VZCZCXRO5585
OO RUEHBZ RUEHCN RUEHDU RUEHGH RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA
RUEHRN RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0499/01 0231138
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231138Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4039
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 0171
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 6507
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4031
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0955
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0075
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 000499 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KIRF PREF CH KN JA XA LE PK
SUBJECT: JANUARY 23 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: ANTI-SATELLITE 
MISSILE TEST, SIX-PARTY TALKS, HU TO AFRICA, LEBANON 
CONFERENCE, WEN TO JAPAN, VATICAN-CHINA RELATIONS, DPRK 
BORDER-CROSSERS, PAKISTAN, HOSTAGES IN NIGERIA 
 
BEIJING 00000499  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. Key points made at the January 23 MFA press 
conference were: 
 
-- The MFA Spokesman confirmed the test of an anti- 
satellite missile earlier this month, said the test 
did not target any country and reaffirmed that China 
opposes the weaponization of space and will not 
participate in a space arms race. 
 
-- Reporters' suggestions that President Hu was 
unaware of the test were denounced as groundless. 
 
-- The MFA confirmed various meetings in Beijing this 
week related to the Six-Party Talks and said the 
upcoming phase of Talks will focus on implementation 
of the Joint Statement. 
 
-- President Hu will travel to Africa from January 30- 
February 10 visiting Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, 
Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and the Seychelles. 
 
-- Special Envoy to the Middle East Sun Bigan will 
attend the international conference on Lebanon to be 
held in Paris January 25. 
 
-- PM Wen will visit Japan this spring and FM Li will 
visit both Japan and India in February. 
 
-- The Spokesman avoided questions about Chinese 
Catholics, PRC-DPRK agreements for handling illegal 
border crossers, Pakistan President Musharraf's 
travels to promote harmony in the Muslim world and 
whether ransom was paid to secure the release of 
Chinese hostages in Nigeria. 
 
Anti-Satellite Test Confirmed 
----------------------------- 
 
¶2. Responding to a barrage of questions, MFA Spokesman 
Liu Jianchao confirmed that China tested an anti- 
satellite missile earlier this month, adding that the 
test was not targeted at any country.  Liu reaffirmed 
numerous times that China's position on space has not 
changed.  China upholds peaceful exploration of space, 
opposes the weaponization of space and will not 
participate in a space arms race.  Confronted by 
reporters about the seeming contradiction of testing a 
weapon while holding this position, Liu danced around 
the issue, but suggested that these actions might 
further promote de-weaponization of space. 
 
¶3. A CNN reporter asked if President Hu was in the 
dark about the specifics of the test or if Hu 
authorized the test.  Liu said such questioning was 
groundless and not helpful to understanding the 
matter.  Other reporters raised the danger that debris 
from the test poses to other satellites and countries. 
Liu brushed this off as a technical matter outside his 
purview.  He recommended that reporters review 
international law for relevant regulations. 
 
¶4. Pressed to confirm which countries China informed 
about the test and when, Liu said that after the test 
was conducted and relevant parties showed concern, 
China decided there was a need to explain the test and 
responded to requests for information from the United 
States, Japan and others.  He would not name other 
countries that were informed nor the precise time they 
were informed.  When asked about the delay, Liu said 
China had nothing to hide, has shown a responsible 
attitude and responded promptly once other parties 
expressed their concern.  Asked about Taiwan's 
concerns about Mainland China's actions in space and 
development of the Jian-10 bomber, Liu said that the 
anti-satellite test had no connection to Taiwan and 
the Jian-10 supported the One-China policy and anti- 
separatist efforts. 
 
Six-Party Talks Prep in Beijing, No Dates Given 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
BEIJING 00000499  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶5. The progress hoped for by relevant parties in the 
upcoming round of Six-Party Talks includes laying out 
specific actions for each party to implement the 
September 18, 2005 Joint Statement in the initial 
period and ensuring the implementation of the Joint 
Statement through the establishment and continued 
improvement of an implementation mechanism, said Liu. 
He stated that since the last phase of the Six-Party 
Talks, parties have had consistent and broad contact 
with each other conducive to the upcoming round of the 
Talks and reiterated China's hope that all parties 
will take stable steps toward implementation of the 
Joint Statement. 
 
