On the afternoon of November 8th, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Liu Jianchao held a regular press conference.

Liu: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I am glad to work with you again after several months. On the occasion of China Journalist Day, I wish all Chinese journalists and foreign journalists in China a happy festival.

First I have an announcement to make: Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai will jointly attend the 17th ministerial meeting of APEC to be held in Pusan, ROK from November 15th to 16th to make preparations for the subsequent 13th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

I would like to take your questions now.

Q: Will President Bush visit other places in addition to Beijing during his visit to China this month?

A: China and the US are still in consultation about the details of President Bush's visit to China. Generally speaking, the visit is not long. I have not heard about any arrangement of President Bush's visit to other places.

Q: The delegations of relevant countries to attend the 5th round of Six-Party Talks have arrived in Beijing and are preparing for the Six-Party Talks to be started tomorrow. While taking questions from Japanese media yesterday, Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei said that the first stage of this round of Six-Party Talks would only last for 3 days. Please confirm. During the short duration of 3 days, what specific goals does China want to achieve?

A: Vice Foreign Minister Wu met with journalist delegation from Japanese Foreign Ministry and said as the host (or chair) country China favors the opinion that the first phase of the Talks should not last too long and three days would be appropriate. Certainly, as to the way how the talks should be held, including the forms, topics, content and goals and so on still need consultation of the six parties. You said that the duration of three days was rather short but actually journalists experienced with reporting of Six-Party Talks know that the talks are seemingly held within the 8 working hours, in fact, it will be more accurate to count the duration of Six-Party Talks with hours. Because all delegations work night and day and they work for 10 hours a day, or 12 hours, or still longer. We hope all the parties will have a stage to fully exchange views, discuss how to fulfill the consensus reached by the 4th round of Six-Party Talks and commitment of all parties, expatiate their views and promote mutual understanding. Regarding the result, I don't think only something tangible can be called result. Six-Party Talks is a course. It can be considered a course of accumulation of progress if all parties promote mutual understandings and reach more and more consensus. It is also a course of talks.

Q: Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei said to Japanese visiting delegation that there would be special working group meeting apart from Six-Party Talks. What does that mean specifically? I saw a vehicle of Japanese embassy in front of Chinese Foreign Ministry. Is Director General Kenichiro Sasae meeting with Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei? Vice Director General Song Il Ho of DPRK Foreign Ministry said to Japanese media at Beijing airport today that DPRK and Japan would hold a meeting on the issue of kidnapped Japanese. That means that there will be a new diplomatic channel to discuss this issue outside Six-Party Talks. Do you think it of great significance to the course of Six-Party Talks?

A: As to the special working group meeting, after 4 rounds of Six-Party Talks we now learn that the forms of Six-Party Talks can be various and this will be good to have sufficient exchanges and communications and promote mutual understandings between all the parties. By looking back to the 4th round of Six-Party Talks you will see that there were more bilateral contacts than plenary meeting or meetings of all heads of delegations. Therefore, it is an experience that there should not be a set form of Six-Party Talks for the sake of making progress. We hope that all parties will have communications and exchanges through all forms, make clear their own point of views and listen to the concerns of all other parties. We still need to discuss the matter of special working group with all other parties.

Regarding your second question, that is whether Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei is having consultation with Director-General Sasae. If my memory serves right, their meeting starts about at 3 pm, should be right now. As I know, Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei held talks with those heads of delegations arriving in Beijing early. They are head of ROK, Japanese and Russian delegations. I am sure he will have more consultations.

As to your third question, we have noted that DPRK and Japan already had contacts and exchanges on issues of their concern. In our opinion, this is a proper channel of solving the problems between DPRK and Japan including historically unsolved problems. We hope to see progress from their consultations. This is good to improving DPRK-Japan relations.

Q: The US holds the position that DPRK nuclear program should be dismantled at a possible earliest date at the early course of Six-Party Talks. Does China support US position? What does the US should do specifically to help China in its mediating role?

A: Your first question is about the time or occasion of Dismantling Nuclear of DPRK. In my opinion, all the parties will have consultations on how to carrying out the consensus reached by the 4th round of Six-Party Talks in the next phrase of Six-Party Talks. It is now the time for all parties to fully raise their concerns and the subsequence of different issues will be touched upon gradually in future talks. We hope that all parties will proceed further on the basis of the 4th round of Six-Party Talks through the 5th round of Six-Party Talks. not matter how devious the road will be, all parties should show well their political willingness, sincerity and flexibility, attach importance and necessary understanding to all other parties' concerns and push the Six-Party Talks progress forward.

As regard to your second question, China is now playing a mediating role to promote peace and facilitate talks. We have made great efforts and will continue to do so.

Q: Will China propose a Road Map for fulfilling the goals of last Six-Party Talks? If positive, will China propose it in the Six-Party Talks tomorrow? Please give us more information.

