On February 13, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhang Qiyue held the regular conference. Zhang first announced a piece of news.

At the invitation of President Jiang Zemin, President Vladimir Voronin of the Republic of Moldova will pay a state visit to China from February 23 to 27.

Besides, China and EU have agreed to postpone the EU troika delegation’s visit originally due on February 14. The two sides will discuss the time of visit at the convenience of both sides. As was reported by the Xinhua News agency, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan will attend the UN Security Council conference on the Iraqi issue on February 14. So will Foreign Minister Papandreou of Greece, the current presidency of EU, one of the EU “troika”. Therefore the visit by the EU troika delegation to China is postponed.

Q: The IAEA has decided to hand the DPRK nuclear issue to the UN Security Council. What is your stand to the discussion of this issue at the UN Security Council? China holds different views with the US on both the DPRK and the Iraqi issue. Does it mean that China-US relations are now at a critical stage?

A: Yesterday the IAEA board meeting passed a resolution on the DPRK nuclear issue. The Chinese side voted in favor of the resolution. China has taken note that the resolution stressed its hope of peaceful settlement of the DPRK nuclear issue and its support to diplomatic means to this end. China hopes that the resolution will be conducive to the political settlement of the DPRK nuclear issue. The international community should demonstrate greater patience, continue to support the diplomatic efforts to create conditions and atmosphere for dialogue between the parties concerned, and refrain from complicating this issue. China believes that it is premature for the UN Security Council to get involved in this issue.

On the Iraqi issue, the Chinese side has always stood for the political settlement of the Iraqi issue within the UN framework, which is also the common requirement and aspiration of the international community. China and the relevant countries including the US have had frequent exchanges of views in this regard. Not long ago President Jiang Zemin and President Bush had telephone conversations. We believe that to keep frequent contacts and exchanges of views on major international issues between China and the US is conducive to the settlement of the issues as well as the development of the bilateral relations.

Q: China voted in favor of the resolution on the DPRK nuclear issue on the IAEA board meeting. Does China believe that this issue is not a bilateral issue, but an international question?

A: The DPRK nuclear issue, related to regional security and stability and non-proliferation mechanism, has raised wide international concerns. China believes that a nuclear-free Korean peninsular should be safeguarded, and in the meantime the security concerns of the DPRK should also be taken into consideration. The key to this issue is the dialogue between the parties concerned at an early date, the only effective way to settle their disputes. The relevant parties should make positive efforts to promote the dialogue between the US and the DPRK. China has done a lot in this regard.

Q: You have said at last time’s press conference that it is up to the DPRK and the US to solve the DPRK nuclear issue. Then why did China support IAEA to submit the DPRK nuclear issue to the UN Security Council at the IAEA board meeting?

A: We have always stood for the settlement of the DPRK nuclear issue through dialogue. Yesterday, the IAEA board meeting decided to “report” the DPRK nuclear issue to the UN Security Council. The specific wording of the resolution is “report to.” According to the stipulations of the IAEA, it has responsibilities to report the current situation to the Security Council. China agrees with the IAEA in reporting to the Security Council. But this does not indicate that China agrees that the Security Council should handle this question. I would like to emphasize that the resolution stresses the hope of the peaceful settlement of the DPRK nuclear issue by diplomatic means. Therefore China voted in favor of this resolution.

Q: What measures will China take to resolve the security concerns of the DPRK?

A: The DPRK side has said on many occasions that it has no intention to develop nuclear weapons and hopes to carry out dialogue with the US side on an equal and just basis. The US side also indicated its willingness to hold dialogue with the DPRK side. China also believes that direct dialogue should be carried out at early date. Dialogue serves as the only effective way to the settlement of this issue.

Q: Yesterday the US side said that the DPRK side has missiles capable of reaching the west coast of the US, and is capable of producing more nuclear weapons. The officials from the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK also said today that if attacked by the US, the DPRK is able to strike US targets anywhere in the world. Is China concerned about the military capability of the DPRK? What measure has China taken, is taking or will take to bring the DPRK back to the normal track?

A: China holds that the relevant parties should remain calm and exercise restraint to seek the proper settlement through direct dialogue at an early date. On one hand, the denuclearization of the peninsular should be safeguarded; on the other hand, the security concerns of the DPRK should be resolved. The nuclear framework accord signed by the US and the DPRK in 1994 remained the important basis and should be safeguarded by the relevant parties. The current situation is still evolving and changing, but the only key to the solution is still dialogue with no substitutes. It is our hope that the parties concerned should work for the peace and stability of the peninsular, and refrain from further escalating, intensifying or complicating the situation there.

Q: Powell recently expressed his disappointment towards China’s efforts so far on the DPRK nuclear issue, saying that China could play a greater role in this regard. What is the reaction of the Chinese side? How will China play a greater role on this issue? Can it connect the DPRK nuclear issue with its food and oil assistance to the DPRK?