¶6. Liu confirmed that PRC Vice Foreign Minister Wu 
Dawei met, respectively, with Assistant Secretary of 
State Hill and DPRK Vice Minister Kim Kye-Gwan on 
January 21-22, at which time the two lead negotiators 
briefed VFM Wu on their recent meetings in Berlin. 
A/S Hill will meet with Japan delegation head 
Kenichiro Sasae while in Beijing and VFM Wu Dawei will 
hold discussions with both ROK chief negotiator to the 
Six-Party Talks Chun Young-woo and Kenichiro Sasae, 
Liu said, adding that parties were maintaining contact 
with Russia as well.  ROK Foreign Minister Song Min- 
soon will also visit Beijing on an official visit 
January 24-27 to discuss issues related to the Korean 
Peninsula, Six-Party Talks and other issues of common 
interest.  Asked by a reporter if financial talks 
would be held next week, Liu said that he had heard no 
such information.  In response to a question on the 
possible meeting of ROK and DPRK negotiators in 
Beijing, Liu said that he had no news of such a 
meeting, but that such contact is conducive to the 
Talks. 
 
Hu to Visit 8 African Nations, Including Sudan 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶7. Spokesman Liu announced that President Hu will 
travel to Africa from January 30-February 10, making 
state visits to Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, 
Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and the Seychelles 
at the invitation of these countries' leaders.  This 
trip to further the new China-Africa Strategic 
Partnership follows up on a successful African Summit 
held in Beijing last year.  Goals are to strengthen 
friendship, increase practical cooperation and spur 
development. 
 
¶8. Responding to questions, Liu added that officials 
from the Ministries of Commerce and Foreign Affairs 
will accompany President Hu.  Meeting schedules, 
energy agreements and other signings are still under 
discussion.  When asked about Darfur, Liu said that 
China has made effective contact with relevant 
parties, increased its understanding of the issue and 
taken constructive steps to resolve the crisis. 
 
Special Envoy to Attend Paris Meeting on Lebanon 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶9. Special Envoy to the Middle East Sun Bigan will 
attend an international conference for Lebanon to be 
held in Paris on January 25, said Liu.  Though Liu did 
not disclose how much financial support China was 
willing to contribute at the conference, he said that 
China has shown a responsible attitude on this issue. 
 
PM Wen to Japan, FM Li to India & Japan 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  Liu confirmed PM Wen will visit Japan this spring 
and FM Li will visit both Japan and India in February, 
but released no details.  He noted the importance of 
China-Japan relations, was happy to see high-level 
exchanges, and hoped both countries can maintain their 
momentum in improving relations.  Asked to comment on 
Japanese media reports that President Hu will not 
 
BEIJING 00000499  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
visit Japan in 2007, Liu said the reports were 
groundless speculation and visits will be made as 
bilateral relations dictate. 
 
Religious Freedom, Relations with the Vatican 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶11. A reporter asked repeated questions on treatment 
of Chinese Catholics and relations with the Vatican. 
Liu dismissed as hypothetical a question of whether or 
not China would recognize the underground Catholic 
Church within its border if normal diplomatic 
relations were established with the Vatican.  He 
reiterated the importance of the Vatican's accepting 
China's conditions that it support the One-China 
Principle and not interfere in China's internal 
affairs under the name of religion if relations were 
to be normalized and said multiple times that China 
allows freedom of religion for all its people.  The 
reporter asked if the inability of Chinese Catholics 
to practice religion freely extends this issue outside 
of China's domestic realm and into the Vatican's.  Liu 
told the reporter to find the answer to her question 
in the PRC constitution and other laws and regulations 
on freedom of religion.  Liu said that China has taken 
note of January 18 and 19 Vatican meetings on the 
Catholic Church of China and holds a positive attitude 
toward an upcoming meeting between Vietnamese and 
Vatican officials on January 25. 
 
DPRK-China Agreement on Illegal Border-crossers 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶12. Asked by a Japanese reporter to comment on a 1998 
agreement between China and the DPRK to send each side 
photos and names of illegal border crossers, Liu did 
not confirm the specific agreement but said that China 
has long borders with many countries and has relevant 
arrangements to safeguard the peace,stability and 
tranquility of its neighbors.  He added that China's 
position on illegal border-crossers has not changed 
and that related issues are handled in accordance with 
international law, domestic law and humanitarian 
spirit. 
 
China Supports Pakistan's Efforts To Promote Harmony 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶13. Asked to comment on Pakistan President Musharraf's 
upcoming visit to five countries for the purpose of 
promoting a harmonious Muslim world, Liu said that he 
had no news of the trip but that Pakistan is a friend 
of China's and China supports Pakistan's harmonious 
progress and work in the diplomatic field. 
 
Nigerian Hostages Return Home 
----------------------------- 
 
¶14.  A reporter asked whether five Chinese hostages 
held in Nigeria were released by ransom, force or 
other means, but Liu would provide no details claiming 
it would be a Qeat to other overseas Chinese 
workers. 
RANDT