On the afternoon of June 18, 2009, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Qin Gang held a regular press conference and answered questions.
Qin Gang: Good afternoon. Welcome to the press conference. I have three announcements to start with.
At the invitation of Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council, Prime Minister Abhisit of the Kingdom of Thailand will pay an official visit to China from June 24 to 27.
At the invitation of Turkmenistan Government, Finnish Prime Minister Vanhanen and Uzbekistan Government, Vice Premier Li Keqiang will pay official visits to the above three countries from June 23 to 29.
At the invitation of Canadian Foreign Minister Cannon, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will pay an official visit to Canada from June 21 to 23, after which he will attend the UN High-level Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and Its Impact on Development to be held in New York from June 24 to 26.
Now, I'd like to take your questions.
Q: Two questions of the Green Dam filtering software. Firstly, the Chinese developer of this software seems to have stolen some code from an American company. Do you have any response? Second question is about the content filtered by the software. According to my knowledge, homosexuality is legal in China. However, the Chinese Government asks foreign PC makers to install software to filter websites containing such legal content. Why?
A: I answered the questions raised by your colleagues at Tuesday's briefing. I have also taken note of the discussions at home and abroad over the software. However, no matter how many different views there are, the Chinese Government assumes the responsibility to protect our youth from unhealthy information on the Internet, so do various social circles and enterprises. This is the essence of this problem which we should not ignore when we discuss this.
I'll defer to competent authorities for technical and copyright issues concerning this software.
I'd also like to remind you that this is the press hall of the Foreign Ministry, not a forum to discuss homosexuality.
Q: Earlier this month, Beijing imposed a requirement for its stimulus projects to use domestically-made products and projects must obtain the consent of the Government while importing foreign parts of equipment. Not long ago, the US Government made similar move which was described by China as trade protectionism. Why does China do that now?
A: Chinese relevant authorities have made explanations of this document on their websites. What I'd like to emphasize is that the Chinese Government unswervingly adopts an openning-up policy featuring mutual benefit and win-win outcome and firmly opposes all forms of trade and investment protectionism. The document aims to maintain a level playing field, which is in line with the PRC Government Procurement Law issued in 2002 as well as international practice. Therefore, there are no such issues as discriminations against foreign enterprises and products.
You just said China promulgated such a document now. In fact, years before the outbreak of the financial crisis and the Chinese Government's package program to boost domestic demand and stimulate economy thereafter, the PRC Government Procurement Law was in place and has explicit stipulations over relevant issues.
Q: President Hu Jintao congratulated Iranian President Ahmadinejad on his re-election in Russia, does that mean China has accepted the result of Iranian presidential election? Secondly, some Japanese media reported today that Kim Jong-un, the youngest son of Kim Jong-il, visited Beijing recently and met with President Hu Jintao with the presence of his eldest brother Kim Jong-nam. Yesterday, the ROK Embassy in China rejected this news. Could you confirm?
A: On the presidential election of Iran, we respect the choice of the Iranian people.
On your second question, I answered that this Tuesday and I had thought that Japanese journalists should be able to understand the oriental way of expression. If you or other journalists present here still could not understand, I will explain that in a more explicit manner. The incident reported by relevant media never took place.
I also note that some media run stories like 007 series. I have no idea what they will be writing in the next episode.
Q: The Asian Development Bank's Executive Board recently adopted the India Country Partnership Strategy (2009-2012), which involves disputed territories between China and India. How do you comment on that?
A: In disregard of China's major concerns, the Asian Development Bank adopted the India Country Partnership Strategy (2009-2012), which involves disputed territories between China and India. China expresses strong dissatisfaction to the move, which can neither change the existence of immense territorial disputes between China and India, nor China's fundamental position on its border issues with India.
As a regional institution on development, the ADB should not intervene in the political affairs of its members. The adoption of the document has not only dealt a severe blow to its own reputation but also undermines the interests of its members. The Chinese Government strongly urges the ADB to take effective measures to eliminate the terrible impact thereof.
As one of its major members,China always supports the ADB to play a positive role in helping the developing countries. China is willing to work with other members in a joint effort to enhance the socio-economic development in the region. On China-India border issues, China always believes that the two sides should seek for a fair and equitable solution acceptable to both through bilateral negotiation.
Q: Does China support the BRIC Summit to be held annually?
A: On June 16, BRIC leaders held their first official meeting in Yekaterinburg, Russia, and exchanged comprehensive and in-depth views on global issues of common interest. This meeting is a crowned success in that it has enhanced consensus and mutual trust among the four countries and charted the course for future dialogue and cooperation. China is willing to join Russia, India and Brazil in pressing ahead with the dialogue and cooperation steadily. During the meeting, Brazil expressed its willingness to host the next summit next year. China is willing to stay in communication and coordination with other parties for this.
Q: Over the past two months, did State Councilor Dai Bingguo have any plan to visit the DPRK? If so, was the plan cancelled for some reason? Why?
A: China is willing to make unremitting efforts to ensure denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula as well as peace and stability of the Peninsula and Northeast Asia. We are willing to keep communication with parties concerned. As to State Councilor Dai Bingguo's plan to visit the DPRK, I do not have any information at this point.
Q: China always stresses that its relationship with the DPRK is "normal". Since the DPRK nuclear test, is there any change to the "normal" relations?
A: If you could review China's position on the DPRK nuclear issue, China's policy towards this region as well as China's attitude towards the UN Security Council Resolution, it will not take you long to draw a conclusion. That is, China is willing to develop good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation with the DPRK following the purpose and principle of the UN Charter as well as the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence. At the same time, China resolutely upholds denuclearization on the Peninsula, opposes nuclear proliferation and safeguards peace and stability of the Peninsula and Northeast Asia. It is in this spirit that we handle relevant issues.
Q: After President Hu Jintao's visit to Russia, in what areas have the two countries made progress and what are the problems?
A: The state visit paid by President Hu Jintao to Russia deepened our strategic mutual-trust, strengthened mutually-beneficial cooperation in trade and economy and other areas and enhanced people-to-people exchanges, laying a solid ground for further development of bilateral relations. We are wiling to work together with Russia to nail down the important consensus and push forward the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination. In particular, with the complicated international situation and the deepening international financial crisis, intensifying China-Russia strategic coordination is of great significance to world peace and stability, a healthy and stable international financial system, and an early recovery of world economy. Surely, given the different national situations, it is natural that the two countries may not always see eye to eye. However, we share highly identical views on major international and regional issues and enjoy very high level of strategic mutual trust, which is of overriding importance. We are willing to follow the spirit of strategic coordination, further enhance mutual trust through dialogue and exchanges for proper settlement of relevant problems.
Q: Recently, some began to suspect China has changed its position towards the Six-Party Talks because the statement of the Foreign Ministry failed to mention the "Talks". However, Chinese and Russian leaders agreed to push forward the Talks in their recent meeting. Whether or not China has changed its position?
A: Actually, you just answered that in the latter half of your question.
What needs to be stressed is that China will firmly promote things that will help to resolve the DPRK nuclear issue through peaceful dialogue and consultations and to achieve peace and stability of Northeast Asia.
If there are no more questions, thanks for coming! See you!