China appreciates Russia's attitude towards energy cooperation, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Jianchao said at Thursday's regular news briefing.

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin had hinted in Germany on Tuesday that Chinese and Russian oil companies may cooperate more closely.

 

According to Liu, Putin has said time and again that Russia attaches importance to cooperation with China.

 

In reply to a journalist's question about a US official's recent comment on China's rise and the Taiwan issue, Liu said that the government will not allow anyone to separate Taiwan from China in any way or for any reason.

 

In an interview earlier this month with the US Public Broadcasting Service, US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage reiterated his country's official line supporting the one-China policy, under which Taiwan is considered part of China's territory.

 

Armitage said that under the Taiwan Relations Act, the US is not required to defend Taiwan.

 

Liu said China and the US should develop constructive cooperation and contribute to promoting peace and prosperity in the world on the basis of principles enshrined in the three Sino-US communiqués.

 

The National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, announced that it will enact an anti-secession law a week ago, aiming for peaceful reunification of the country. The draft of the law will be submitted for deliberation at the 13th session of the 10th NPC Standing Committee, scheduled for December 25-29 in Beijing.

 

Liu said the law "will be conducive to stability and prosperity across the Taiwan Straits and the whole Asia-Pacific region."

 

In reply to reports that unidentified persons who forced their way into the Canadian Embassy in Beijing in late September have now been sent to a third country, Liu appealed for foreign missions not to accept illegal intruders.

 

He said the intruders' entry to China was illegal and that they are a threat to the security of foreign institutions as they often force their way into embassies and international schools.

 

He urged foreign embassies to abide by international law and not to accept illegal intruders. He attributed a few embassies' indulgence as well as some foreign non-governmental organizations' plotting as the cause of the break-ins.

 

"China handles these incidents with a principle of combined consideration of domestic law, international law and the spirit of humanitarianism," he added.

 

Regarding the visit of Unification Minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Chung Dong-young, Liu said bilateral relations and the nuclear issue in the Korean Peninsula were discussed with various officials.

 

When he met Chairman Wu Bangguo of the NPC Standing Committee on Tuesday, Chung asked him to pass a letter from ROK President Roh Moo-hyun to President Hu Jintao.

 

Liu said that during Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiar al-Zibari's Beijing visit China's participation in rebuilding Iraq will be discussed.

 

The spokesperson announced that China will provide US$1 million worth of materials for the Iraqi general elections on January 30, saying it will continue assisting Iraq's reconstruction.

 

Liu said China has again urged Japan to reconsider its decision to allow a visit by former Taiwan leader Lee Tung-hui, saying it will disrupt Sino-Japanese ties.

 

According to Liu, Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Dawei expressed China's strong opposition to the Japanese ambassador, Koreshige Anami, on Wednesday, saying Lee would use Japan's backing to incite separatism in Taiwan.

 

The Japanese ambassador reiterated his government's support for the one-China policy and said Lee would not be allowed to conduct any political activities in Japan. 

 

(Xinhua News Agency, China Daily, CRI.com December 24, 2004)