China strongly condemns the recent terrorist attacks in Iraq and Pakistan, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao in Beijing Wednesday.  

Liu made the remark in response to a request for comment on the serious terrorist attacks on Tuesday in the two countries, which caused several hundred casualties.

The Chinese government resolutely opposes terrorism in any forms, and offers condolences and sympathy to the victims and their relatives, Liu said.

On Tuesday, suicide bombs exploded in huge crowds of Shiite worshipers in Iraq's capital Baghdad and Karbala. On the same day, a terrorist attack occurred on an Ashura procession in the Pakistani city of Quetta.

In another development, Liu said the Chinese government resolutely opposes any attempts to interfere in its internal affairs.

It has been reported that Martin Lee, and other two members of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Legislative Council will give evidence to a US Senate hearing on the issue of democracy of Hong Kong.

Liu said Hong Kong's democratic issue was China's internal affairs, and the Basic Law had earnestly safeguarded the democracy of Hong Kong and its people's democratic rights.

"The Chinese people are wise enough to handle Hong Kong affairs according to the law, and any random comments are not necessary," he noted.

(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2004)