VZCZCXRO3735
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0020/01 0030918
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 030918Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4298
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000020 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM CH
SUBJECT: JANUARY 3 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: India PM visit, China FM 
Africa trip, Pakistan elections, U.S.-China Senior Dialogue, 
Six-Party Talks 
 
 
¶1. Key points at the January 3 MFA Press Briefing: 
 
-- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit China January 
13-15. 
 
-- China hopes all parties in the Six-Party Talks process will honor 
the commitments they have made. 
 
-- Relevant PRC authorities will handle the case of detained 
activist Hu Jia according to law. 
 
-- PRC Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will travel to four countries in 
Africa January 7-11. 
 
-- The Senior Dialogue is an important forum to exchange ideas on 
cooperation and coordination in various fields. 
 
Indian PM Visit 
--------------- 
 
¶2. At the January 3 regular MFA press briefing, MFA Spokesman Jiang 
Yu announced that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit 
China January 13-15.  Jiang said that China attaches great 
importance to the visit and hopes that the two countries will 
improve their friendship and strategic cooperative partnership. 
Currently, the relations have good momentum as three meetings were 
held during 2007.  Jiang also noted that in 2007, trade and tourism 
has increased between China and India.  Jiang said that China is 
ready to make joint effort to bring the strategic cooperative 
partnership "to a new high." 
 
¶3. Regarding the boundary issues, Jiang said that the two countries 
held three rounds of meetings last year and will make joint efforts 
to reach a fair and rational settlement acceptable to both parties. 
 
 
Pakistan Elections 
------------------ 
 
¶4. China respects the decision to postpone elections in Pakistan as 
an internal affair of Pakistan, Jiang stated.  China hopes for a 
smooth election process and for the continued development of 
Pakistan. 
 
U.S.-China Senior Dialogue Schedule 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5. Jiang said that she would share specific information regarding 
the scheduled Senior Dialogue between the United States and China 
once she had it.  The Dialogue is an important platform to exchange 
ideas on coordination and cooperation in various fields and to 
develop peace and regional stability, she said. 
 
Six-Party Talks, A/S Hill Visiting Beijing 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶6. Responding to a request to comment on the DPRK missing the 
deadline to make a full declaration of its nuclear programs, Jiang 
said that with the concerted efforts of the parties the second phase 
of the agreement is underway and that it is "natural" for the pace 
to be faster in some areas and slower in others.  China urges all 
parties to honor the ommitments they have made, as that will lead 
to broader prospects for the Six-Party Talks process. 
 
¶7. Jiang said that she had also heard reports regarding a visit to 
Beijing and the Republic of Korea by EAP Assistant Secretary 
Christopher Hill during the upcoming weekend, but stated that she 
had no specific information to share. 
 
Hu Jia Detention 
---------------- 
 
¶8. Asked to comment on European Union Parliament President Hans-Gert 
Poettering's demand for the release of Chinese activist Hu Jia, 
Jiang said that China is a country with the rule of law and that 
everyone is equal under the law and no one is above it.  Relevant 
authorities will deal with relevant cases according to law, she 
said. 
 
FM Yang Plans Africa Visit 
-------------------------- 
 
¶9. In response to a reporter's question about Foreign Minister Yang 
Jiechi's planned visit to Congo, Burundi, Ethiopia and South Africa, 
Jiang said that an important part of China's foreign policy was to 
consolidate and strengthen the solidarity and cooperation of Africa. 
 The upcoming visit will increase mutually beneficial cooperation 
and build on the strategic partnerships.  During the visit, Yang 
will visit with the foreign ministers and leaders of the four 
countries. 
 
 
BEIJING 00000020  002 OF 002 
 
 
RANDT