Cablegate: October 31 Mfa Press Briefing: Dprk, China-Africa

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM CH PK KN
SUBJECT: OCTOBER 31 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: DPRK, CHINA-AFRICA
SUMMIT, IRAN'S URANIUM ENRICHMENT, U.S. ARMS SALES TO
TAIWAN, CHINA-PAKISTAN STRATEGIC DIALOGUE, CHINA'S RESERVES
AND ASEAN, EU MEETINGS

1. Key Points made at the October 31 Press Briefing were:

-- Japan's demand that North Korea not rejoin the Six-Party
Talks as a nuclear power can be handled within the framework
of the Talks.

-- There has been no change in China's policy regarding the
normal trade relations with the DPRK.

-- The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit is a
milestone in China-Africa relations. The attendance of
Zimbabwe President Mugabe and Sudan President Bashir at FOCAC
is not cause for embarrassment.

-- China hopes relevant parties will not take escalating
measures amid news of Iran's continued uranium enrichment.

-- U.S. arms sales to Taiwan allegedly violate the Three
Joint Communiques and the AIT Director's recent remarks on
the subject were "erroneous."

-- Assistant Foreign Minister Cui and Pakistani Foreign
Secretary Khan reached consensus on several important issues

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in their October 27 strategic dialogue.

-- China will not irresponsibly use its over one trillion
dollars in reserves to upset the global economy.

-- Premier Wen and Indonesian President Yudhoyono met at the
October 30-31 China-ASEAN Commemorative Summit in Nanning.

-- Premier Wen Jiabao and the EU leadership reached a
consensus during meetings in September to map out future
cooperation.

-- President Hu Jintao sent a congratulatory note to Brazil
President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva on his successful
re-election.

North Korea: Six-Party Talks, Border Trade
------------------------------------------

2. MFA Spokesperson Liu Jianchao reiterated China's stance
that Six-Party Talks must restart and press ahead with the
denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. China firmly
believes the Talks must be resumed in order to relax
tensions. In reply to a Kyoto News question over how China
will handle Japan's demand that North Korea not rejoin the
Talks as a nuclear power, Liu said each party's concerns will
be addressed within the process, including Japan's.

3. There has been no change in China's policy regarding the
normal trade relations with the DPRK which are aimed at
improving the livelihoods of the North Korean population, Liu
said in response to a question about reports that China cut
fuel exports to North Korea in September. Liu reminded the
reporter that in September the North Koreans had not yet
conducted a nuclear test.

4. Global Radio News asked for China's position on NGO
reports claiming the DPRK committed crimes against political
prisoners. Liu replied that China will follow the UN
Charter's principles for peaceful co-existence.

China-Africa Summit
-------------------

5. The attendance of Zimbabwe President Robert Gabriel Mugabe
and Sudan President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir at the
November 1-3 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was
not cause for embarrassment said Liu. The FOCAC Summit is a
milestone in China-Africa relations that will promote good
relations and cultural and economic cooperation and therefore
should be viewed with a long-term perspective.

6. Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos and
Guinea-Bissau President Joao Bernardo Vieira have already
arrived in Beijing and the latter is expected to meet with
Premier Wen, Liu said in response to a Portuguese News Agency
question asking if there would be any new oil agreements
resulting from the meeting. Responding to a follow-up
question over whether countries that recognize Taiwan instead
of China had been invited to the China-Africa Summit, Liu
said that he had no information on countries that did not
have diplomatic ties with China.

7. Liu confirmed a Bloomberg question over planned strict

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traffic restrictions in effect during the Summit, stating
that FOCAC was the first meeting of its kind since 1949 and
merited such measures, including traffic control, to ensure a
successful and smooth event. He said the traffic controls
will naturally affect people "a little" but that feedback
from Beijing residents showed they understood and supported
the measures.

Iran Uranium Enrichment
-----------------------

8. China has taken note of the new developments in the Iran
nuclear issue and believes that under the circumstances the
relevant parties should not take any measures that could
escalate the situation, said Liu in response to a question by
AFP. China will continue to consult other members of the UN
Security Council on the issue.

AIT Statements on Arms Sales and Taiwan Defense
--------------------------------------------- --

9. U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan violate U.S. commitments in
the Three Joint Communiques, in particular the August 17
communique, Liu said in a prepared statement. Liu was
responding to an apparently planted question by the China
News Agency asking for comment on an October 26 press
briefing by the U.S. AIT Director calling for Taiwan to pass
a robust defense budget in its Fourth Legislative Session.
Liu added that U.S. weapons sales undermine China's national
security and the historical unification of China and Taiwan.

10. Liu further stated that China has made solemn
representations to the U.S. government regarding the
"erroneous remarks" and urges the United States to strictly
abide by the repeatedly stated comments made by President
Bush and the U.S. government regarding the One China Policy,
the Three Joint Communiques and the position on Taiwan
independence. The United States should stop its weapons
sales to Taiwan and its military links with Taiwan, refrain
from sending wrong signals to Taiwan secessionist forces and
take concrete actions to maintain the peace and stability of
the Taiwan Straits and overall interest of China-U.S.
relations.

U.S. Congressional Censure of China
-----------------------------------

11. The U.S. Congress should do more to be objective,
constructive and play a positive role in promoting U.S.-China
relations instead of making unfair judgment or comment on
China, Liu responded to a Reuters' question about a recent
report by the US-China Economic and Security Review
Commission that recommended taking China to the WTO over
currency and counterfeiting claims. Liu added that China
still awaits official release of the report.

China Reserves Top One Trillion
-------------------------------

12. China is a responsible member of the global community,
and as such, will enact politically and economically
responsible policies, said Liu in response to a CNN reporter
asking for reassurances that China would not take any
measures that would upset the global economy with the over
one trillion dollars China now has in reserves.

Tibet Border Shooting
---------------------

13. The relevant authorities have already briefed the press
on the shooting incident on the Tibet-Nepal border, Liu said
in response to an ITV London journalist stating that footage
of the shooting demonstrates that the border troops had not
acted in self defense. Liu said he had nothing new to add
except that it was the responsibility of the border troops to
maintain tranquility and peace along the border.

Recent Visit by Pakistan Foreign Secretary
------------------------------------------

14. Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai and Pakistan
Foreign Secretary Riaz Muhammad Khan reached consensus on a
number of important issues during Khan's October 27 visit to
Beijing for the second round of China-Pakistan Strategic
Dialogue, said Liu in response to a question by an India News
reporter.

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Recent Visit by Indonesian President Susilo
-------------------------------------------

15. Premier Wen Jiabao and Indonesian President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono met October 30-31 at the China-ASEAN
Commemorative Summit in Nanning, Guangxi and discussed the
maturing bilateral relationship and mutual interest to expand
economic cooperation, including trade and infrastructure
projects. Liu made the statement in response to a query by
Global Radio News asking if any energy agreements had been
reached.

September Talks between EU-China
--------------------------------

16. Premier Wen Jiabao and the EU leadership reached a
consensus during meetings in September to map out future
cooperation between the two parties, said Liu, in response to
a Bloomberg question asking for China's hopes regarding the
renegotiated terms of the China-EU strategic dialogue.

Congratulations Sent to Brazilian President
-------------------------------------------

17. President Hu Jintao and Vice President Zeng Qinghong both
sent congratulatory notes to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio
Lula Da Silva and his vice president on their re-election,
said Liu in response to a query by a Brazilian reporter.
They expressed their hope that the recent progress in
China-Brazil relations would continue to progress for the
future.
Randt

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