A: Our stand can be elaborated in the following three aspects. First, to ensure the denuclearization of the peninsular. Second, to maintain peace and stability of the peninsular. Third, to settle the issue through dialogue. China has always been working on the relevant parties by various means. There have been very vigorous diplomatic activities in Beijing over the recent period of time. Delegations from other countries came to China in a continuous stream. China has always been making its own efforts on the DPRK nuclear issue and will continue to do so in the future. China stands for the settlement of this issue through dialogue, rather than the willful use of pressure or sanctions.

Q: If the UN Security Council attempts to impose economic sanctions against the DPRK, what measures will China take to prevent such an event? Some European countries are now working to push for the direct dialogue between the DPRK and the US within a “multilateral framework”. Will China participate in such a framework? Do you believe it is more effective than a bilateral one?

A: China has always stood for the peaceful settlement of regional and international disputes by diplomatic means, and is not in favor of the willful use of sanctions or pressure to address some issues in the world. From the historical and present perspective of the DPRK nuclear issue, China believes that direct dialogue between the parties concerned constitutes the only and effective way to settle this issue, which has also won the endorsement of the majority of the countries. Therefore, when handling this issue, we should consider which method is the most effective one. We adopt a flexible attitude towards the method and framework of the dialogue. But the key is that the relevant parties must agree to dialogue. Otherwise, the multilateral talks would not be realized without the consent of the parties concerned.

Q: The US has made less tough remarks towards the DPRK, while the DPRK’s stance remains the same. What is your comment on the recent remarks made by the DPRK? Do you believe that its remarks may further escalate the situation and prevent the two sides from holding dialogue?

A: Against the current backdrop, the parties concerned should remain calm and refrain from making any provocative move or remark, so as to create the favorable opportunity and atmosphere for the restoration of direct dialogue at an early date.

Q: It is reported that some DPRK senior officials indicated today that the surrounding countries of the Korean Peninsular would inevitably get involved in the new Korean war. What is your comment on that? It is said that 80% of the food and oil assistance to the DPRK comes from China. Will China continue to provide such assistance in the future?

A: I have not seen this report and have no comment on that.

China and the DPRK are friendly neighbors and maintain normal economic and trade exchanges. China stands for the settlement of the DPRK issue through dialogue, instead of the use of pressure or sanctions. Otherwise, the effect would only be opposite to that intended.

Q: You’ve indicated Tuesday that China has always been making its own efforts in promoting peace and talks on the DPRK nuclear issue, and that China and the DPRK have held earnest discussions and consultations in Beijing and Pyongyang. When was the latest discussion?

A: China always maintains contacts and exchanges of views with the relevant parties in its own way, hoping to settle the DPRK nuclear issue through dialogue. The way in which we make efforts can be characterized as “quiet move”. The Chinese side has frequent contacts with the DPRK side in Beijing and Pyongyang, and I have no detailed information to provide you here.

Q: China supports the IAEA resolution to submit the non-compliance of the DPRK with the NPT to the UN Security Council, but believes that now it is not an appropriate time for the Security Council to get involved in the settlement of the DPRK nuclear issue. Is it contradictory? Will China agree to the presidential statement on the DPRK nuclear issue made by the UN Security Council?

A: Our stand is clear-cut and by no means contradictory. Yesterday’s IAEA resolution stressed the hope of peaceful settlement of this issue, which is consistent with our stand. One of the obligations of the IAEA is to handle the issues relating to the nuclear non-proliferation. Since the DPRK nuclear issue is related to the non-proliferation mechanism, the IAEA is responsible for reporting the relevant situation to the Security Council according to its stipulations. The resolution decided to report the relevant situation to the Security Council, instead of asking the Security Council to review. The Security Council will then discuss what steps should be taken next. China believes that at present, it is premature for the Security Council to get involved in the DPRK nuclear issue.

Q: Russia voted abstention on this IAEA resolution. Is there any difference between China and Russia in viewing this issue?

A: I suggest that you refer this question to the Foreign Ministry of Russia. But I would like to point out that, after the resolution was passed, Russia said that it had no objection to the move of the IAEA to report the DPRK nuclear issue to the UN Security Council.

Q: You’ve said that on the DPRK nuclear issue, measures that may further escalate the tension should be prevented. Does the DPRK believe that the involvement of the Security Council in the DPRK nuclear issue will deteriorate the situation and bring about serious consequences?

A: China has noticed the statement of the DPRK on this issue. China hopes to settle the DPRK nuclear issue at an early date to safeguard the peace and stability of the peninsular. Any move taken by the relevant parties should be conducive to the realization of the above-mentioned goals, rather than to further complicate this issue.

Q: Will Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan put forward any new proposal in his remarks in New York this Friday?

A: Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan will leave for New York this morning to attend the meeting of the Security Council due on 14th. Despite his tight schedule, he will still attend this meeting, which indicates that China supports the job of the two agencies of the UN and hopes to push for the political settlement of the Iraqi issue within the UN framework. The meeting will mainly focus on the report of the two agencies on their weapons inspection and their recent visit to Iraq.

Q: The US side said that China should play a greater role in political and economic fields in the DPRK nuclear issue. Did the US embassy in China raise protests to the Foreign Ministry in China?

A: China and US always maintain contacts and exchange of views on major international issues. According to my knowledge, the US side did not make representations to the Chinese side on this issue.