"We hope the Korean Peninsula can maintain peace and stability," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said at a regular press conference held in Beijing Thursday.

The United Nations Security Council is due to discuss the DPRK issue on Wednesday.

Liu said China had always supported the denuclearization of the peninsula and was appealing for a political solution to the issue.

He said China had been making efforts to seek a peaceful solution to the nuclear situation and was keeping in close contact with all parties concerned.

Turning to the situation between India and Pakistan, Liu said China hopes the two sides can resume dialogue, solve their differences peacefully and avoid making moves that may deteriorate the situation further.

The India-Pakistan tension was discussed during a telephone conversation between Li and his British counterpart Jack Straw Monday evening.

Liu said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov arrived in Beijing yesterday morning to discuss the Iraq War and other issues of common concern.

Status of SARS in China Should Be Judged Fairly

At the press conference, Liu said China hopes that relevant countries and parties will avoid being misled by inaccurate information and making faulty judgments with regard to the status of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in the country.

Chinese Minister of health Zhang Wenkang briefed the press Wednesday about the current status of SARS in China, Liu noted, and, according to Minister Zhang's briefing, the disease has been brought under effective control.

The spokesman expressed his hope that the concerned countries and relevant parties will judge the status of SARS fairly and not be misled by false information, adding that inaccurate judgments could undermine normal contact between China and other countries.

Kuwaiti Minister of State for Foreign Affairs to Visit China

Kuwaiti Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Sabah Al-salem Al-sabah will visit China, Liu announced at the press conference.

The minister will be here from April 6 to April 7 at the invitation of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Japanese Foreign Minister to Visit China

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi will visit China from April 6 to 8, Liu announced at the press conference.

At the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, the Japanese foreign minister will exchange views with the Chinese side on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common concern.

(Sources from China Daily and Xinhua News Agency, April 4, 2003)