Kong Quan: Good afternoon. I have two pieces of announcement. Firstly, at the invitation of Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov of the Russian Federation, Foreign Minister Ana Palacio Vallelersundi of the Kingdom of Spain and Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer of the Federal Republic of Germany, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan will attend the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to be held in Moscow on 23 November and pay an official visit to Spain and Germany from 24 to 29 November. Secondly, in accordance with the provisions of the Procedures of the Follow-up Mechanism of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum and after consultations between China and the African countries, a Senior Officials’ Meeting of the Forum will be held in Ethiopia from 25 to 26 November 2002. The meeting will be participated by China and more than 40 African countries. The meeting will review the implementation of the documents signed during the Forum’s Beijing Ministerial Meeting in October 2000. It will also make preparations for the next ministerial meeting. It will be an important meeting within the Forum’s framework to review the past and look into the future. It will be the Forum’s first meeting on the African continent. China’s Vice Foreign Minister Yang Wenchang will attend the opening ceremony of the meeting.  

Now I am ready to take up your questions.

Q: The Iraqi side has indicated its acceptance of the Security Council resolution 1441. What is China’s comment?

A: This is a correct and positive decision. China wishes to express its welcome to it. It is our sincere hope that the relevant resolutions by the Security Council could be comprehensively and strictly implemented and members of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission and the IAEA could return to Iraq as soon as possible to carry out their work effectively, so that a political settlement of the Iraqi issue within the UN framework could be found at an early date.

Q: Could you please brief us on the forthcoming Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to be held in Moscow? Will the meeting touch upon the fight against terrorism in particular?

A: As far as I know, the agenda of the meeting is still being finalized by the parties concerned. One of the most important questions will be the institutionalization of the SCO. The meeting will also discuss ways for the SCO to carry out external exchanges. I am sure that the fight against terrorism that you have just mentioned will also be touched upon. It has become a practice that the foreign ministers will use the opportunity to have an in-depth exchange of views on international and regional issues of the day.

Q: I have learned that the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly recently visited China. Could you please give us some details? Did the two sides discuss about the nuclear issue of North Korea during the visit?

A: It is true that Mr. Kelly had talks with his Chinese colleagues at the Foreign Ministry, including Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Assistant Foreign Minister Zhou Wenzhong. The discussions were mainly focused on two aspects: Firstly, the bilateral ties. The two sides both expressed their willingness to earnestly implement the agreements by the two heads of states that were reached upon at the Crawford ranch. The two sides called for more consultations and cooperation on anti-terrorism, economic, trade and other wide-ranging areas, as well as regional and international issues. Differences should be handled properly. Efforts should be made to push ahead the constructive and cooperative relations between the two countries. Secondly, they indeed spent quite some time to discuss DPRK’s nuclear issue as you mentioned. As far as I know, the U.S. side briefed China on the relevant progress of the issue. The Chinese side stated its principled position that China has always stood for a nuclear-free Peninsula and peace and stability of the Peninsula. We hope that the Agreement Framework on DPRK’s nuclear question would be safeguarded and implemented. At the same time, it is our sincere hope that the question could be peacefully resolved. The two sides agreed to maintain their contact on the issue.

Q: Could you please confirm that Kim Jong Il will visit China? If so, could you please give some more details? It is reported by the Japanese media that the North Korean officials have acknowledged that North Korea not only has nuclear weapons, but also biological weapons programme. Does China have any knowledge of DPRK’s biological programme?

A: On the first question, I have not got any information. On the second question, we have always stood for a nuclear-free Peninsula and opposed any proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It is our hope that the relevant parties could make concerted efforts to maintain peace and stability of the Peninsula. This not only serves peace and stability of East Asia, but also that of the region and the world at large.

Q: President Bush has said that the U.S. may cut its oil supply to North Korea. What is China’s comment?

A: The supply of heavy fuel oil is an important element of the framework agreed by the DPRK and the United States in 1994. The agreement had not come by easily. The two sides reached the agreement after protracted negotiations. The framework has played a positive role in maintaining peace and stability of the Peninsula. In light of this, we hope that the relevant parties could implement the agreement in earnest.

