She added that COSCO, the Chinese shipping company involved, was forced to give up the original plan to unload there and ship the cargo back China, due to Zimbabwe's inability to receive the goods.

Jiang added the trade contract was signed last year and irrelevant to Zimbabwe's recent domestic situation.

She said China always took a prudent and responsible attitude towards arms trade and strictly abided by the principle of non-interference with a receiving country's sovereignty, expressing her hope the countries concerned would not politicize the issue.

Jiang stressed China exported much less weapons to other countries in comparison to some developed countries.

According to the latest statistics by the Sweden-based Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, China ranked 10th on the list of the world's biggest arms exporters. The United States ranked first and the United Kingdom sixth.

The statistics revealed the United States accounted for 30 percent of world arms trade volume while China was two percent.

DPRK foreign minister to visit China

Foreign Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Pak Ui Chun will pay an official visit to China from April 26 to 29, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said here Tuesday.

China's stance unchanged on forced labor issue with Japan: FM

China's stance remains unchanged on forced labor and other issues left over from Japan's actions in World War II, said a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman.

Spokeswoman Jiang Yu made the remarks at a regular press conference Tuesday when commenting on a compromise settlement proposal made Monday by Japan's Fukuoka high court over a damages suit against the Japanese government and two Japanese companies. It was filed by 45 Chinese forced to work in mines in Fukuoka Prefecture during the war.

Jiang said that early settlement of the forced labor issue conformed to the common aspiration of people of the two countries and would help promote development of Sino-Japanese relations in a long-term, healthy and stable way.

(Xinhua News Agency April 23, 2008)