Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said at a regular press
conference on Thursday that the European Union's 15-year-old arms
embargo does not reflect the development of relations between China
and EU members.
Calling the embargo "a decision made in the Cold War mentality,"
she said that China urges the EU to "make an early and correct
decision."
Premier Wen
Jiabao will visit the Netherlands from December 7 to 9 to
attend the Seventh China-EU Leaders' Meeting in The Hague.
Also attending the conference will be Prime Minister Jan Peter
Balkenende of the Netherlands, which holds the rotating EU
presidency; European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso; and
Javier Solana, secretary general of the EU Council and
representative for the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy.
"Premier Wen will address the quick lifting of the arms embargo
with EU leaders," said Zhang.
She said China firmly opposes linking the ban to human rights
issues.
"It is a very serious political issue," she said. "It is
connected with political principle and it is not for the Chinese
side to make any concessions."
Foreign Minister Li
Zhaoxing exchanged views with Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard
Bot and EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner
by phone yesterday.
Turning to UN reform, Zhang said China supports the reform and
expansion of the United Nations Security Council and suggests it
build up its function as a representative, especially of developing
countries.
On November 30, a high-level UN panel submitted a report to UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan, offering 101 recommendations on ways
to reform the organization.
"Any reform scenario should be discussed by the UN members in a
democratic manner so that consensus can be reached," said
Zhang.
Zhang said China firmly opposes the United States' frequent
imposition of sanctions against some Chinese companies based on its
domestic laws.
She was referring to the action announced on Thursday against
four Chinese companies that the US alleges sold weapons of mass
destruction or related technologies to Iran.
"China strongly opposes the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction and related means of delivery," Zhang said, adding that
China has established an integral system of laws on
nonproliferation-related export controls.
If valid evidence is found to prove that Chinese companies or
individuals have engaged in illegal exports, the country will
impose penalties according to law, she said.
Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo, who is currently visiting the
United States as a special envoy of the Chinese government, has met
with senior US officials, including Deputy Secretary of State
Richard Armitage and National Security Adviser Condoleezza
Rice.
During the meetings, the parties also discussed the Korean
Peninsula nuclear issue, Zhang said.
China has maintained its stance that the six-party talks are the
most feasible way to resolve the issue, and the country encourages
all parties to promote the process.
Zhang?said China hopes Japan can appropriately deal with
indiscreet criticism in Japan about halting yen loans to China,
because it may undermine Sino-Japanese relations.
She?said that yen loans to China are conducive to both
countries.
The spokeswoman also stressed that China is fully capable of
boosting its own economy and is also ready to cooperate with other
countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.
Zhang announced that Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui will
serve as China's special envoy at the inauguration of Afghanistan's
first elected president, Hamid Karzai, on December 7.
"We hope the Afghan people can smoothly fulfill the historic
mission of national reconstruction under the leadership of
President Karzai," she said.
(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency and CRI.com December 3,
2004)