Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing addresses the media during a press conference held by the Fourth Session of the Tenth National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing March 7, 2006.

Chinese FM pledges good protection of citizens abroad

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday the government will do its best to protect its citizens abroad, and he advised them to better protect themselves in the meantime.

He suggested Chinese citizens learn local laws, customs and abide by them when traveling overseas, and keep in mind the phone numbers of Chinese embassies and consulates in foreign countries.

"Serving the people is the essence of China's diplomacy. It foremost serves peace, development and cooperation and meanwhile safeguards the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and legal entities abroad," said Li at a press conference held on the sideline of the annual session of China's National People's Congress.

Last year, more than 31 million Chinese citizens made trips abroad, and China's embassies and consulates handled nearly 30,000 consular cases, Li said.

In the road accident in Egypt and the attack of three Chinese engineers in Pakistan, China's ministries of foreign affairs and commerce and relevant diplomatic organs acted quickly to help the Chinese citizens involved.

"Some Chinese overseas told me that these incidents made them feel proud of being a Chinese," said the foreign minister.

Li said the safety of Chinese citizens traveling abroad is mainly the responsibility of the countries they are traveling in. Like the old Chinese saying goes: When you are at home, you rely on your parents. When you are outside, you have to rely on your friends.

"But once there are any incidents, people can rest assured that Chinese embassies and consulates-general in relevant countries and regions will go out to provide help to Chinese citizens in accordance with law," said Li.

Li said China has more than 5,000 permanent diplomatic staffs sent by more than 30 other departments abroad.

China calls for early resumption of six-party talks: FM

China will continue to work for peace on the Korean Peninsula and in East Asia and to facilitate the talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said on Tuesday afternoon.

"China has maintained communication and coordination with all parties involved for the early resumption of the six-party talks," Li told a press conference held on the sideline of the ongoing annual full session of the Tenth National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

Chinese president to visit US soon: FM

Chinese President Hu Jintao is going to visit the United States shortly, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday.

It is the first time that Hu visits the United States as Chinese president. Both sides are busy preparing for the visit, Li said at a press conference held on the sideline of the ongoing annual full session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

China's defense budget much smaller than that of US: FM

China's defense budget is much smaller than that of the United States despite the expected rise of 14.7 percent this year, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday.

The per capita defense budget of China is only one-seventy-seventh that of the United States, Li said at a press conference held on the sideline of the ongoing annual full session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

The increase will bring China's defense budget to 280.729 billion yuan (35 billion U.S. dollars) in 2006.

People should learn to see through the figure and seek basic facts behind the percentage, Li said.

It is well known that China takes a defensive strategy, the minister said.

Li made the remarks while answering a question from a reporter of Bloomberg based in the United States.

Vatican should not intervene with China's internal affairs: FM

China hopes the Vatican will not intervene in its internal affairs in any form, said Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on Tuesday in response to a question that the Vatican appointed a Hong Kong person as the cardinal-bishop recently.

"We hope the Vatican will not maintain a so-called diplomatic relations with a province or a locality of China," Li said at a press conference held on the sideline of the ongoing annual full session of the Tenth National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong, and Hong Kong is Chinese people's, including Hong Kong compatriots', said Li, adding that China is happy to see the achievements made by the Hong Kong compatriots under the leadership of the Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) Government.

"With the regard to the affairs in Hong Kong, We will abide by the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and the Basic Law of Hong Kong. "

Iran nuclear issue should be resolved through diplomacy, negotiation: FM

The Iran nuclear issue should be resolved through diplomatic channels and negotiation, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday.

Li said there is still room for resolving the Iran nuclear issue under the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the international community should not give up efforts toward this goal.

China to build strategic partnership with African countries: FM

China and African countries will build a politically supportive, economically win-win and cultural closely-related strategic partnership, said Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing Tuesday.

China maintains friendly relations with Palestine

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday that China is willing to continue the traditional friendly relations with Palestine and seriously consider its requests for further assistance.

"China and Palestine enjoy a profound traditional friendship, and China has been providing support and assistance to Palestine within its capacity," Li said at a press conference.

Peaceful means and political negotiation are the correct road to the settlement of the Middle East issue. It is China's hope that Palestine and Israel could continue to observe the relevant resolutions of the United Nations and the principle of "land for peace," and resolve their differences through dialogue, the Chinese foreign minister said.

"China firmly support the Middle East peace process and has been mediating among the parties concerned in its own ways," Li told the press conference held on the sideline of the ongoing annual full session of China's national legislature.

"We will continue to cooperate with the parties concerned and play a constructive role for an early realization of peace and stability in the Middle East," he said.

Putin's visit to boost China-Russia relations: FM

At the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, Russia's President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit China later this month, said Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on Tuesday.

"The visit is expected to boost the all-round development of the Sino-Russian Strategic Partnership of Cooperation, and facilitate world peace, stability and development," he said.

Li said during Putin's visit, the two presidents would jointly attend the opening ceremony of "the Year of Russia" in China and a Sino-Russia high-level business forum.

The two sides would also issue political documents and sign a series of mutual cooperative treaties.

Li made the remarks at a press conference held on the sidelines of the ongoing annual full session of the Tenth National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

Japanese leaders should stop hurting feelings of wartime victims: FM

Japanese leaders should stop worshipping war criminals and hurting the feelings of people in China and other nations having suffered from Japanese invasions during the World War II, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday.

