renounce attempts at "Tibetan independence" with concrete actions, and stop any form of secessionist activities.

 

Japanese accusation of censoring economic dialogue document not true

 

Qin denied Japanese media reports saying China unilaterally censored a document from the first China-Japan high-level economic dialogue.

 

China and Japan issued press communique respectively after the dialogue held on Dec. 1. Both sides and the international society spoke highly of the results of the dialogue, Qin said.

 

"But some Japanese media suddenly released reports saying 'China unilaterally censored the joint document of the dialogue', which are out of tune with the atmosphere of friendly cooperation between the two countries and they are not in line with the fact," said Qin.

 

He said the press communique is not a joint document or joint statement, but only a document briefing the dialogue issued by the two sides respectively, so it is natural that there is something different in respective communiques of the two sides.

 

As for the issues of RMB exchange rate and energy raised by the Japanese side, Qin said China's stance on such issues has been repeatedly stated either in the speech by Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan, or in the speeches of other ministers.

 

The China-Japan high-level economic dialogue is a key result of the development of the strategic and mutually beneficial ties between the two countries, Qin said.

 

"We hope both sides could cherish the hard-earned result, and the Japanese media could treat the matter in an objective and calm way," Qin said.

 

China pays attention to so-called protest in Vietnam

 

China paid close attention to the recent so-called protest in Vietnam targeting China, said Qin.

 

"We hope the Vietnamese government takes a responsible attitude and effective measures to stop it and avoid bilateral ties from being hurt," said Qin.

 

Qin made the remarks when commenting on the report on the so-called protest on Sunday in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City targeting China.

 

He said China had indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea and adjacent waters, and this was China's consistent stance.

 

He also added that China was clear about this situation.

 

The leaders of the two countries had exchanged views on this issue several times and agreed to settle the dispute through dialogue and consultation to safeguard the stability of the South China Sea and Sino-Vietnamese relations, he said.

 

China welcomes joint strategy for new partnership between EU, Africa

 

China welcomed the landmark joint strategy for a new partnership between the European Union (EU) and Africa, Qin said.

 

The joint strategy was adopted at the just-concluded EU-Africa summit in Lisbon, which aimed to "take the EU-Africa relationship to a new, strategic level with a strengthened political partnership and enhanced cooperation at all levels."

 

Qin said that China hoped the new partnership could facilitate stronger EU-Africa cooperation, help to achieve peace, stability and rejuvenation in Africa and create more opportunities for development on the continent.

 

China shares the common concerns and interests of the international community, including the EU, in the development and peace of Africa, he said. China is willing to work with the world community to make its due contribution for achieving these goals, he added.

 

The Lisbon Summit was the second of its type. The inaugural meeting was held in Cairo, Egypt, in 2000. No meetings have been held in the interim because several African countries rejected a summit that excluded Zimbabwe.

 

China 'values' US opposition to Taiwan referendum over UN

 

China values the United States' reiterated opposition to Taiwan's referendum on UN membership, Qin said.

 

Qin said Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian stubbornly intensified his secessionist activities including a proposed referendum on UN membership, in defiance of the one-China principle recognized by the international community and by both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

 

The referendum is planned for March next year.

 

These activities will seriously threaten peace and stability across the Straits and are likely to be firmly opposed by the world community, Qin said.

 

Under current situation, Qin said, effectively preventing the referendum will help maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and serve the common interests of the international community including both China and the United States.

 

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Thomas J. Christensen recently expressed U.S. concern over the matter to the Taiwan authorities.

 

Christensen said the United States opposes the referendum and believes it showed the Taiwan authorities' intention to change the status quo.

 

Chief nuclear envoy to visit DPRK next week

 

Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei would visit the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) next week to discuss the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

 

Wu, top negotiator of the Chinese delegation to the six-party talks, would meet with his DPRK counterpart, Kim Kye-gwan, Qin announced.

 

Also on Tuesday, a meeting of the working group on economic and energy cooperation, one of the five working groups under the framework of the six-party talks, was held in Beijing.

 

The two-day meeting was led by the Republic of Korea, Qin said, adding that the main topic was to discuss relevant issues of economic and energy assistance to the DPRK.

 

Qin said he hoped the six parties could have a full exchange of views at the meeting.

 

Qin also urged the parties concerned to take advantage of the current positive momentum of the nuclear talks, express their own concerns and respect others' reasonable concerns as well, so as to promote mutual trust and produce a positive outcome from the negotiations.

 

The six-party talks include China, the DPRK, the United State, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan.

 

China welcomes Japanese PM's early visit

 

China welcomes a visit of the country by Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda at the time that is convenient to both sides.

 

Qin said Fukuda had told Premier Wen Jiabao in Singapore last month that he hoped to visit the country at an early date, possibly within this year or at the beginning of next year.

 

The two sides are in close contacts on specific arrangement for his China trip, Qin added.

 

Russia's presidential election

 

Russia's presidential election is its internal affairs and China believes the election will proceed smoothly, Qin said.

 

Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Mdevedev was on Monday nominated by major parties in parliament as a candidate for next March's presidential election, with a nod and "full support" from President Vladimir Putin.

 

"Mdevedev is a good friend of the Chinese people," Qin said.

 

"He made tremendous efforts in pushing forward the China-Russia strategic partnership of cooperation and worked for the successful holding of national theme years in the two countries, and we highly appreciate it," Qin said.

 

Special envoy to meet Pakistani President

 

Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi is scheduled to meet with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and leaders of the caretaker government on a visit to the country from Dec. 11, Qin said.

 

China and Pakistan have been traditionally friendly neighbors, and the two sides have maintained close contacts and cooperation, Qin said.

 

Wang, also a special envoy of the Chinese government, will exchange views with Pakistani leaders on bilateral relations and the situation in Pakistan, Qin said.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 11, 2007)