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DE RUEHBJ #6530/01 0961144
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O 061144Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2308
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHWH/WHA DIPLOMATIC POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY 1798
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 6322
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 0325
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1915
RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS 0062
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0968
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1278
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 BEIJING 006530 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ECON PHUM PARM KNNP CH JP
SUBJECT: APRIL 6 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: NO PLANS FOR HAMAS 
VISIT; VFM WU TO TOKYO; JCCT; SINO-JAPAN RELATIONS 
 
 
BEIJING 00006530  001.4 OF 004 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  Key points made at the April 6 MFA press briefing are as 
follows: 
 
- There are no plans for Palestinian FM Mahmoud Al-Zahhar to 
visit China. 
 
- VFM Wu Dawei will travel to Tokyo to meet with the other 
heads of the Six-Party Talks delegations, but will not attend 
the NEACD. 
 
- China hopes for fruitful JCCT discussions.  Eleven Chinese 
enterprises and over 200 Chinese entrepreneurs will travel 
with Vice Premier Wu Yi to sign or negotiate business deals 
in agricultural products, airplanes, software, auto parts and 
telecommunication equipment. 
 
- MFA Spokesperson Liu claimed Chinese people are satisfied 
with their rights and freedoms, while the United States 
should focus on its own problems, stop maintaining double 
standards and end its interference in China's internal 
affairs. 
 
- Each visit to the Yasukuni Shrine by Japan's leader is a 
blow to the China-Japan relationship.  China hopes Japan will 
respond responsibly and positively to the Chinese leader's 
recent clear message on how to improve one of the most 
important relationships in the world. 
 
- Commenting on China's presidency of the UNSC, Liu said 
China hopes for peaceful solutions to the Iranian and DPRK 
nuclear issues through dialogue and looks to India and 
Pakistan to build on improved relations to quickly solve 
outstanding issues. 
 
- China does not view the U.S.-India nuclear deal as an 
attempt to contain China. 
 
- Liu said the purpose of Defense Minister Cao Guangchang's 
current visit to the DPRK is to strengthen bilateral ties and 
not a response to recent U.S.-ROK exercises. 
 
- China hopes other countries understand that China is 
seeking win-win relationships in Latin America that will 
bring tangible benefits to all parties. End summary. 
 
No Plans for Palestinian FM to Visit China 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  Denying that there are any plans for Palestinian FM 
Mahmoud Al-Zahhar to visit China, MFA Spokesperson Liu 
Jianchao said the reports about a visit must have been the 
result of "misinformation."  Liu confirmed that PRC Ramallah 
Office Director Yang Weiguo had met with the Al-Zahhar and 
conveyed the message that China wants to develop even 
friendlier relations with Palestine and hopes the Palestinian 
government will take active steps towards peace in the Middle 
East. 
 
VFM Wu Dawei Will Meet with Six-Party Heads in Tokyo 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶3.  Asked whether VFM Wu Dawei would attend the Northeast 
Asia Cooperation Dialogue (NEACD) meeting in Tokyo, Liu 
reported that Wu would be in Tokyo at the same time as the 
NEACD but would not participate in the event.  Instead, the 
purpose of Wu's visit to Tokyo is to meet with the other 
Six-Party Talks heads of delegatiom.  This will not be the a 
new round of Six-Party Talks but does represent a good 
opportunity for the heads of delegations to exchange views on 
how to overcome the difficulties of getting to the next round 
of Six Party Talks.  Denying that he had information about 
Wu's exact plans in Tokyo, Liu said the timing of Wu's 
meetings with other heads of delegation would depend on their 
schedules.  Liu said the various parties should make joint 
efforts for the early resumption of the Six-Party Talks and 
the early realization of the contents of the joint statement. 
Liu denied having any knowledge about reports that DPRK VFM 
Kim Gye-Gwan is currently in Beijing. 
 
 
BEIJING 00006530  002.4 OF 004 
 
 
¶4.  Liu said MFA Asian Affairs Department officials and 
Ministry of National Defense officials would represent in the 
NEACD in an unofficial capacity. 
 
