VZCZCXRO2258
OO RUEHBZ RUEHCN RUEHDU RUEHGH RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA
RUEHRN RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0718/01 0301000
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 301000Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4323
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 0694
RUEHSL/AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA 0049
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 3930
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 0219
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1169

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000718 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM TSPA CH KN XA SU TX LO
SUBJECT: JANUARY 30 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: SIX-PARTY TALKS, 
U.S.-DPRK FINANCIAL TALKS, ANTI-SATELLITE MISSILE TEST, 
HU'S TRIP TO AFRICA, DARFUR, SLOVAK PM TO CHINA, 
TURKMENISTAN INAUGURATION 
 
 
¶1.  Key points made at the January 30 MFA press conference 
were: 
 
-- The third phase of the fifth round of Six-Party Talks will 
begin on February 8.  The Talks will focus on implementation 
of the Joint Statement and how to promote progress.  Progress 
made will determine the Talks' duration. 
 
-- China is not a participant in financial talks between the 
United States and the DPRK held January 30 in Beijing. 
 
-- China hopes to sign international agreements to prevent 
the weaponization of space and plans to send a representative 
to the UN Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space 
meeting February 12-13 in Vienna. 
 
-- President Hu's trip to Africa seeks to promote joint 
development, not economic colonization.  China remains 
concerned about Darfur, the Spokesperson said in response to 
calls by the NGO Human Rights Watch for China to limit arms 
sales to Sudan. 
 
-- Prime Minister Fico of the Slovak Republic will visit 
China February 5-9. 
 
-- China has not been invited to the February 14 inauguration 
of Turkmenistan's new President. 
 
Six-Party Talks 
--------------- 
 
¶2.  MFA Spokesperson Jiang Yu announced at the January 30 
regular press briefing that the third phase of the fifth 
round of Six-Party Talks would begin on February 8.  The 
duration of the Talks will depend on progress made during 
negotiations.  Jiang said discussions will focus on how to 
promote progress of the Talks and on implementation of the 
September 19 Joint Statement.  Asked if a proposal drafted by 
the United States and ROK on implementing the Joint Statement 
would be considered, Jiang replied that specific questions 
concerning the goals of implementing the Joint Statement and 
improving the implementation mechanism are best discussed by 
the parties. 
 
China Unaware of US-DPRK Financial Talks on 1/29 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶3.  Jiang said China is not a participant in financial talks 
which began today in Beijing between the United States and 
the DPRK.  She deflected a question asking whether a lack of 
progress in financial talks would affect resumption of the 
Six-Party Talks and commented only on the progress hoped for 
in the upcoming round of negotiations. 
 
China Hopes to Sign Space Treaty 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  Jiang was asked to clarify the purpose of China's recent 
anti-satellite missile test and confirm if it would be 
discussed during EAP Assistant Secretary Hill's visit to 
Beijing.  She restated China's position of upholding the 
peaceful exploration of space, opposing the weaponization of 
space and refusing to participate in a space arms race. 
China hopes to sign related international documents to 
prevent the weaponization of space, seeing this as the "best 
way," she said.  China, Russia and others have produced 
working documents on this topic and China hopes to make joint 
efforts with other relevant parties to realize this goal 
through a binding agreement.  She confirmed that China will 
send a representative to the UN Committee on the Peaceful Use 
of Outer Space meeting February 12-13 in Vienna. 
She deflected questions about risks caused by the space 
debris left from the test. 
 
Africa's Friend, Not Economic Colonizer 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  Responding to an al-Jazeera reporter who asked what China 
has to gain from President Hu's visit to Africa, Jiang said 
President Hu will promote friendly, practical cooperation and 
joint development.  In response to a western reporter's 
charge that China is undertaking economic colonization of 
Africa, Jiang held that China and Africa know best the 
 
BEIJING 00000718  002 OF 002 
 
 
effects of colonialism.  China-Africa cooperation began not 
with recent energy exports, but over a half century ago.  The 
two are engaged in the common task of joint development based 
on equality, mutual benefit and transparency unrelated to the 
interests of third parties. 
 
HRW Letter to Hu on Darfur 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6.  Reporters asked Jiang to comment on a Human Rights Watch 
letter to President Hu calling for targeted PRC sanctions on 
Sudan and better oversight of Chinese weapons use in the 
country.  She reiterated that China follows the Darfur issue 
very closely while maintaining dialogue with all relevant 
parties.  China hopes the issue is solved through political 
negotiation and is pleased by recent progress.  China only 
sells arms to sovereign national governments, requires that 
buyers do not transfer the weapons to third parties without 
Chinese consent and abides by all UN regulations, she said. 
 
No Info on USS Nimitz Model, Canada Fugitive 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  The Spokesperson had no information regarding reports 
that a full-scale model of the U.S.S. Nimitz has been 
completed by China.  Asked for comment on China's demands 
that Canada repatriate Gao Shan, a Bank of China clerk from 
northeast China who reportedly stole US$129 million and fled 
to Canada in 2005, Jiang said she was unaware of the case. 
 
Visits: Slovak PM, Turkmenistan Inauguration 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  Jiang announced that Prime Minister Robert Fico of the 
Slovak Republic will visit China February 5-9 at the 
invitation of Premier Wen Jiabao.  When asked whether China 
was sending a representative to the new Turkmenistan 
President's inauguration on February 14, Jiang replied that 
Beijing had not received an invitation. 
RANDT