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O 022313Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4258
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 001468 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM CH KN KS JP BR
 
SUBJECT: JUNE 2 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: NORTH KOREA RELATIONS, PSI, 
TIANANMEN, GUANTANAMO BAY UIGHURS 
 
¶1. Key points at the June 2 MFA press briefing: 
 
-- Asked about reports that China canceled official exchanges with 
North Korea, the spokesperson said that China and North Korea 
"always have normal people to people exchanges." 
 
-- Asked whether China and North Korea remained allies, Qin repeated 
that China and North Korea had "normal state to state relations" and 
said that China's policy and position toward North Korea was 
"clear." 
 
-- China "understood the concerns and agreed with the goals of 
Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) partner countries," said 
Qin.  However, China was concerned that the PSI "did not rule out 
going past international law" to combat proliferation. 
 
-- The Chinese Communist Party and government had "already reached 
an unequivocal conclusion" on the "political incident of the late 
1980s and related issues."  The past three decades had witnessed the 
"remarkable success" of socialism with Chinese characteristics. 
 
North Korean Nuclear Test 
------------------------- 
 
¶2. China was always firmly devoted to the denuclearization of the 
Korean Peninsula, said spokesperson Qin Gang at the June 2 regularly 
scheduled MFA press briefing. China also opposed nuclear 
proliferation and supported the peace and stability of the Northeast 
Asia region.  Qin referred reporters to the May 25 Foreign Ministry 
Statement and said that China hoped all parties would remain calm, 
proceed with the interests of peace and stability in mind and do 
nothing to worsen the situation.  Asked about reports that China had 
canceled official exchanges with North Korea, Qin said that China 
and North Korea "always had normal people to people exchanges." 
Regarding NPC Standing Committee Vice Chair Chen Zhili's planned 
June visit to North Korea, Qin said that "due to conflicts in her 
schedule" the visit would be postponed.  Asked whether China and 
North Korea remained allies, Qin repeated that China and North Korea 
had "normal state to state relations" and said that China's policy 
and position toward North Korea was "clear."  Asked about the 
sixtieth anniversary of relations between North Korea and China, Qin 
referred reporters to the May 25 Foreign Ministry Statement (Note: 
That statement did not mention the anniversary). As a "neighbor and 
signatory" to the 1953 armistice ending hostilities on the Korean 
Peninsula, Qin said that China had "taken note" of North Korea's 
announcement that its army was no longer bound by the agreement. 
The United Nations Security Council Response should be "helpful" to 
the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the peace and 
stability of the region.  Qin also said that he had no information 
about the reported trip to China by Deputy Secretary Steinberg. 
 
Proliferation Security Initiative 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶3. China "understood the concerns and agreed with the goals of 
Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) partner countries," said 
Qin.  However, China was concerned that the PSI "did not rule out 
going past international law" to combat proliferation.  Qin noted 
that "China and other countries" felt that some stipulations of the 
PSI were "outside the framework of international law."  Qin 
emphasized that China's lack of participation in PSI "did not impede 
China's cooperation on non-proliferation."  China "firmly opposed 
the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," said Qin. 
 
Tiananmen Massacre 
------------------ 
 
¶4. Asked about the upcoming twentieth anniversary of the June 4 1989 
Tiananmen Square massacre, Qin said that the Chinese Communist Party 
and government had "already reached an unequivocal conclusion" on 
the "political incident of the late 1980s and related issues."  The 
past three decades had witnessed the "remarkable success" of 
socialism with Chinese characteristics.  This development was the 
will of the Chinese people and "in their fundamental interest." 
Asked why previous MFA press briefing official transcripts failed to 
record discussion of the massacre, Qin said that the MFA press 
conferences were "open and transparent." Asked whether China would 
permit 1989 era exiles to return to China, Qin responded that the 
Chinese government would handle the issue "according to entry/exit 
regulations." 
 
Guantanamo Bay Uighurs 
---------------------- 
 
¶5. China "had made representations" to the Australian government 
regarding reports that it might accept Uighurs who were imprisoned 
in Guantanamo Bay.  China was firmly opposed to any foreign country 
accepting the "Eastern Turkistan suspects," said the spokesperson. 
 
BEIJING 00001468  002 OF 002 
 
 
The suspects should be returned to China, he added. 
 
Taiwan 
------ 
 
¶6. Asked about the meeting between Secretary of State Hillary 
Clinton and Ma Ying-jeou, Qin said that China "hoped that the United 
States would properly and prudently handle the issue and avoid two 
Chinas or one China and one Taiwan." 
 
Missing Air France Flight 
------------------------- 
 
¶7. "Our hearts go out to the victims" of the missing Air France 
flight, lost en route from Brazil to Paris, said Qin.  Qin noted 
that the fate of the plane "had not yet been confirmed."  Upon 
learning of the event, the MFA "immediately instructed" its 
embassies in France and Brazil to contact relevant authorities and 
ascertain relevant details.  Nine passengers on the flight were 
Chinese citizens, said Qin.  The MFA and Chinese missions would stay 
in close contact with the governments of Brazil and France and had 
set up a consular protection emergency hotline, added the 
spokesperson. 
 
Dalai Lama 
---------- 
 
¶8. "Dalai was a long exiled separatist who conducted separatist 
activities aimed at splitting China," said Qin.  China and the 
Chinese people firmly opposed "Dalai's" activities as well as any 
foreign officials conducting business with him.  To deal with the 
Dalai Lama was to "grossly interfere with China's internal affairs" 
and would "affect bilateral relations." 
 
World Trade Organization 
------------------------ 
 
¶9. China had fulfilled its commitments to the World Trade 
Organization and its markets were "more open than those of some 
Western countries," said Qin.  Qin noted that there had been "some 
friction" with the United States regarding trade, however "this did 
not represent overall bilateral relations." Sustained and growing 
trade between the United States and China was in the interests of 
the two peoples and the entire world, said Qin. 
 
Visit to Japan of Wang Qishan 
----------------------------- 
 
¶10. The visit of Vice Premier Wang Qishan to Japan would have 
unusual significance given the "strategic and mutually beneficial 
relations" between Japan and China, said Qin. China hoped the visit 
would enhance dialogue and understanding and improve stability of 
financial markets. 
 
Blocking of Radio Free Asia 
---------------------------- 
 
¶11. Radio Free Asia (RFA) broadcasts were blocked in China because 
the RFA "always engaged in activities that interfered in China's 
internal affairs," said Qin.  Asked if the BBC was being blocked for 
the same reasons, Qin said that he did not have any information on 
the issue but cautioned that the BBC should not interfere in China's 
internal affairs either. 
 
PICCUTA