VZCZCXRO9928
PP RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0261/01 0241051
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241051Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4617
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0190

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000261 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KN VT KS IR SU TW CH
SUBJECT: JANUARY 24 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: DARFUR, OLYMPICS, 
DALAI LAMA, IRAN, NORTH KOREA 
 
 
¶1. Key points at the regular January 24 MFA press 
briefing: 
 
-- China is playing a constructive role in Darfur and 
any attempt to link the Olympics and Darfur "goes 
against the Olympic spirit." 
 
-- The Dalai Lama is not a religious or spiritual 
leader but someone who seeks to undermine Chinese 
unity. 
 
-- All sides in the Iranian nuclear dispute should be 
"creative" in seeking a diplomatic breakthrough. 
 
-- China and Vietnam are committed to resolving their 
disagreements over the South China Sea through 
negotiation. 
 
-- China has improved its military transparency 
through increased military-to-military exchanges and 
the publication of defense white papers. 
 
-- The Six-Party Talks are moving forward and all 
parties in the Talks should fulfill their obligations. 
China is following through on its commitments to 
provide material aid to North Korea. 
 
-- The MFA spokesperson said she was unaware of 
reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il will 
transit through China on his way to visit Vietnam. 
 
Darfur and the Olympics 
----------------------- 
 
¶2. At the routine MFA press briefing January 24, MFA 
Spokesperson Jiang Yu said China is playing a 
"positive and constructive role" in Darfur and is 
promoting both a political resolution and the 
deployment of the Africa Union-United Nations hybrid 
peacekeeping force.  China was the first country to 
promise troops to the peacekeeping effort, and 140 
Chinese engineering troops are already in Sudan. 
Additional Chinese troops will be deployed soon.  Any 
attempt to politicize the Olympics by linking the 
Games to Darfur "goes against the Olympic spirit." 
Asked whether China protested a recent attack on UN 
vehicles by the Sudanese military, Jiang merely said 
that there will be "problems and difficulties" given 
the "unprecedented scope" of the Darfur peacekeeping 
mission. 
 
Dalai Lama Undermining China's Unity 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. In response to a question on the Dalai Lama's 
asking his followers to protest peacefully during the 
Olympics, Jiang asserted that the Dalai Lama is a 
"political exile" whose real aim is to undermine 
China's relations with other nations and harm China's 
unity.  The Dalai Lama is not a religious or spiritual 
leader and the international community should not 
support his activities. 
 
Iran: P5-plus-1 Agreement on New UNSC Resolution 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶4. China urges all sides in the Iran nuclear dispute to 
be "creative" and make a "breakthrough" in diplomatic 
talks.  Jiang noted that the P5-plus-1 members had 
agreed on the text of a new UN Security Council 
resolution that will urge continued diplomacy and 
encourage Iran to cooperate with the International 
Atomic Energy Agency.  China hopes all sides can step 
up diplomatic efforts in order to reach a 
comprehensive settlement. 
 
China-Vietnam Talks on South China Sea 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. Commenting on the January 23 meeting in Beijing of 
the Steering Committee on China-Vietnam Bilateral 
Relations, Jiang said China and Vietnam have agreed to 
"properly handle" disputes related to the South China 
Sea.  The talks were led by State Councilor Tang 
Jiaxuan and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and 
Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem.  China's position 
that the South China Sea islands are part of Chinese 
territory remains unchanged, she added, but China and 
Vietnam are committed to resolving the issue through 
negotiations. 
 
 
BEIJING 00000261  002 OF 002 
 
 
Military Transparency 
--------------------- 
 
¶6. A journalist asked Jiang to comment on recent 
statements by PACOM Commander Admiral Keating and 
Deputy Secretary Negroponte that China should increase 
its military transparency. China's military policy is 
defensive in nature, Jiang said, and aimed at 
preserving China's sovereignty and territorial 
integrity.  China has strengthened military-to- 
military exchanges with other countries and has issued 
defense white papers in an effort to increase 
transparency. 
 
Hong Kong Port Visits 
---------------------- 
 
¶7. Asked if China's "top leaders" decide whether U.S. 
military ships can visit Hong Kong, Jiang said China 
retains authority to approve all such port calls in 
accordance with the principle of sovereignty. 
 
North Korea: Six-Party Talks 
---------------------------- 
 
¶8. Jiang pointed to the disablement of North Korea's 
nuclear facility at Yongbyon as a sign that the six 
parties are making progress.  All parties should move 
forward under the principle of "action for action." 
China is proceeding with the delivery of heavy fuel 
oil and urges other parties to fulfill their 
obligations quickly so that second-phase actions can 
be completed as soon as possible. 
 
Reported Kim Jong-Il Visit to Vietnam via China 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶9. Jiang said she was unaware of reports that North 
Korean leader Kim Jong-Il will transit through China on 
his way to visit Vietnam.  Jiang added that the 
Communist Party of China and the Korean Workers Party 
enjoy good relations. 
 
Taiwan 
------ 
 
¶10. In response to a series of questions about Taiwan, 
Jiang repeated standard language that Taiwan is an 
"inalienable part of China."  Taiwan is the "core" 
issue in U.S.-China bilateral relations. China urges 
the United States to safeguard bilateral relations by 
adhering to the one-China policy and the Three 
Communiques. 
 
South Korean Asylum for FLG Practitioners 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶11. Jiang said she was unaware of reports that a South 
Korean court had recently granted political refugee 
status to two followers of the Falun Gong (FLG) 
movement.  China has banned the FLG according to law 
and thus "there is no persecution to speak of."  China 
hopes other countries will not believe the "lies" of 
the FLG and grant refugee status to FLG practitioners. 
RANDT