China not to take part in any form of space arms race

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, October 10, 2003

China not to take part in any form of space arms race

China has been developing space technology purely for peaceful purposes and will never participate in any arms race in outer space, FM spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said on Thursday.

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China has been developing space technology purely for peaceful purposes and will never participate in any arms race in outer space, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said Thursday.

In response to a question on whether China would use its space technology for military purposes, Zhang said, "I can tell you clearly that China, like many other countries, explores and develops space technology only for the peaceful utilization of outer space."

China has always advocated a weapons-free outer space and holds that preventing an armament race in space is in the interests of all countries in the world, she said, adding that China is willing to carry out effective cooperation with other countries in the peaceful utilization of outer space.

"China has never and will never participate in an arms race of any form in outer space," Zhang said.

The spokeswoman said China's tremendous efforts to explore, develop and peacefully utilize outer space was not in contradiction with her status as a developing country.

All developing countries need to develop their level of science and technology, Zhang said, adding that China's endeavor to improve its space technology not only benefits the country alone but is also important to the cause of peaceful utilization of outer space by mankind.

China urges continuation of six-party talks

The six-party talks should be continued in order to seek a solution to the nuclear issue on Korean Peninsular, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said in Beijing Thursday.

Zhang said China always regarded the six-party talks as an important step towards a peaceful solution through dialogue.

The six-party talks were held in Beijing in August among China, the United States, Russia, Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

All sides reached a consensus on solving the issue through peaceful means, including continuing the six-party talks.

Zhang said the nuclear issue on Korean Peninsular was very complicated, and each side had different views and differences in the process of solving the problem.

Zhang said China believed that the best way to solve the problem and differences was through the mechanism of the six-party talks. Therefore, the talks should be carried on, she said.

China reiterates stance on Dalai Lama's visit to some countries

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue reiterated Thursday China's stance on the Dalai Lama's visit to other countries, calling for all friendly countries to acknowledge Tibet as part of China.

Zhang noted that the Dalai Lama was not a purely religious figure, but a political figure in exile who had engaged in separatist activities for a long time.

The Chinese side hoped that all friendly nations would abide by the principle that Tibet was part of China, and would avoid any activities involving the separation of China, the spokeswoman said.

Diaoyu Islands an integral part of Chinese territory

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue reiterated Thursday that the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea and the adjacent islands are an integral part of the Chinese territory.

Zhang was commenting on a report that some people from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan had gone to the Diaoyu Islands to proclaim them as possessions of China.

The Chinese government and people were steadfastly determined to safeguard the country's territorial sovereignty, Zhang said.

China maintained that China and Japan should settle their dispute over the Diaoyu Islands through consultation, Zhang said.

Japanese should be educated to behave themselves outside homeland

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue Thursday urged the Japanese government to enhance education of its people so that they could behave according to law when they are in a foreign country.

This will also help maintain the image of Japan, Zhang said, referring to the prostitution solicitation case involving a group of some 400 Japanese tourists in Zhuhai City of Guangdong Province, south China, earlier last month.

The case has aroused indignation of the Chinese people, and the local government has taken some measures against those Chinese institutions involved in the case, the spokeswoman said.

China reiterates stance on Japanese leaders' Yasukuni Shrine visit

China hopes Japan treats the issue of the Yasukuni Shrine visit in line with the spirit "taking history as a mirror and facing the future," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue Thursday.

In response to a question on Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's latest announcement that he will visit the Yasukuni Shrine every year, Zhang said this issue centers on Japan's attitude toward history.

According to the spokeswoman, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Tuesday met with Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro in Bali, Indonesia, and expressed China's readiness to develop the good-neighborly friendship with Japan.

Zhang quoted Wen as saying that Japan is China's close neighbor, and the relationship with Japan plays an important role in China's relations with surrounding countries. The Chinese government is willing to develop a long-term stable and good-neighborly relationship.

According to her, Wen stressed at the meeting that right understanding and judgment of history is the key to the smooth development of the Sino-Japanese relations. China hopes the Japanese side could develop the bilateral relationship on the basis of the China-Japan Joint Declaration and other documents concerning Sino-Japanese relations.

China hopes Japan could treat history, as well as the issue of shrine visit, with the spirit of "taking history as a mirror and facing the future."

The Yasukuni Shrine, a symbol of Japanese militarism, honors more than 2.5 million Japanese war dead, including 14 Class-A war criminals of World War II.

China expresses concerns over suspension of some ROK consulate affairs

China is concerned over the recent decision of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Embassy in Beijing to temporarily suspend some of its consulate affairs, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said Thursday.

Sino-ROK relations were developing rapidly with a frequent exchange of visits between the people of the two countries, Zhang noted. China regarded the decision of ROK embassy as unfavorable to the progress of consulate relations, and hoped that it would not affect the normal contacts between the people of both countries.

In response to a question regarding the handling of the illegal entry of incomers into China, Zhang said China always deal with the matter in compliance with humanitarian principles as well as domestic and international laws.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has been in close contact with the ROK concerning the matter, the spokeswoman said, adding her country hoped that the problem could be resolved properly.

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