Li made the remark at a press conference held on the sideline of the ongoing annual full session of the 10th National People's Congress, the top legislature.

"The crucial problem challenging Sino-Japanese relations now is that certain Japanese leaders still insist on paying homage to class-A war criminals of the World War II," Li said in response to the question of a Japanese journalist.

The action can not be accepted by the Chinese people and wartime victims of many other nations, he added.

"This is a issue of very serious nature," Li stressed.

Li reiterated that Chinese people are victims of Japanese invasions during the World War II, urging Japanese leaders to "demonstrate enough sincerity and courage" to correct their "erroneous doings."

He cited an unidentified German diplomat as saying that war initiators should do nothing more to hurt the feelings of offspring of wartime victims again.

The minister reaffirmed China's principle of developing Sino-Japanese relations, vowing to make positive efforts in improving bilateral ties under the guidance of the five-point proposal raised by President Hu Jintao last year in Jakarta.

Li urged the Japanese side to abide by the three political documents and take actual actions to forge a friendly relationship toward the 21st century, and handle historical problems in a serious and sincere manner.

Differences between the two nations need to be resolved through dialogues and peaceful negotiations, while extensive exchanges and cooperation, and friendly non-governmental contacts should be reinforced, the minister said.

Japan should fulfill its commitments concerning the Taiwan issue through concrete actions, Li added.

Don't politicize Sino-US trade relations: FM

The United States should not politicize its trade relations with China, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday.

The two countries should solve trade problems under the framework of the World Trade Organization, Li said.

Li made the remarks at a press conference held on the sideline of the ongoing annual full session of the Tenth National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

The trade between the two countries reached 211.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2005, up 24.8 percent year on year, Li said.

Referring to the trade imbalance between the two sides, Li noted that China does not pursue surplus in its trade with the United States, and it is "ready to take positive measures" to solve the problem.

However, Li said, the restriction on export items of the United States to China is to be partially blamed for U.S. deficit in its trade with China.

"Besides its Boeing planes, the United States only wants to sell its soybean, cotton and orange to China. For those more valuable items, it doesn't like to sell to us because it regards them as 'high-tech' products or as civilian-military goods," Li said.

The minister said China's export to the United States can help curb inflation and create four to eight million jobs in the country.

Also, consumers in the United States have benefited from the import of Chinese products, which are cheap but also in good quality, Li added.

The minister said China has become a fastest growing market for the U.S. export, adding that China is the largest importer of soybean and cotton of the United States.

East China Sea consultation between China, Japan "pragmatic and constructive": FM

The fourth round of East China Sea consultation which concluded Tuesday between Chinese and Japanese diplomatic officials was "pragmatic and constructive," Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said.

"China and Japan have agreed to launch the next round of consultation as early as possible," Li said at a press conference Tuesday held on the sideline of the ongoing annual full session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

It is a fact that China and Japan have different views on the East China Sea issue, but the two sides expect to address the difference through negotiation and cooperation.

Mainland prepared to deal with complications in cross-Straits relations

The Chinese mainland is highly vigilant against the development of situation in Taiwan following Taiwan leader's announcement to cease the function of "National Unification Council" and the application of its guidelines, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday.

Li said the mainland is prepared to deal with any possible complications and will never tolerate "Taiwan independence" or allow anyone to secede Taiwan from China in any way.

Taiwan authorities take a dangerous step: FM

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday that the Taiwan authorities have taken a "dangerous step" toward "Taiwan independence" by ceasing the function of "National Unification Council" and the application of its guidelines.

"This is a serious provocation to the one-China principle universally observed by the international community and to the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits," Li told a press conference held on the sideline of the ongoing annual full session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

The secessionist activities of the leader of Taiwan authorities, which have met strong opposition from people on both sides of the Straits and condemnation and contempt from the international community, will sure "end up in shameful failure," said the minister.

China makes great efforts in IPR protection: FM

China has taken measures in legislative, judicial, law-enforcement and education fields to strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday.

Li made the remark at a press conference held on the sideline of the ongoing annual full session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

He said that in 2005 alone, China's industrial and commercial authorities dealt with more than 39,000 trade mark infringement cases. And Chinese courts heard more than 3,500 IPR-related cases.

China to press ahead Sino-Arabic relations: FM

The Sino-Arabic relations are developing smoothly, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday.

Since the Sino-Arabic forum was founded, the two sides carried out close cooperation. The forum developed rapidly. Last year the second CEO meeting of the Sino-Arabic entrepreneurship forum was held. The two sides also launched cooperative training program on human resources, Li said at a press conference held on the sidelines of the ongoing annual full session of the Tenth National People's Congress.

China to work with all countries to strengthen co-op for a win-win result: FM

"China is poised to work with all countries to strengthen cooperation for a win-win result," said Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing Tuesday.

"As a member of the developing world, China is ready to work with all the developing countries to develop itself and constantly improve the living standards of its people," said Li at a press conference held on the sidelines of the ongoing annual full session of the Tenth National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

The United Nations have 191 member countries, of which two thirds are developing countries, while the world has a total population of 6.5 billion, four fifths from developing countries, said Li.