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OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 011041Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4399
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000772 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL CH
SUBJECT: FEBRUARY 1 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: US-DPRK FINANCIAL 
TALKS, SIX-PARTY TALKS, HUMAN RIGHTS, ORGAN HAVERSTING, 
CHINESE CITIZEN CASUALTIES IN IRAQ, KIM JONG IL'S SON 
 
¶1. Key points made at the February 1 MFA press conference 
were: 
 
-- Despite comments from VFM Wu that the Fifth Round of 
Six-Party Talks would last 3-4 days, the MFA gave no 
timetable and had no substantive comments on the recent 
financial talks between the United States and the DPRK. 
 
-- The MFA gave no comment on calls to include the issue of 
religious freedom in any strategic dialogue with the United 
States and dismissed allegations of torture of a Tibetan boy 
as a legal matter. 
 
-- In response to criticism, the MFA Spokesperson defended 
China's cautious use of the death penalty and reiterated the 
strict policy on organ transplants. 
 
-- China is carrying out gradual financial reforms despite 
pressure from Treasury Secretary Paulson. 
 
-- China calls on the United States to repatriate Uighurs 
held at Guantanamo and reaffirms its commitments to 
international anti-terrorists efforts. 
 
-- Amid deaths of Chinese citizens fighting in Iraq with the 
United States military, the MFA says China is concerned about 
the welfare of all overseas citizens. 
 
-- Japan calls for an explanation to increased Chinese 
production in the East China Sea; China claims the territory, 
but has no conflict with Japan. 
 
Six-Party Talks 
--------------- 
 
¶2. MFA Spokesperson Jiang Yu said at the February 1 regular 
press briefing that the duration of the Third Phase of the 
Fifth Round of Six-Party Talks would depend on the progress 
made during negotiations, despite reported comments from Vice 
Foreign Minister Wu Dawei that the Talks would likely last 
three to four days.  Jiang had no news regarding this week's 
financial talks between the United States and the DPRK, nor 
on what role the issue would play in the upcoming phase of 
Six-Party Talks. 
 
Kim Jong Il, Jr. Sighting 
-------------------------- 
 
¶3. Jiang had not heard about reports that Kim Jong Il's 
eldest son is living in Macau and Beijing while traveling on 
a Portuguese passport. 
 
 
Human Rights: Religion, Organ Harvesting, Executions 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶4. Jiang denounced as "groundless attacks" claims by the 
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom 
that religious freedom in China is deteriorating.  He 
declined to comment on a suggestion that the topic of 
religious freedom should be included in the "strategic 
dialogue" between the United States and China.  Asked for 
comment on the case of a 15-year-old Tibetan boy who was 
allegedly beaten and tortured in custody after trying to 
escape to Nepal, Jiang cited a "large-scale illegal 
border-crossing case" in which suspects would be tried in 
accordance with the law.  Parents of children involved have 
been informed to retrieve them.  Jiang said China's policy 
towards the Vatican remains unchanged, when asked for comment 
on Hong Kong Cardinal Zen's reported hopes that China will 
arrange a meeting with the Pope as Vietnam has done. 
 
¶5. Responding to reports that a conference of human rights 
groups in Paris would soon issue a statement calling for 
transparency in China's practice of the capital punishment, 
the spokesperson defended China's use of the death penalty. 
She said that releant information is openly reported by the 
head of the Supreme People's Court to the People's Congress. 
Jiang noted that half of the world's countries still employ 
capital punishment.  Asked to comment on the report of a 
former Canadian diplomat on the practice of organ harvesting 
in China, Jiang maintained that China has a very strict 
policy on organ transplants, which requires the consent of 
all victims. 
 
Monetary Reform 
--------------- 
 
¶6. Responding to Treasury Secretary Paulson's comments that 
the international community was running out of patience with 
China's monetary reform, Jiang said that at the beginning of 
 
BEIJING 00000772  002 OF 002 
 
 
2005 China began using a market managed floating exchange 
mechanism and will proceed with reforms in an active, 
controllable and gradual way. 
 
Media Labels Space "Strategic Area" 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶7. Questioned about reports in the Chinese media labeling 
"space" as a "strategic area," the negative impact of space 
debris left from China's January anti-satellite test and 
calls for more detailed explanations from Japan, the United 
States and others, Jiang replied that China has a purely 
defensive military strategy which threatens no other country. 
 Its position on the anti-satellite test has already been 
expressed clearly, China upholds the peaceful exploration of 
space, opposes the weaponization of space and will not 
participate in a space arms race. 
 
Calls to Repatriate Uighurs 
--------------------------- 
 
¶8. Jiang called for the United States to work with China 
through the bilateral relationship and relevant international 
laws to repatriate thirteen Uighurs currently held at 
Guantanamo Bay, adding that the international community 
should hold a firm and consistent attitude toward terrorism, 
which is a threat to all. 
 
Chinese Citizens Die in Iraq 
---------------------------- 
 
¶9. Asked to comment on the recent death and possible future 
deaths of Chinese citizens fighting for the United States 
military in Iraq, Jiang said China is concerned about the 
welfare of its citizens abroad, counsels them to be alert and 
takes every effort to ensure their safety, but Jiang had no 
specifics on the case. 
 
East China Sea, Japan Visits 
---------------------------- 
 
¶10. Commenting on Japan's demand for an explanation to 
increased Chinese production from Chunxiao natural gas field 
in the East China Sea, Jiang said that the field is in 
China's continental shelf zone and China has no conflict with 
Japan.  Jiang would give no dates for the next round of East 
China Sea negotiations or FM Li and PM Wen's upcoming visits 
to Japan. 
 
Attacks in Africa 
----------------- 
 
¶11. A Xinhua News reporter asked Jiang to comment on the 
recent death of a Chinese worker in Kenya and attempts to 
rescue nine Chinese workers kidnapped in Nigeria.  Jiang 
replied that armed robbers attacked a road construction 
project killing one Chinese worker and injuring another. 
China has activated its emergency response and is working 
with Kenyan authorities who have set up a special group to 
investigate the attack and increase protection of Chinese 
citizens in the region.  Jiang added that China is trying its 
best to rescue the workers kidnapped in Nigeria. 
 
EU Pressure on Darfur 
--------------------- 
 
¶12. When asked China's attitude towards Darfur in response to 
recent pressure from the European Union for President Hu to 
discuss the Darfur issue with Sudanese leaders, Jiang said 
China's position has not changed.  China follows the Darfur 
issue very closely and is maintaining dialogue with all 
relevant parties.  China hopes the issue is solved through 
political negotiation and is pleased by recent progress. 
 
Repatriation of Fugitive in Canada 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶13. Asked again 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 voiced hopes that an international convention 
on anti-corruption would serve as a basis for positive 
cooperation on this issue. 
RANDT