A: My understanding is that at the moment all parties are having bilateral consultations. The first phase of the 5th Six-Party Talks tomorrow will still be the stage for all parties to elaborate their point of views. All parties will fully put out their views and positions on how to fulfill the consensus reached by the 4th Six-Party Talks. As to Road Map or solution, I have no information on this now.

Q: The head of Russian delegation arrived in Beijing this morning. It is learned that China and Russia have had consultation on issues of Six-Party Talks. Please brief on the content. What will be the common point of China and Russia in the 5th round of talks? What is the prospect of cooperation?

A: As what you learned, Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei had consultation with Head of Russian Delegation Alexiev this morning. The two sides exchanged views on how to make the first phase of the 5th round of Six-Party Talks a success. China and Russia have many common points in making progress on Korean peninsula nuclear issue. We have the same goal and principle. Russia sings high praise for and support China's role of a mediator and a chair in Six-Party Talks. Russia also supports China in promoting peace and facilitating talks. At the meantime, China hopes to be supported by all other parties including Russia.

Q: China and US have reached an agreement on textile. Is China satisfied with it? When will the agreement be officially signed? Besides, there are increasing threats of Bird Flu. Is China considering to close its border? Will China send a delegation to attend the next round of G7 meeting in London? Please brief on China's agenda.

A: As to China-US friction on textile trade, China's Ministry of Commerce has been having close consultation with the US side. Up to now there have been 7 rounds of consultations. I don't have concrete information on what specific progress has been achieved. You may turn to China's Ministry of Commerce for relevant information. The problems of China-US trade emerge during the course of rapid development of bilateral trade and we hope these problems will be solved properly through equal consultations on a mutually beneficial and win-win base.

As to your second question on whether china will close border because of Bird Flu, I have not heard anything on this. China attaches great importance to Bird Flu problem, convened quite a few of meetings, made proper deployments and requested relevant local governments to take effective prevention, therapy and curing measures. I am sure these measures will play their roles.

As to your last question, I have no relevant information. I can check it for you.

Q: China have bilateral talks with Japan, Russia, ROK today. Has China held talks with DPRK? The US delegation will arrive at Beijing this evening. When will China and US hold bilateral talk? When exactly will be the opening ceremony tomorrow? What's the detailed arrangement?

A: I don't have concrete information on when China and DPRK, China and US will have bilateral consultations. But I am sure they will have some kind of contact and consultation before Six-Party Talks.

About your second question, please keep in close contact with the press center of the 5th round of Six-Party Talks. Like what we did during the previous 4 rounds of talks, we set up a press center in Diaoyutai State Guest House. The telephone numbers of the press center are 58590786, 58590788. The center will be officially opened tomorrow but the staff of the center has started their work today. Regarding to the detailed arrangements of the Six-Party Talks, they will make relevant announcements in time. You are welcome to keep in contact with them.

The Opening Ceremony will begin at 10 am tomorrow morning. After that there will be a plenary meeting. At the meantime, all parties will arrange bilateral consultations according to their own needs.

Q: The US relies heavily on China to pressure on the DPRK. Some people criticized the US didn't create necessary condition for China to pressure. What effort do you think the US should make to this end?

A: We have reaffirmed on many occasions that pressure does not necessarily work on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula or many other international issues. We maintain that the parties concerned should resort to consultation on an equal footing and exchange views in a normal way. The Six-Party Talks is the best way so far to resolve the nuclear issue on the Peninsula. But given that different parties have their own concerns and considerations, the process of the Six-Party Talks have become so complicated and even face difficulties. But I believe this process will forge ahead as long as the parties concerned have the political will to resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

Q: This morning, the head of the DPRK delegation said in Pyongyang that this round of talks resembles navigation towards a lighthouse, yet with the lighthouse out of sight. The Chinese ambassador said that as long as there is an excellent navigator, you will finally make it. Please interpret what that means. What bilateral meetings has China arranged on the sideline of the APEC?

A: On your first question, I am not quite clear what the head of the DPRK delegation said before leaving Pyongyang. But if what you told is accurate, the metaphor is fairly appropriate. He resembled the goal of the Six-Party Talks to a lighthouse. Fog may rise on the way to the lighthouse, and sometimes even heavy fog. It draws a vivid picture that the all the six parties have set a clear goal of realizing a denuclearized peninsula and are making efforts to this end. In this process, there will inevitably be problems or setbacks of this or that kind. Therefore, we have reiterated on many occasions that all parties concerned should have political will and adequate patience on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula and show flexibility and sincerity. Only in this way can we navigate the vessel of the Six-Party Talks steadily towards the lighthouse.

Q: Is this round of Six-Party Talks supposed to discuss the light water reactor issue? Does China agree that the DPRK builds a light water reactor? When to build it?

