Madam Zhang: Good Afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. The floor is open.

Q: What’s the Foreign Ministry's reaction to the latest developments with North Korea and the rejection of the US offer?

A: We have read related reports. The position of China on Korean nuclear issues has been very clear. China has always advocated for a peaceful, stable and nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, hoping that relevant parties can solve the nuclear problem through dialogue. Currently there have been very active and frequent diplomatic maneuvers to that end. Russian Vice Foreign Minister Losyukov will be visiting DPRK very soon, further mitigating on the problem. DPRK and South Korea have also announced to hold talks next week. China has been making its efforts to promote a proper settlement of the problem through dialogue at an earlier date.

Q: Is there any chance for the Chinese envoy to go to Pyongyang? Could you brief us on Kelly's visit to Beijing and the meetings with Chinese officials?

A: We have maintained close consultation with relevant parties. With respect to the US Assistant Secretary of State Kelly's visit to China, he met with Vice Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing here in the Foreign Ministry yesterday morning and had official talks with Director Generals of the Department of Asian Affairs as well as of North American and Oceania Affairs. They had an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and Korean nuclear problems. Vice Foreign Minister Li noted that China supports a peaceful, stable and nuclear-free Korean Peninsula rather than hopes to see nuclear weapons on Korean Peninsula and the DPRK's withdrawal of NPT. China advocates for a peaceful settlement through dialogue.

Q: The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister is supposed to stop for a day in Beijing. Can you tell us when that will be, whom he will meet and what he will discuss?

A: The Russian President's envoy on Korean issues, Vice Foreign Minister Losyukov will visit DPRK soon and mitigate on Korean nuclear issues. As proposed by Russia, he will stopover here in Beijing later today on his way to DPRK and exchange views on the related issue with Foreign Ministry's officials in charge.

Q: UN Security Council will hold the Foreign Ministers' anti-terrorism meeting. Will Foreign Minister Tang attend this meeting?

A: UN Security Council will hold the Foreign Ministers' anti-terrorism meeting on January 20th in New York. The meeting is to comprehensively summarize and review international anti-terrorism cooperation after September 11th and define the emphasis of next step. It's a very important meeting of the Security Council at the beginning of the New Year.  Foreign Minister Tang has changed his schedule so that he can attend this meeting in New York during his trip to Africa. He will then expound on China's position on anti-terrorism.

Foreign Minister Tang will also meet with UN Secretary General Annan and his counterparts of relevant countries and exchange views on issues of common interest.

Q: You have said many times that the Korean nuclear issue should be solved through dialogue. Does that mean that China is disappointed about the North Korean's decision to turn down the US offer of talks?

A: We have taken note that various parties are still trying to solve the issue through dialogue, for instance, the UN, Russia, Australia and South Korea are making efforts for that end. China is also seeking for a proper settlement by staying in contact with relevant parties in its own way. We believe that the only effective way to solve the issue is through dialogue. We hope that talks can be resumed at an earlier date.

Q: Will the UN Secretary General's special envoy and the Australian delegation brief the Chinese officials about their trip to North Korea when they come back through Beijing?

A: Both of them had exchanged views with our officials before they left Beijing, expressing the willingness to stay in contact with China on the nuclear issue.

Q: Some Arabian countries including Saudi Arabia and Turkey do not hope to solve the Iraqi question by force. Do you see any fresh proposal at the part of the Chinese Government to avoid war?

A: With regard to Iraq, China has always advocated for a political and diplomatic settlement within the framework of UN. This position remains unchanged. We also support any proposal or initiative in line with this spirit. You just mentioned that some Arabian countries hope to solve the Iraqi problem politically instead of resorting to the use of force, which is identical to the consistent position of China.

Q: If Japan plans to send an envoy on Korean issue to China, will China agree?

A: I haven't heard of such proposal.

Q: After DPRK rejected talks with the US, did Beijing specifically make contact with it? China has offered to host talks in Beijing. Is this because DPRK has also agreed in principle to have talks in Beijing?

A: On your first question, I don't know whether DPRK has made any formal response to the US offer or not. On your second question, up to now, neither side has come to us to say that they want to have talks in Beijing.

Q: Why does China disagree with UNHCR’s intervention involving those North Koreans in China?

A: In recent years, some North Koreans have illegally entered China because of economic reasons. They have entered China illegally rather than being refugees. As many other states, China has always attached importance to preventing and combating illegal immigration. China disagrees to mix those who have entered China illegally with refugees. China has always handled such problem in accordance with international and domestic law and in a humanitarian spirit.

Q: Is there any specific meeting between China and the Australian delegation after it returns from North Korea on Saturday? What's China's expectation of the outcome of the mitigating efforts of the delegation?

A: Before it left Beijing for DPRK, the Australian delegation had exchanged views with officials from the Foreign Ministry on Korean nuclear issue. Both parties agreed to stay in contact on the issue. The delegation intended to learn more about China's position.

Q: Has China sent any arms inspectors to Iraq? Secondly, what's China's assessment of North Korea's secret nuclear weapons program?

A: For your first question, we have stayed in contact with UN on this matter. We have given the list of experts to UN and some of our experts have also participated the weapons inspection.

On your second question, China is not aware of specific situation there. Our position has been very clear. China doesn't wish to see a Korean Peninsula with nuclear weapons neither the withdrawal of DPRK from NPT. China hopes to see a proper settlement of this issue through dialogue.

Q: Concerning China's offer of conducting talks between US and North Korea in Beijing, did China actually invite the two sides to come to Beijing to hold talks? Or rather just said that if the two sides so asked that China would not mind? For example when the US Assistant Secretary of State Kelly was here in Beijing, did China specifically invited him to have talks with North Korea in Beijing?

A: On last occasion here, when asked if China would propose the two sides to have talks here in Beijing I said that if the two sides wish to hold talks here in Beijing China has no difficulty for that. Yet up to this moment, there’s been no such proposal. Therefore I believe that it’s up to the two sides to decide whether, when or where to hold talks. Our consistent policy is to solve the problem peacefully through dialogue, which has been made pretty clear to various parties.

Q: Which Chinese official will Vice Russian Foreign Minister meet? Will he come back to Beijing after he winds up his trip to North Korea? Do you have any expectation for his trip?

A: Mr. Losyukov, Vice Russian Foreign Minister and Russian President’s Special Envoy on North Korea will stop here later today before he goes to DPRK. He will meet and exchange views with Vice Foreign Minister Yang Wenchang tomorrow on nuclear issues. We hope his mitigation can be successful and relevant parties can make concerted efforts so that the problem can be solved properly at an earlier date.

Q: Has the Chinese team finished assessing Iraq’s report on possible weapons program? Fifteen members of the Security Council said last week that the report lacking some pages. Is China among them?

A: Chinese experts are still making thorough study of this lengthy report. We believe that only on-site inspection can verify related issues and help us make just and objective assessment of the situation there. We should not rush into any conclusion right now. For your second question, I haven’t heard anything like some pages are missing.