VZCZCXRO1727
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #2666/01 1901029
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081029Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8480
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0218

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 002666 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KOLY PHUM KIRF KS KN JP SU CH
SUBJECT: JULY 8 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: SIX-PARTY TALKS, DALAI LAMA 
TALKS, HUMAN RIGHTS, OLYMPICS, XINJIANG MOSQUE, AID TO DPRK, SUDAN 
 
¶1.  Key points at the July 8 MFA press briefing were: 
 
-- A Six Party Talks Heads of Delegation meeting will convene on 
July 10, as will both the Denuclearization and the Energy and 
Economic Cooperation Working Groups. 
 
-- China protects human rights and freedom because that commitment 
is enshrined in the PRC constitution, not because China is holding 
the Olympic Games. 
 
-- The development of China will not be hindered and the Beijing 
Olympic Games will be a success; criticism will only encourage the 
Chinese people to make China better. 
 
-- Foreign political leaders will be invited to the Games by the 
Olympic Committees of their own countries and China is ready to 
facilitate their attendance. 
 
-- A mosque reportedly torn down in Xinjiang for not supporting the 
Olympics was "not a mosque," but rather an "illegal construction," 
which "peasants and herdsmen" built for personal religious use on 
land intended for agricultural use. 
 
Six-Party Talks Announced 
------------------------- 
 
¶2. At the July 8, 2008, regular MFA press briefing, MFA Spokesman 
Qin Gang announced that a Six-Party Talks Heads of Delegation 
meeting will convene on July 10 with the purpose of discussing the 
further implementation of the "Second Phase actions," and that both 
the Denuclearization and the Energy and Economic Cooperation Working 
Groups will also meet.  Qin said that the Talks are scheduled to 
last three days, but that the Six Parties and the "progress of the 
Talks" will determine the actual length.  The Six Parties and the 
progress of the Talks will also determine whether or not a joint 
document or agreement will be signed, said Qin. 
 
No Information on Dalai Lama Talks 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶3. "Competent parties" in the Chinese Government have "introduced 
and elaborated" on the results of the "contact," between the 
representatives of the Dalai Lama and Chinese officials.  He asked 
reporters to refer further questions to the "competent authorities" 
because the MFA is not in charge of this matter. 
 
China's Commitment to Human Rights Not New 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶4. Asked about foreign groups urging China to improve its human 
rights record before the Olympics, Qin responded with three points. 
First, China's devotion to the protection of human rights and 
freedom is enshrined in the PRC constitution and China is committed 
to improving social progress and to a just, fair and harmonious 
society under the rule of law.  Second, China is not committed to 
improving human rights because it is holding the Olympic Games; 
rather, China has been committed to human rights since the founding 
of the PRC and will continue to be so in the future.  China's 
development will not be measured or decided by some other 
organization and the Chinese people have the biggest say in China's 
human rights situation.  Third, "some forces" do not want to see the 
development of China, said the spokesman. 
 
"Hostile Forces" Threatening the Olympics 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. In the past several years, some organizations or people in the 
world have exposed their true motives fully, said Qin when asked 
which specific "hostile forces" pose threats to the Olympics Games. 
"If the forest is big enough, certain kinds of birds will be found," 
and the Chinese people and Government are used to those who fear and 
criticize China's development, stated Qin.  The development of China 
will not be hindered and the Beijing Olympic Games will be a 
success.  Criticism will only encourage the Chinese people to make 
China better and better. 
 
Foreign Leaders at the Opening Ceremony 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. Foreign political leaders will be invited to the Games by the 
Olympic Committees of their own countries and China is ready to 
facilitate their attendance, stated Qin.  However, their daily 
activities will not be determined by the Chinese Government.  Asked 
for comment on President Bush's decision to attend the Opening 
Ceremony, Qin said that all foreign leaders, not just President 
Bush, are welcome to attend and China will provide assistance for 
their activities and attendance. 
 
"Illegal Structure," Not "Mosque," Removed in Xinjiang 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
 
BEIJING 00002666  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶7. In response to a question from the China Daily, Qin said reports 
of a mosque being torn down in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region's 
Aksu Prefecture for not supporting the Beijing Olympics are "not in 
line with the facts."  The spokesman told reporters that he 
"double-checked with the relevant authorities," and found that some 
"peasants and herdsmen" in Keping County, Aksu, "made a 
construction" for personal religious use on land intended for 
agricultural use, thus making the construction illegal.  After the 
local department for management of land resources explained to them 
this illegality, the "peasants and herdsmen" themselves "removed" 
the construction.  The building in question was "not a mosque," but 
rather an "illegal construction."  Qin held that the local 
authorities did not detain anyone, nor did they confiscate any 
illegal articles. 
 
Chinese Aid to the DPRK 
----------------------- 
 
¶8. China supports the DPRK in its efforts to improve people's lives 
and China has offered assistance to help the DPRK in this capacity, 
said Qin when asked about Chinese shipments of fuel and cash to 
North Korea.  Qin claimed that reports cited by the reporter were 
not accurate.  China and the DPRK are friendly neighbors and their 
relations have enjoyed development on the basis of equality and 
mutual respect, he added. 
 
Sudan 
----- 
 
¶9. In response to a reporter's question, Qin said that Chinese 
peacekeeping engineering units will be fully deployed in Darfur in 
mid-July, and that the MFA is currently contacting relevant 
departments to organize a reporting trip to the region for foreign 
journalists. 
RANDT