Q: The spokesperson of the US State Department claimed that the US will continue to assist Taiwan to "join" WHO, what's your comment?

A: It's known to all that WHO is a UN special agency whose membership is limited to only sovereign states. As only part of China, Taiwan is by no means qualified to join WHO. Since 1997, the World Health Assembly has vetoed the motion of Taiwan's "accession" to WHO for consecutively five years. And again in last January, the Executive Board of WHO turned downed a similar motion. This fully demonstrates that China's position on the matter was understood and supported by large majority of countries in the world.

The Taiwan Authorities have tried to achieve its political goals of creating "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" inside WHO by making use of the health issues. Any acts that support or promote Taiwan's entry to WHO violate China's sovereignty and terroritorial integrity hereby interfere with China's internal affairs. We are firmly opposed to that.


Q: What expectations does China have of the upcoming Summit Meeting of the Arab League?

A: The upcoming AL Summit Meeting is of great significance of the Arab world and has aroused wide interest of the international community. Under the present circumstances, it's even of greater importance for Arabian leaders to gather together, exchange views on major issues of common interest and coordinate their positions. As a loyal friend of the Arabian world, China appreciates and supports any effort that is conducive to peace and stability of the Middle East. We'd like to wish the meeting complete success.


Q: It's reported that an international conference on "A Disarmament Agenda for the 21st Century" co-sponsored by UN and Foreign Ministry of China will be held at the beginning of next month, can you brief us on that?

A: From April 2 to 4, Foreign Ministry of China and UN will co-sponsor an international conference on "A Disarmament Agenda for the 21st Century". More than 40 senior officials from over 20 countries and some well-known intellectuals are invited to attend the conference. Participants will have in-depth discussions on issues such as defense doctrines, disarmament and current UN, nuclear disarmament and elimination of nuclear hazard, prevention of arms race in the outer space, conventional weapons and revolution in military affairs, missile proliferation, missile defense and other important issues in the field of current disarmament. Under present international situations, the convocation of such a high-level disarmament conference is of great significance. We hope that the conference will contribute to enhancing mutual understanding, building up common ground and promoting the healthy development of the international arms control and disarmament process.


Q: Vice Premier Wu Bangguo has just finished his visit to Pakistan, what's your comment on the results of the visit?

A: At the invitation of the Pakistani Government, Vice Premier Wu Bangguo headed a Chinese governmental delegation to visit Pakistan from March 21 to 24. He also attended the opening ceremony of the Gwader Port project which is a joint project between China and Pakistan. During his visit, Vice Premier also met with President Musharraf, the Foreign Minister and Minister of Communications. The two sides also signed an agreement on economic and technological cooperation, in which the Chinese Government grants 30 million RMB yuan assistance to Pakistan, and a memorandum of understanding on Duddal Zinc-Lead Project. The visit is crowned with complete sucess and has made positive contribution to further developing closer friendly relations and mutual cooperation between China and Pakistan.


Q: It is reported by some Hongkong press that China denied the request of port calls by a US destroyer to Hongkong following Tao Yiau-ming's visit to the US, please confirm. Has China cancelled Vice President Hu Jingtao's visit to the US? And according to a South Korean report, Foreign Minister of South Korea will visit China this Thursday and have talks with Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan. Will they discuss the question of Korean Pennisula?

A: On your first question, the position of the Chinese Government is a clear-cut one. We have always followed the relevant stipulations of the Basic Law and taken into considerations various factors on a case-by-case basis when we approve foreign applications of port calls to Hongkong.

On your second question, during President Bush's working visit to China, leaders of the two countries have reached many important consensus, expressing that high-level exchanges and contacts should be maintained so as to facilitate development of bilateral ties in the direction of constructive cooperation. However, in as short as only one month following President Bush's visit to China, the US side has done a series of things that interfere with China's internal affairs and undermine China-US relations. We believe that the US side should seriously deal with China's solemn representations on that.

I would like to stress again that Taiwan question is a fundamental question baring upon China's sovereignty and territorial intergrity. It's the most important and sensitive issue at the heart of China-US relations. Any violation of the three Joint Communiques will have very adverse effect upon China-US relations. We hope that the US can honour its words with real deeds, strictly adhere to the One China policy and the three Joint Communiques and cease interfering with China's internal affairs by using Taiwan question.

On your third question, Foreign Minister of ROK will pay a visit to China. Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan will talk with him and leaders of China will meet with him. The question of the Korean Pennisula is a common interest for both China and ROK. Naturally it will be discussed during the talks. China has a clear-cut position on this matter. We have always supported any measures that are in the interest of peace and stability of the Pennisula. It is our sincere hope that the two sides of both North and South can make constatnt efforts to improve their relations by engaging in dialogues. We wish to see a peaceful and stable Korean Pennisula.


Q: I was asking about Vice President Hu's visit to the US, but you were dwelling on Taiwan question. Does it mean that this visit will be cancelled?

A: The reason I mentioned Taiwan in answering your questions is that Taiwan question remains to be the most important and sensitive issue at the heart of China-US relations. Smooth and healthy development of China-US relations will not be possible without proper handling of the Taiwan question by the US side. Therefore we call on the US to honour its words with real deeds, strictly abide by relevant principles of the three Joint Communiques, cease undermining bilater relations and interfering China's internal affairs at the excuse of the Taiwan question.


Q: It is reported that DPRK and ROK have agreed to resume dialogue and ROK will send a special envoy to DPRK. What's China's comment on that?

A: China welcomes the resumption of dialogue between the two sides in the Pennisula, hoping that positive results can be achieved out of this trip. China has always held that DPRK and ROK are the two major players in the question of the Pennisula, solution to which will depend on the two sides themselves ultimately through dialogue and cooperation. We sincerely hope to see constant improvement of their relations and a peaceful and stable Korean Pennisula.


Q: It is reported by US media that there will be more visits to the US by high-ranking officials from Taiwan after Tang Yaoming's visit, please confirm and what's your comment? Why has China kept stressing the three Joint Communiques while saying nothing about the Taiwan Relations Act. From the legal perspective, the latter far outweighs the three Joint Communiques. What's your comment?

A: China is firmly opposed to any form of official or military exchanges between Taiwan and the US. Any violation of the three Joint Communiques by the US side will have adverse effect on China-US relations.

With regard to the Taiwan Relations Act, it's a domestic legislation approved by the US unilaterally, to which we resolutely opposed from the very first beginning. The China-US three Joint Communiques set forth guiding principles and serve as the fundation for the development of bilateral ties. The US side has the obligation to comply with them.


Q: It's reported that Annette Lu will invite the Pope to visit Taiwan. Does that mean that there is still a long way to go before China can finally establish diplomatic relations with Vatican instead of those claims that Taiwan will get packed and go back to where it is?

A: I have repeatedly stated China's position on this matter. China stands ready to develop relations with Vatican provided on two principles. In the first place, Vatican must sever the so-called "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan and recognize the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China, of which Taiwan is only one part. Second, Vatican must make commitments of no to interfere with China's internal affairs, including not to do so in the name of religious matters.