It is unreasonable for the United States to criticize China's
human rights status, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu
Jianchao said in Beijing Tuesday.?
The US House of Representatives recently passed a resolution
calling for a US proposal attacking China's human rights status at
the United Nations Commission on Human Rights this year.
"It is a commonly recognized fact that the Chinese government
has been devoted to the protection of human rights and basic
freedoms and has made great achievements," Liu said at Tuesday's
regular briefing.
Dialogue and cooperation are the only ways through which the two
sides can resolve their differences on human rights, he said,
adding that there will be no way out if antagonism is resorted
to.
Shifting his attention to Iraq, where the country's Governing
Council signed an interim constitution on Monday, the spokesman
said China welcomes the move.
Liu said, "China hopes the move will exert a positive influence
on promoting the political construction process and resuming normal
order in Iraq, and contribute to the early resuming the exercise of
sovereignty by the Iraqi people."
The document is expected to take effect on July 1.
Speaking of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK)
demand that US troops retreat from the Korean Peninsula, Liu said a
solution to the reasonable security concerns of the DPRK was
critical to resolving the Korean nuclear issue.
Liu said China consistently supported both a
nuclear-weapons-free Korean Peninsula, and a settlement of the
DPRK's reasonable security concerns, which was critical to the
final solution of the nuclear issue.
Organized by China and including the DPRK, the United States,
the Republic of Korea, Japan and Russia, two rounds of six-party
talks on the nuclear issue were held in Beijing in August 2003 and
February 2004.
The talks had achieved remarkable progresses and won
international attention and support, said Liu.
He added that China hoped all the sides would continue the
process with a flexible and practical attitude, and find a solution
both in the interests of and acceptable to everyone.
In another development, the spokesman said China firmly opposes
proliferation of nuclear weapons and supports the non-proliferation
efforts of the international community.
Liu said China joined the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) in 1984 and became a signatory state to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 1992. China would strictly
abide by its international obligations of nuclear
non-proliferation.
China is concerned and worried about the so-called international
black market of nuclear weapons materials, said Liu.
China is willing to make efforts with international community to
prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including
nuclear weapons, Liu said.
In response to questions on the China-Pakistan agreement to
build a nuclear power plant in Pakistan, Liu said the nuclear power
plant project will be entirely devoted to peaceful uses.
Liu said the two countries had discussed the second project of
the Chashma power plant in Pakistan several years ago and related
departments had consulted on the details many times.
"Such consultations will be continued," said Liu.
He said the project would accept the supervision and inspection
of the IAEA.
Liu also outlined the principles under which China participated
in international nuclear cooperation projects.
"The principles are that the project must be used for peaceful
purposes and come under the supervision and inspection of IAEA," he
said.
"Related technologies cannot be transferred to a third side
without the permission of China," added Liu.
Also at yesterday's briefing, the spokesman announced Vice
Premier Wu Yi will visit Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Maldives
between March 17 and 29.
Another visit will be carried out by Javier Solana, secretary
general of the Council of the European Union and high
representative for the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy. He
will pay an official visit to China on March 16 and 17.
(Sources including China Daily and Xinhua News Agency, March 10,
2004)