Maybe you also have the UN Security Council reform on your mind. The Security Council reform is a multilateral issue. We stand ready to join multinational democratic discussion with all sides including Japan. The two foreign ministries can also stay in touch and carry out consultation and coordination regarding all the aforementioned issues.

Not long ago I paid a visit to your country and was warmly received there. I have full confidence that Premier Wen's upcoming visit to Japan will be a success.

Against "Taiwan Independent" statements of Chen Shui-bian

As regards the pro-independence secessionist remarks and statements made by Chen Shui-bian recently, the leading officials from the Taiwan Affairs Office of the CPC Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council have already made remarks responding to it and stated our stern position and attitude.

I'm particularly fond of the island of treasure, Taiwan, and this island is always on my mind wherever I go. There was one time I went to Qinghai Province and I went to a mountain called the "mountain of sun and moon." This reminded me immediately of the "lake of sun and moon" on the island of Taiwan. And I felt that this mountain and that lake are brothers or sisters.

Korean Peninsula denuclearization close related to northeast Asian peace

The Joint Document adopted on September 19, 2005 is a very important diplomatic document and a result of hard negotiations. Following the spirit of this important document, it is imperative for the six parties to translate their commitment to a denuclearized Korean Peninsula into concrete actions. This is of high importance to peace and stability for the peninsula and is also connected to peace and stability in Northeast Asia.

The progress achieved in the latest third phase of the fifth round of six-party talks is a further step to achieve the common goal. I hope all relevant working groups will carry forward their work as scheduled and make concrete progress so that we will be able to gradually move closer and finally attain the common goal of denuclearization in the Korean Peninsula.

China sends 5,000 peacekeepers to UN operations

The Chinese Government administers the country according to law. We observe the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. We earnestly fulfill our international obligations. China pursues an independent foreign policy of peace. It safeguards its own lawful rights and interests and also respects the lawful rights and interests of other countries. We stand for resolving differences through negotiation and meeting our common challenges through cooperation.

We pursue a national defense policy that is of a defensive nation, carry out military exchange with outside, increase our military transparency and have taken an actively part in international security cooperation including counterterrorism, nonproliferation and UN peace-keeping operations. The day before yesterday, I was told by General Xiong Guangkai, President of the Chinese Institute of Strategic Studies, that over the years, China has contributed more than 5,000 peacekeepers to 14 UN peace-keeping operations. That is of a fairly high number among the five permanent member states of the UN Security Council.

During his state visit to Liberia, President Hu Jintao had called a meeting with the Chinese peacekeepers in Liberia. We have about 600 peacekeepers in that country. All of them are in high spirits. They are courageous and also good friends with the local people. Besides discharging their responsibilities and obligations under relevant UN resolutions, those Chinese peacekeepers have also assisted the local people in some poverty-relief programs and they are always well received by the locals. Some Chinese peacekeepers sacrificed their young lives on their posts. They sacrificed their lives on the course of peace. They led a noble life and the lost of life is also for a noble course.

Hope to see peace in Iraq and Middle East

China enjoys traditional friendship with Arab states. China supports the people of Arab states in restoring their lawful rights and interests. Cooperation between China and Arab countries of mutual benefit has also been growing fast. In 2006 the trade volume between China and the 26 member states of the Arab League reached $65.5 billion. We have also had good energy cooperation with Arab countries and countries in the Middle East. China is both a big energy consumer and a big energy producer. We carry out mutually beneficial cooperation with those countries. Last year, China's import of crude oil from the Middle East accounted for 6 percent of the crude oil trade in that part of the world.

As regards the issue of Middle East, we believe that it is imperative for both Palestine and Israel to stay focused on the fundamental interests of people in this region and the large interests in maintaining regional peace and stability, and carry out political negotiations to resolve their disputes based on the relevant UN resolutions and the principle of "Land for Peace" so as to achieve peaceful co-existence at an early date between the two states and two peoples.

As regards the issue of Iraq, I learned from foreign reports this morning that by yesterday the fatalities of U.S. soldiers in Iraq already reached 3,116. These are all human lives and very young lives. That's why we hope that we will see peace in Iraq and the Middle East region at an early date. We welcome the efforts made by the Iraqi Government in stabilizing the situation of security, advancing ethnic reconciliation and carrying out reconstruction in Iraq. In this process, people also expect the United Nations to play an important role. China will continue to provide assistance for Iraqi reconstruction to the best of its ability.

China, India to find proper solution to boundary issue

As regards the boundary issue between China and India, that was something imposed upon the Chinese people and the Indian people when they were not masters of their own houses. That was imposed on us by the Western colonists. I believe the two peoples, having won their struggles for national independence and liberation, have every wisdom and capability to find a proper solution to the issue left over by history. The envoys appointed by Chinese Premier and Indian Prime Minister have already held nine meetings and reached agreement on political guiding principles for resolving the boundary issue. They also held useful discussions on the framework to settle this issue. The China-India border areas have remained peaceful and stable. Guided by the China-India Joint Declaration, the strategic partnership of the two countries has been moving forward in an all-round way, which has also created a favorable condition for the final settlement of the boundary issue. I believe as long as the two sides are bearing in mind the overall situation of China-India friendship and act in the spirit of peace and friendship, consultation on equal footing, mutual respect and understanding, we will be able to find a proper solution to this issue acceptable to both countries.

Contribute to solve climate change

Global warming is an issue of common interest of people of all countries. The international community has already formulated the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. These two documents established the fundamental principles for developed and developing countries in coping with climate change, including the fundamental principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. At present, China's per-capita carbon dioxide emission from fossil fuel burning is less than one sixth of that of some big countries and China's emission is partly caused by the relocation of international industries and economic globalization.