A: The Joint Statement of the fourth round of Six-Party Talks has elaborated on the light water reactor issue, which also requires the parties concerned to think over and study in the later process of the Six-Party Talks. In tomorrow's meeting, all parties can express their views and concerns on any issue. This is only natural and we cannot forbid any party to raise a particular question. However, we also expect all parties to heed the concerns of other parties seriously in an equal and frank atmosphere. As for the consideration on the concern and proposition of the parties concerned, these questions will be gradually touched upon and properly resolved later in the talks.

Q: How does China define the success of the fifth round of the Six-Party Talks? Does the success mean the exchange of views between different parties itself or the conclusion of an agreement? Will China issue a travel warning on the recent riot in France?

A: In my opinion, before realizing the goal of a denuclearized Korean Peninsula, the Six-Party Talks is only a process, and we can not say success has been won. Only when eventually we implemented the consensus of the fourth round of talks and realized the final goal of the Six-Party Talks, can we say we have won a success. We hope that in this process, all parties will continue to reach consensus, take concrete actions and make progress at different levels, including progress with stage-marking significance or of breakthrough nature. Success is up to the joint efforts of all parties towards the general goal of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

We have taken note of the riot in Paris, France, and expressed much concern over the heavy property loss of ethnic Chinese businessmen. We also reminded the Chinese nationals and ethnic Chinese residing in France of being careful with their personal and property safety. Meanwhile, we believe the French Government will take effective measures to get the situation under control as soon as possible and guarantee the personal and property safety of French citizens as well as nationals of other countries.

Q: Is their any report on injury of Chinese nationals or ethnic Chinese in France? What specific measures will the Chinese Government take to protect the safety of the Chinese residing in France?

A: The Chinese Government and Chinese embassy in France are much concerned about the Chinese nationals and ethnic Chinese in France. Now, three ethnic Chinese were slightly injured in attacks and some warehouses of ethnic Chinese were burnt. We express our concern over this. The Chinese embassy has sent people to console the Chinese nationals and ethnic Chinese who suffered loss in the riot, reminded them of taking preventive measures to ensure personal and property safety and staying in close contact with the embassy.

Q: It is said that Chinese and Japanese foreign ministers made a telephone conversation on November 4. Can you brief on the conversation? Does China plan to hold talks between Chinese and Japanese foreign ministers or director-generals on the occasion of APEC or other international conferences?

A: I have not heard the telephone conversation you mentioned. We think China-Japan relations encounter difficulties, the responsibility of which does not lie with the Chinese side. Japan has to honor its commitment to treating history correctly in practice and refrain from further moves to hurt the feeling of the people in China and other victimized countries, which is a necessary and important condition for improving and developing China-Japan relations. I don't have information on whether Chinese and Japanese foreign ministers will hold a meeting on the sideline of the APEC.

Q: What's the goal of President Hu Jintao's attending APEC? Will he put forward a proposal on avian flu and other regional issues? In addition, on the sideline of the APEC, the US and other countries may once again require China to further loosen the RMB exchange rate regime. What response will China have?

A: The APEC meeting is held in the general context of economic globalization and regional cooperation. China expects to enhance APEC's work in trade liberalization and investment facilitation on the basis of implementing the result of the midterm stock-taking of Bogo goal, promote the new round of WTO negotiation, rejuvenate economic and technological cooperation and push forward the cooperation of the parties concerned in the fields of bird flu prevention, anti-corruption and disaster reduction. During the meeting, China will propose stronger APEC cooperation on newly-emerged epidemic prevention and control, disease monitoring, prevention measures and emergency response mechanism. We have no idea whether the meeting will discuss the RMB exchange rate issue. We may as well discuss the question after the meeting begins.

Q: According to the report of Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Ministry of Health has engaged in cooperation with WHO on bird flu. Have the WHO experts entered the epidemic-hit region in China, such as Hunan and Liaoning? Chinese and Japanese delegates to the Six-Party Talks held bilateral talks today. Have the two sides discussed the arrangement of meeting between Chinese and Japanese foreign ministers?

A: On your first question, it has been the consistent policy and proposition of the Chinese Government to enhance international exchange and cooperation on global bird flu prevention and control. We attach great importance to better cooperation with WHO on bird flu prevention and control. The cooperation is quite effective. For more details, please refer to the Ministry of Health. I would like to emphasize that China and other countries and international organizations cooperate with and assist each other in epidemic prevention and control. We are ready to strengthen information exchange with the international community on the experience and achievement of epidemic control and prevention, so as to jointly combat the challenges to mankind posed by bird flu and other epidemics.

Regarding your second question, I have to say sorry for I do not participate in the talks. Before I came to this podium, the talks were still ongoing. I have no way to know what has been discussed so far.

If no more questions are to be raised, thank you!