On November 7, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kong Quan held the regular press conference.

Q: Has China closed its border with Mongolia?  Is it the result of Dalai Lama's visit to Mongolia? When was it closed?

A: China has not closed its border with Mongolia. I have no idea where you got such news. As to Dalai Lama, he is not simply a religious figure nor a religious leader, but rather a political exile that has engaged in activities to split motherland in the world arena. We are always opposed to relevant countries providing forums and places to him for his splittist activities.  He had wanted to visit Mongolia last September and we made clear our attitude to the Mongolian side. We hope that Mongolia, as China's close and friendly neighbor, can handle this question properly by valuing the overall situation of the relations between the two countries without providing forum for Dalai Lama for his splittist activities.

Q: It is known that trains had been stopped in Erlian Haote near China-Mongolia border for the past two days but the traffic was resumed today.  Please further clarify.  Are all the relevant reports at present untrue?

A: I have seen reports that some trains were held up near China-Mongolia border and made enquiry into it. It is true that there were trains held up for technical reasons. But I have read news before coming here that traffic has been resumed，which means that certain technical problems have been solved.

Q: The Japanese Hiroshi Kato, expelled by the Chinese side, denied his crimes in China and claimed being maltreated by the Chinese side while been interviewed back home. What is your comment?

A: I promised to make enquiry into it while being asked during the press briefing last time. And we made phone calls to those journalists who had asked to answer the question. Since some of you may still be unclear about it I am willing to tell you in detail what I had known.  The Chinese judicial authorities detained according to law Japanese citizen Hiroshi Kato on October 30 as the mastermind behind the illegal entry of DPRK citizens into China and breaking into foreign embassies.  The investigation showed that he had collaborated with snake heads and smuggled 12 DPRK citizens to Japan or ROK via China from June 2000 till now and organized and masterminded the 14 March breaking into Spanish embassy by DPRK citizens who had illegally crossed border into China.  He came to China with the aim to plot another intrusion into foreign embassies and consulates.  He admitted to his illegal activities.

Kato's activities have seriously disturbed the order of China's entry and exit administration and public security, jeopardized the safety of foreign embassies and consulates and thus violated clauses 318 and 290 of China's Criminal Law and constituted the crimes of masterminding illegal border crossing and disturbing public security. With irrefutable evidence against him and clear facts to show his crimes, Kato should have been severely punished.  But because of his relatively good attitude during interrogation by confessing to his crimes, China dealt with him leniently and merely ordered him to leave the country before a set date.

However, once returning to Japan, Kato denied all the crimes he had committed in China and claimed to have been maltreated during interrogation. He accused China of failing to notify the Japanese Embassy in China of his case. His allegation is groundless.  I made it clearly here last time that no matter what happened, the Chinese side would do according to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. According to article 36.1(b) of the Convention, the competent authorities of the receiving State shall, without delay, inform the consular post of the sending state if, within its consular district, a national of that State is arrested or committed to prison or to custody pending trial or is detained in any other country. Though Kato himself had not lodged such request at any time during his detention, the Chinese side still notified the Japanese embassy in China at an early date according to the Convention. As to his crimes committed in China, it has been clearly recorded. It is irrefutable. He changed his tune after returning to Japan and it is just out of thin air that he was maltreated in China.

Q: The high-level leadership change of the Communist Party will be discussed at the 16th Party Congress. Will it affect China’s foreign policy and its relations with Pakistan?

A: You may ask the question at the press briefing to be held by the spokesperson of the 16th Party Congress two hours from now. But since you are my old friend and come here every time, I would like to answer it. China pursues an independent foreign policy of peace with the aim of maintaining world peace and stability and promoting common development. The policy will be adhered to and further clarified by the 16th Party Congress. Pakistan is a friendly neighbor of China and the Sino-Pakistani relations have been developed smoothly. Recently, exchanges between the two countries have been developed in the political, economic, cultural and other fields. I am convinced that the relations between the two countries will be further expanded and deepened on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

Q: Have you dealt with the 7 DPRK citizens who tried to break into the Foreign Ministry building on 26 August? How are you going to do with them?

A: I have nothing new to provide you.

Q: The US has put forward the new draft resolution to the UN Security Council. It is said that France and Russia are very likely to support it. What is the attitude from the Chinese side?