China-U.S. Trade Relations and Business Deals 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  Liu said China and the United States are important 
trading partners and bilateral trade serves the interests of 
both countries, with the United States being China's second 
largest trading partner and China the fourth largest export 
market for the United States.  The JCCT is an important 
mechanism for the discussion of common interests and the 
exchange of views on problems in U.S.-China trade.  Liu 
expressed hope that the upcoming JCCT session would be 
fruitful. 
 
¶6.  Asked to comment on reports that PRC companies will 
purchase $15 billion of U.S. goods prior to President Hu's 
visit to the United States, Liu reported that 11 Chinese 
enterprises and 202 Chinese entrepreneurs would accompany 
Vice Premier Wu Yi to the United States.  Visiting 14 cities 
in 13 states, the Chinese businesses will sign or negotiate 
contracts for agricultural products, airplanes, software, 
auto parts and telecommunication and other electronic 
equipment.  As for the total value of the contracts, Liu said 
that would need to wait for a few more days. 
 
Chinese People "Satisfied" with Rights and Freedoms 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶7.  Asked about the U.S. Human Rights Report's criticism of 
China's human rights record, Liu argued that China had 
realized remarkable achievements in protecting human rights, 
with the Chinese people enjoying rights and freedoms as set 
out in the constitution.  The Chinese people are satisfied 
with their situation and the international community is 
satisfied with China's efforts, claimed Liu.  He urged the 
United States to correct its own human rights problems, to 
stop maintaining double standards and to end its interference 
in the internal affairs of other countries.  Asked whether 
human rights would be part of President Hu's discussions with 
President Bush, Liu said he did not know the the specifics of 
the visit. 
 
Sino-Japan Relations 
-------------------- 
 
¶8. China's relations with Japan was again a major topic.  Liu 
said the current difficulties in relations is because of 
individual Japanese leaders' visits to Yasukuni Shrine to pay 
tribute to the Class A war criminals enshrined there and that 
each visit is a blow to the Chinese people and Sino-Japan 
relations.  The proper handling of the historical issue is 
important for the sound and steady development of bilateral 
relations and to prevent the reoccurrence of historical 
tragedies.  Asked to comment on why China has recently blamed 
the poor relations on the actions of Japan's leader and not 
the Japanese people, Liu said that the people of China and 
Japan have a history of over 1000 years of largely living in 
harmony with mutual trust and respect.  The current impasse 
is solely because of the visits by Japan's leader to Yasukuni 
Shrine.  The Japanese people have nothing to do with the 
impasse, while most of the Chinese population wants good 
relations with Japan.  Liu said China's leader recently sent 
a clear message to Japan and China hopes Japan will respond 
in a responsible and positive manner. 
 
¶9.  Remarking that the Sino-Japanese relationship is one of 
the most important in the world, Liu claimed that the Chinese 
Government is dealing with Japan from a strategic point of 
view with its long-term interests in mind, as well as with 
the understanding that good relations serve the interests of 
both countries.  Liu said that no matter what happens over 
the historical issue, China would maintain relations with 
Japan based on the three PRC/Japan political documents. 
China hopes that Japan will take history as a mirror and look 
to the future.  For its part, China will continue to promote 
people-people exchanges to strengthen the relationship, 
according to Liu. 
 
¶10.  In response to more specific questions on the 
 
BEIJING 00006530  003.4 OF 004 
 
 
China-Japan relationship, Liu said China has every right to 
engage in exploration in the Chunxia gas fields, which are 
entirely within Chinese territory.  On the cessation of 
Japanese ODA to China, Beijing is expecting Tokyo to adhere 
to their bilateral agreement and unilateral action by Japan 
would not be helpful.  Liu remarked that China hopes all 
issues can be resolved through dialogue. 
 