Q: If the United States stops its oil supply to North Korea, will China supply the oil to North Korea?

A: You are quite keen on having an answer. I wish to stress that the supply of heavy fuel oil is an agreement that was reached at the time for the settlement of DPRK’s nuclear issue. It is our hope that the Agreed Framework could be safeguarded and implemented. It is quite obvious that, in the past, the agreement played some positive role in maintaining peace and stability of the Peninsula. As for whether China will replace the United States in the supply of heavy fuel oil, I can only tell you that China and the DPRK enjoy traditional friendship. We have many mutually beneficial and friendly cooperation on an equal basis.

Q: Does China believe that North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme has severely violated the Geneva Agreed Framework and thus the fuel supply to the DPRK could be cut legitimately?

A: The nuclear issue that you have mentioned is indeed a new development on the Korean Peninsula. It has aroused the concern of the international community, including China. As I said just now that the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly has come to China twice in a month for consultations with the Chinese side on this issue. China has stated its attitude that it stands for the denuclearization, stability and peace on the Korean Peninsula. What should be done in case of a problem? Our basic position is that the issue should be solved through dialogue in a peaceful way.

Q: I did not quite catch what you said about the fuel oil question of North Korea. You said that China has friendly relations and smooth cooperation with North Korea. If the United States cuts its fuel supply to North Korea, will China supply it to North Korea?

A: I do not have information in this regard. I can only tell you that China enjoys good relations with the DPRK. Our two countries have normal cooperation. As to whether China will supply the fuel oil, I have no knowledge of it. However, as I stressed once and again just now, the supply of fuel oil was agreed upon by the United States and the DPRK back in 1994. In order to maintain the denuclearization, peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, China hopes that the framework could be abided by and implemented in earnest.

Q: Will the central leadership change in China affect China’s foreign policy and the leadership of the Foreign Ministry?

A: The 16th Party Congress was successfully concluded this morning. You must have noticed that, in his report, President Jiang Zemin reiterated the foreign policy that the Chinese Government has pursued. In short, the independent foreign policy of peace will be implemented with the objective of maintaining world peace and promoting common development. In Chapter 9 of the report, President Jiang elaborated in detail the concrete foreign policies. The report’s foreign languages edition will soon be available. You could make further study of the report. The independent foreign policy of peace has been restated at the meeting. In the years to come, we will continue to pursue the policy.

Q: Does China know if North Korea has a biological weapons programme?

A: I have just briefed you on China’s position on question concerning the Korean Peninsula, especially the question of weapons of mass destruction. We are resolutely opposed to the spread of such weapons on the Peninsula. We hold that such a situation is not in the interest of peace and stability of the Peninsula. It is not in the interest of peace and stability of Asia and the world at large. We have a clear-cut attitude towards chemical or biological weapons. We do not produce, develop or stockpile biological and chemical weapons of  mass destruction. We do not encourage, support or participate in the development of such weapons by any country.

Q: Since the 16th Party Congress, the central leadership has made remarks on the “three links” with Taiwan. The two sides of the Straits have also had exchanges on the issue. I wish to know if there are any policy change by the mainland on the question of “three links”.

A : I wish to refer you to the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office. I could brief you on the remarks by President Jiang Zemin on the Taiwan question in his report to the 16th Party Congress. There are three basic points: Firstly, we will adhere to the basic principle of “peaceful reunification and one country, two systems”. We will unswervingly follow the One China principle and resolutely oppose any splittist attempts by the forces for the independence of Taiwan. Efforts will be made to resume as soon as possible dialogue and talks between the two sides on the basis of the One China principle. Secondly, direct “three links”should be realized as soon as possible. Thirdly, we will demonstrate the maximum sincerity and make our utmost efforts to achieve a peaceful reunification. At the same time, we can not undertake to give up the use of force. The Taiwan question cannot be allowed to be delayed indefinitely. Efforts should be made to achieve the complete reunification of the motherland at an early date.