A: The US put forward yesterday the new draft resolution on the Iraqi question to the UN Security Council. That’s why Secretary of States Powell made a phone call to Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and informed us of it yesterday morning.  We maintain that the new US draft resolution has, on the whole, accommodated and taken into considerations the worries and concerns of some countries.  China is the rotating chair of the Security Council this month.  The Chinese side will show a constructive attitude and promote each side to demonstrate flexibility and cooperation so as to reach consensus at an early date through close consultation, enable the UN weapon inspectors to return to Iraq to conduct effective work and promote the early political settlement of the Iraqi question.

Q: As to the resumption of military exchanges between China and US, what kind of activities will both sides prepare to do?

A: I remember this is the third time you ask me question in Chinese since you came to China in July. Your Chinese is better every time. According to the understanding reached between President Jiang and President Bush during Jiang’s visit to the US in late October, China and US will resume military exchange and hold vice-ministerial defense consultation between the two ministries of defense. As to the specific arrangements of the consultation and the recent military exchanges between the two countries, both sides are finalizing them.  I believe that the resumption of military exchange and vice-ministerial defense consultation will play a positive role in promoting the military-to-military relations and the constructive and cooperative relations between China and US.

Q: You mentioned Hiroshi Kato smuggling DPRK citizens into China and organized them to break into embassies. Can you disclose details? In addition, as to the traffic halt near Sino-Mongolian border, can you tell us how many trains are involved and how long?

A: I have introduced to you relevant details. Since you ask again, I would like to repeat. According to the investigation of the Chinese side, Hiroshi Kato, in collaboration with snakeheads, smuggled 12 DPRK citizens to Japan and ROK via China and organized and masterminded with others the March 14 intrusion into the Spanish embassy by those DPRK citizens who had entered China illegally.  Kato admitted to his criminal activities. That was why the Chinese side urged him to leave the country within a certain period. As to the traffic problem near Sino-Mongolian border, I have said just now that there had been some trains stopped near the border because of technical reasons. As to how many, I have no idea.

Q: It was declared that the Republican Party won in the election of the US congress. What is the comment from the Chinese side?

A: The mid-term election of the US congress is its internal affair. China has long adopted a positive attitude towards its exchanges with the US congress. We maintain that the enhancement of mutual understanding between the legislatures of our two countries are useful and it is good to promoting the Sino-US relations forward.

Q: Will China vote in favor or abstain from the US draft resolution on Iraq?

A: I remember that you can speak very good Chinese so it is better for you to ask directly in Chinese. The US draft resolution is calling for opinions from various sides and members of the Security Council are holding close consultations on it. China is the rotating chair of this month’s Security Council and it will play its role as the chair to, in a positive and constructive attitude, promote the consultations among all sides on the draft so as to reach an early consensus.

Q:I know it is the press briefing of the Foreign Ministry and not the 16th Party Congress’s. But can I ask you how the Chinese side plans to introduce the congress to the foreign correspondents in a more detailed way?  Can you brief us important press briefings connected with the 16th Party Congress recently?

A: In fact in 2 hours’ time, you can ask the question at the first press briefing held by the spokesperson of the 16th Party Congress. We  know that you are all interested in this important congress so we have done some work accordingly, e.g. organizing correspondents to interview some grass-roots bodies in Beijing and interview tour to Hangzhou so as to know how the grassroots view the 16th Party Congress.  According to what I know, the press center of the 16th Party Congress will organize 4to 5 important briefings during this period.  The first is to introduce comprehensively China’s social and economic development by leading officials of the state development and planning commission. The second, to introduce the question of laid-off workers and state-owned enterprise reform by the officials from the ministry of labor and social security. The third, to introduce the development of the western region by leaders of the office of developing the west of the state council and relevant provinces and autonomous regions. And the fourth, to introduce China’s foreign trade and economic cooperation in recent years by the leading officials of the MOFTEC.  These activities will help provide background information for you in interviewing the 16th Party Congress.  And that is not all. If there is a chance, the press center will also let you interview some sessions and delegates. You can tell the press center your questions and aspirations and we will also help convey your opinions to the center.

Q: Kato explained in detail how he was maltreated during his stay in China in an interview back home, for example, wearing cuffs and being ordered to sit on a chair.  Did you mean that what he had said was groundless?

A: The word maltreatment has its specific meanings. As to criminal suspects, the Chinese police adopt necessary measures, such as detention.  It is done entirely according to the relevant law and regulations. I can tell you here responsibly that the judicial body in China had by no means maltreated him.