Internal Affairs 
---------------- 
 
¶11.  Pushed to comment on the inconsistency in how China 
defines internal affairs, Liu said internal affairs are not 
decided by individual countries and suggested the reporter 
look at the UN Charter for definitions.  Liu said that while 
human rights are an internal affair and China rejects 
interference by others seeking to promote human rights in the 
PRC, China does see the benefit of engaging in dialogue based 
on equality and mutual respect in order to learn about how to 
improve human rights in all countries.   Arguing that 
Japanese leaders' visits to Yasukuni Shrine are not Japan's 
internal affair, Liu said the visits hurt the feelings of 
people in other countries and affect Japan's bilateral 
relations with its neighbors, including China. 
 
PRC Presidency of the UN Security Council 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶12.  Asked to comment about what China would do during its 
month-long UNSC presidency to promote peace in Iraq, Iran and 
South Asia, Liu said China, whether as a permanent member of 
the UNSC or as President of the UNSC, will continue to play 
an active role in promoting peace and development everywhere. 
 On the Iranian and DPRK nuclear issues, China hopes a 
peaceful solution will be found through dialogue.  Liu noted 
the steady improvement in India-Pakistan relations due to the 
constant efforts of both countries.  China hopes India and 
Pakistan will sieze the opportunity and quickly solve their 
outstanding issues, including Kashmir, which will bring peace 
and development to the region. 
 
U.S.-India Nuclear Deal 
----------------------- 
 
¶13.  Rejecting the view that the U.S.-India civilian nuclear 
agreement was part of an effort to contain China, Liu said 
Beijing welcomes improved U.S.-India relations that benefit 
regional stability.  He also noted that China expects both 
countries to abide by their non-proliferation commitments. 
 
Defense Minister Cao's Visit to the DPRK 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶14.  Asked to comment on whether Defense Minister Cao 
Guangchang's visit is in response to recent U.S.-ROK war 
games, Liu said Cao's visit is a bilateral exchange that will 
improve PRC-DPRK relations and is not targeted at a third 
country.  Cao's visit will also increase stability in the 
region.  Liu said he had no information on a meeting between 
Cao and DPRK leader Kim Jong-Il. 
 
China in Latin America 
---------------------- 
 
¶15. Asked to comment on growing economic and political 
relations between China and Latin American countries, Liu 
said that politically, China is following the path towards 
peaceful development, while economically it is seeking mutual 
benefit through economic cooperation.  China's goal is a 
win-win situation and Beijing will always keep the interests 
of other countries in mind, continued Liu, expressing hope 
that other countries would understand this.  Liu said Latin 
American countries are satisfied with the expanding political 
and economic relations with China that have lead to tangible 
results to benefit of all. 
 
Singapore Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong's Visit 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶16.  Liu reported that Singapore Senior Minister Goh Chok 
Tong will visit China April 12 -18.  He will meet with 
Premier Wen, State Councilor Tang and CPPCC National 
 
BEIJING 00006530  004.3 OF 004 
 
 
Committee Chair Jia Qinglin in Beijing and also visit 
Shanghai and Suzhou.  Liu said the meetings will build on the 
positive momentum in China-Singapore relations that have been 
built on the frequent exchanges of high level visitors. Key 
topics will be the development of western China and how to 
increase person-to-person exchanges. 
 
Senior Moroccan Official in Beijing 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶17. Asked to comment on the purpose of the Morocco's Deputy 
Foreign Minister's current visit to China, Liu said the 
official was a special envoy sent to Beijing to pave the way 
for Hu's visit to Morocco which will occur as part of Hu's 
multi-nation April trip that includes the United States.  Liu 
asked the reporters to wait a few more days and then he would 
be able to brief them on Hu's complete trip intinerary. 
 
Other Upcoming Visits 
--------------------- 
¶18.  Kazakhstan FM Kasymzhomart Tokayev will visit to China 
April 13-15 and meet with Premier Wen, State Councilor Tang 
Jaixuan and FM Li Zhaoxing.  Lithuanian FM Antanas Valenis 
will visit China  April 12-19. 
RANDT