VZCZCXRO2844
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #1844/01 1341050
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131050Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7258
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1923
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0653
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 8995

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 001844 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KOLY KS BM
SUBJECT: MAY 13 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: SICHUAN EARTHQUAKE, BURMA 
DISASTER ASSISTANCE, SIX-PARTY TALKS 
 
BEIJING 00001844  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶1.  Key points at the May 13 MFA press briefing were: 
 
-- China welcomes offers of international assistance for disaster 
relief after the May 12 earthquake in Sichuan. 
 
-- No foreign casualties from the earthquake have been reported, but 
the Foreign Ministry is looking into reports that a group of 15 
Britons is missing. 
 
-- Journalists will face difficulties traveling in 
earthquake-affected areas (some of which are previously closed 
ethnic Tibetan regions), but the Foreign Ministry will endeavor to 
"create conditions" for journalists to travel to the affected 
areas. 
 
-- The spokesman said that China would do its utmost to press ahead 
with Olympic preparations in spite of the quake, and that the 
Beijing Olympic Committee would make a determination on whether to 
make changes to the torch relay. 
 
-- In light of the earthquake, China will continue to assist Burma 
with the cyclone disaster relief "according to our capabilities." 
 
-- The spokesman noted recent positive progress on the 
implementation of Phase II of the Six-Party process, and that 
normalization of U.S.-DPRK relations had shown "improvement." 
 
China Welcomes International Assistance 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. At the May 13, 2008 regular MFA press briefing, MFA Spokesman Qin 
Gang said that many countries and international organizations (IOs) 
had sent immediate condolences and expressions of support for China 
after the earthquake that devastated parts of Sichuan province May 
¶12.  Asked if China would accept offers of international assistance 
for disaster relief, Qin said that China "welcomes" such offers.  He 
said that China has opened "relevant channels" with the 
international community for accepting such offers and that the 
Chinese authorities are ready for contact with foreign countries and 
IOs that want to offer assistance. 
 
No Reports of Foreigners Killed or Injured 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶3.  Asked about reports that 15 Britons were among the missing 
following the earthquake, Qin said that the Foreign Ministry has not 
yet received any reports that foreigners were killed or injured.  He 
was unaware of the report of the 15 Britons but said that the 
Foreign Ministry would look into the report.  He said that local 
authorities in the affected areas attach great importance to the 
safety of foreigners in their areas, and that the Foreign Ministry 
is in contact with local authorities and foreign embassies and 
consulates in China to monitor the situation.  Asked about reports 
from the state-run Xinhua news agency that 37 people were killed 
when a tourist bus fell off a cliff during a landslide related to 
the earthquake, Qin said he was unaware of the specifics of the 
report. 
 
Media Coverage of the Quake 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4.  Asked if foreign journalists would be allowed to travel to areas 
affected by the earthquake given that some of the same areas have 
been closed following last month's unrest in predominantly ethnic 
Tibetan areas, Qin stressed that the transportation and 
communication infrastructure in affected areas has been damaged and 
that journalists who choose to go would face very difficult 
circumstances.  He noted that roads into the affected areas were 
destroyed and aid was being delivered by airdrop in some areas.  He 
said the Foreign Ministry would endeavor to "create conditions" for 
journalists to travel to the areas.  He urged journalists who go to 
the affected areas to remain alert and contact the local Foreign 
Affairs Office in any emergency.  Qin said that the Foreign Ministry 
had been in contact with foreign correspondents already in Chengdu 
to ensure their safety. 
 
Sichuan Quake and Olympic Impact 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  Asked about the impact of the earthquake on Olympic 
preparations, Qin said that after the earthquake the Central and 
Standing Committees of the Chinese Communist Party established a 
taskforce to give the disaster relief the highest priority.  He said 
the government is pressing ahead with relief for the affected areas 
and that the Chinese people are united in the efforts to overcome of 
the losses due to the quake.  In this spirit, he added, China will 
do its utmost to overcome the damage and continue with the 
preparations for the Beijing Olympics. 
 
BEIJING 00001844  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6.  Asked if there would be changes made to the Olympic torch relay 
due to the disaster, Qin said that the Beijing Organizing Committee 
for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) is assessing the situation and will 
determine if changes are necessary. 
 
Burma Cyclone Disaster Relief 
----------------------------- 
 
¶7.  Qin said that China has expressed "its solicitude with Burma" 
following the May 3 cyclone and is monitoring developments there. 
He noted that China has sent two shipments of assistance and 
provided money for disaster relief.  Asked if the Sichuan earthquake 
would impact China's assistance with disaster relief in Burma, Qin 
said that China will continue to help "according to our 
capabilities." 
 
¶8.  Asked for his views on actions by the Burmese government to 
limit the arrival of foreign assistance into Burma, Qin said that 
Burma has recently welcomed assistance from the international 
community.  He said that China provides assistance on the basis of 
the principles of equality and mutual respect, respecting the will 
of the receiving party and based on its "receiving capability." 
 
Positive Progress in Six-Party Process 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  Qin confirmed reports that Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei would 
meet with South Korean nuclear negotiator Kim Sook May 13 in 
Beijing.  He said that the Six-Party Talks have recently been making 
progress on actions related to Phase II, including "some progress" 
on denuclearization and the "implementation" of aid to the DPRK. 
Qin said that "normalization of relations between the United States 
and the DPRK has improved" and that the two sides recently had 
contacts, which the Chinese side viewed positively. 
 
¶10.  In the Wu-Kim meeting, Qin said that the two sides would 
exchange views on how to move forward.  Noting that he was unaware 
of agenda specifics, he ventured that the two sides would take 
measures to increase mutual trust and discuss practical steps for 
the implementation of Phase II in a comprehensive way.  At the same 
time, he added, Wu and Kim will discuss the next phase, and China is 
ready to continue to play a constructive role to maintain 
cooperation with all relevant parties. 
 
Other 
----- 
 
¶11.  According to Qin, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will travel to 
Bahrain May 21-22 to lead the Chinese delegation at the 3rd round of 
the China-Arab Cooperation Forum. 
 
RANDT