On the afternoon of March 8, 2011, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Jiang Yu held a regular press conference.
Q: Could you brief us on Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi's phone conversation with Secretary-General Moussa of the League of Arab States? How do you view the current situation in the Middle East?
A: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi had a phone conversation with Secretary-General Moussa of the League of Arab States yesterday, exchanging views with him on Sino-Arab relations and the current situation in the Middle East.
Paying great attention to the current Middle East situation, China holds that differences should be resolved through dialogue and other peaceful means on the basis of respecting sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of relevant countries so as to avoid further deterioration of the situation and more casualties. We believe that Arab states have the wisdom and capability to restore stability and development and hope the Arab League will continue to play a positive and constructive role in handling affairs of the Arab world.
Q: A ROK lawmaker reportedly said that the ROK government networks were attacked by Chinese hackers. How do you comment?
A: I don't know what is the basis and purpose of those remarks by this lawmaker. I would like to emphasize that Chinese law prohibits any form of cyber hacking and strictly fights against crimes of this kind in accordance with law. It is irresponsible for certain individual to spread remarks unfavorable for China-ROK relations by using the so-called issue of cyber hacking.
Q: Anti-government forces in Libya have recently established the "Transitional National Council". Does China consider recognizing it?
A: We have been paying a lot of attention to the situation in Libya and hope it will restore social stability and order as soon as possible. We hope relevant parties will resolve the current crisis through dialogue and other peaceful means.
Q: Japan said it lodged representations to China through diplomatic channels over the report that Chinese military planes lately flew close to waters adjacent to the Diaoyu Island. How do you comment?
A: The Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands have been China's inherent territory since ancient times and China enjoys indisputable sovereignty over them. It is in line with international law that Chinese military planes carry out their mission in relevant waters.
Q: It is reported that China often runs into some maritime disputes with Vietnam. How will you handle them?
A: China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha islands and their adjacent waters. We have been committed to properly addressing the disputes over the South China Sea through dialogue and negotiations and working in concert with the relevant countries to safeguard peace and stability of the South China Sea.
On the South China Sea issue, the Chinese Government has adopted a highly responsible attitude, exercised maximum restraint and put forward the proposal of "shelving differences while seeking joint development" in a constructive manner. We hope to peacefully resolve disputes through bilateral consultation with relevant countries in accordance with commonly recognized international laws and modern law of the sea, including basic principles and legal systems stipulated in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
We hope that countries both in and outside the region will take concrete steps to respect and support efforts by the countries concerned to address bilateral disputes peacefully, promote good-neighborliness, mutual trust, friendly cooperation and regional stability and avoid the complication of relevant disputes.
Q: China stresses the importance of enhancing mutual trust with neighboring countries. However, recently, countries including Japan and the Philippines have lodged representations with China over territorial disputes. How does China comment on the current situation in the South China Sea?
A: As I have mentioned, the South China Sea issue, in its essence, is about the sovereignty and rights and interests over the Nansha islands and the adjacent waters. There are no disputes in any other respects.
We uphold and are committed to resolving disputes and differences peacefully with relevant countries through bilateral consultation and negotiation on an equal footing. We also vigorously advocate the principle of "shelving differences while seeking joint development", which is a strategic choice of China's peaceful development. China's position is clear in this regard. All countries will adopt a clear-cut and resolute position when it comes to major issues concerning national sovereignty and territorial integrity. China also demonstrates enormous sincerity and patience in addressing these issues.
Q: The ROK media reports that the DPRK briefed a senior Chinese official on its uranium enrichment program during the latter's visit to the DPRK. How does China square this with its previous posture that the uranium enrichment program of the DPRK is yet to be confirmed?
A: China has expressed its concern over the DPRK uranium enrichment issue. We hold that the DPRK should follow relevant international norms in exercising its rights to make peaceful use of nuclear energy. This issue should be integrated into the agenda of the Six-Party Talks and the process of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and be properly addressed through dialogue and consultation.
Q: Some countries are pushing for a Security Council Resolution to set up a no-fly zone in Libya. What is China's position?
A: At the moment, the international community should earnestly implement the Resolution 1970 and urge relevant parties to resolve the crisis peacefully and ease the tension. Whether the UNSC will take further actions and what kind of actions to be taken depends on whether these actions will be conducive to the restoration of stability and the termination of violence in Libya. The decision-making should respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of Libya, ensure the safety and rights of both the Libyan people and the foreign nationals in Libya and accommodate the concerns and opinions of the Arab and African countries.