Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said that the Chinese
government insists that the Dalai Lama give up his position on
"Tibet Independence." Speaking at the weekly press conference in
Beijing on Tuesday, she said that the Dalai Lama should publicly
state that Tibet is an inalienable part of China, in the same way
that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.
The Chinese government will not resume talks with the Dalai Lama
unless he makes this public statement, said Zhang.
Zhang then said China welcomed the US decision to cooperate on
its nuclear plant projects but the purchase will depend on the
actual needs of the Chinese enterprises.
Nils Diaz, chairman of US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
reportedly said the commission will soon vote on the export of
AP-1000 reactors to China. Diaz suggested that the US lift
restrictions on the export of these reactors and he is optimistic
about the prospect of nuclear technology cooperation between the US
and China.
In September, China launched an international bid for two new
nuclear plants to be built in Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces.
?Zhang confirmed that China and Japan will hold talks next
Monday in Beijing on the dispute over the East China Sea.
Cui Tiankai, director-general of the Foreign Ministry's Asian
Affairs Department, will represent China, with Mitoji Yabunaka,
head of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asia and Oceania Affairs
Bureau, representing Japan. The parties will exchange opinions on
questions concerning territorial delimitation and exploration for
natural resources in the East China Sea.
In order to safeguard and promote friendship with Japan, China
proposed the consultations be held. China hopes to arrive at an
appropriate settlement through peaceful dialogue, Zhang added.
Referring to the visit by 79 lawmakers from Japan's ruling and
opposition parties, including Liberal Democratic Party Secretary
General Tsutomu Takebe, to the Yasukuni Shrine on Tuesday, Zhang
urged Japanese leaders to be considerate of Sino-Japan relations
and refrain from sending any signals or partaking in any acts that
will hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said on Monday that he
would continue to make pilgrimages to the Yasukuni Shrine. The
shrine, located in Tokyo, honors Japan's war dead, including World
War II Class-A war criminals.
Zhang Qiyue said that having a correct understanding of history
is crucial to the political foundation of Sino-Japanese relations,
and will have an impact on the smooth development of relations.
Turning back to the issue of border delimitation, Zhang
commented that the new agreement between China and Russia serves as
a successful example for settling border disputes.
China and Russia signed the Supplementary Agreement on the
Eastern Section of China-Russia Boundary Line in Beijing on October
14. Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Vladimir
Putin announced that the two countries had completed delimitation
of their 4,300-km-long boarder.
While describing the agreement as "balanced and reasonable" and
a "political win-win" solution, Zhang said it was reached on the
basis of equal and friendly consultation and is of "great
significance."
The agreement lays a legal foundation for China and Russia to
advance relations and offers a reliable guarantee for friendship
and neighborly cooperation, Zhang said.
"It is not only a great benefit to the two peoples, but also an
important contribution to peace and stability in the region and the
world at large," she said.
The delimitation agreement and other border-related agreements
will create favorable conditions for cooperation in environmental
protection, utilization of natural resources, shipping, trade and
security and stability in the border areas, Zhang said.
China and Russia signed two border agreements in 1991 and 1994,
delimiting the eastern and western sections of the boundary,
leaving only two parts of land in the eastern section to be
resolved.
Negotiations between China and Russia on border delimitation
lasted more than 40 years. The pace accelerated after the two
countries signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation in
2001.
Turning to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Zhang said that
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) has not
changed its stance on the six-party talks and still wants to
resolve the issue through dialogue.
Chinese leaders have met and held talks with the visiting North
Korean delegation led by top legislator Kim Yong Nam. Kim arrived
in Beijing Monday for an official goodwill visit.
Kim has exchanged views with Chinese leaders on the East Asia
situation and said North Korea considers the six-party talks a good
way to solve the nuclear issue, according to the Zhang.
?
She said that all parties involved have agreed that the six-party
talks are the best way to solve the issue and China has made
unremitting efforts to promote them. Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei
and Ning Fukui, China's ambassador on Korean affairs, recently met
with foreign affairs officials from South Korea, the US, Russia and
Japan to discuss the situation.
All parties have agreed that they should work to hold the next
round of talks as soon as possible, said Zhang.
The spokeswoman said that North Korea is a good neighbor of
China, and China will, insofar as it is able, provide it with aid
to help it overcome its practical difficulties.
(CRI, Xinhua News Agency October 20, 2004)