On the afternoon of September 20, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Jiang Yu held a regular press conference and answered questions on the situation in the Middle East, the Six-party Talks, climate change and etc.

Jiang Yu: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. First of all, I would like to welcome the journalists from Turkey present here today.

I'll start with an announcement.

At the invitation of Premier Wen Jiabao, Prime Minister Jim Marurai of the Cook Islands will pay an official visit to China from September 24 to 30.

The floor is open now.

Q: South Korean media reported that the next phase of the Six-party Talks will be held on September 27. Please confirm. My second question is, how do you comment on the blast in Beirut, capital city of Lebanon on September 19?

A: The date for the next phase of the Six-party Talks is still under consultation. We'll inform you once we have it.

As for your second question, China condemns the bombing in Beirut, capital of Lebanon. We sincerely hope that Lebanon could achieve reconciliation among various factions through consultation and dialogue so as to resume the stability and development of the country.

Q: Israel's security cabinet voted on September 19, deciding to declare the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip as the "hostile entity" and impose economic sanctions on it. Do you have any comment?

A: China is concerned with the current situation in the Middle East. Israel's decision will aggravate the tension and further affect the humanitarian situation in Gaza Strip, which we feel worrisome.

Q: Firstly, how about China's heavy oil shipment to the DPRK? When will it be finished? Secondly, could you brief us on the meeting between Deputy Foreign Minister of the DPRK Kim Yong Il and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei?

A: China is engaged in active implementation of the heavy oil assistance to the DPRK.

On the visit of Kim Yong Il, Deputy Foreign Minister of the DPRK, to China. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei met with him on 18th and exchanged views with him on bilateral relations. Both applauded the bilateral ties, and expressed willingness to promote China-DPRK relations to a new height. Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei emphasizes during the meeting that the party and government of China highly value the China-DPRK relations and are ready to make joint efforts with the DPRK to consolidate and develop friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries. Deputy Foreign Minister Kim and his companies are now visiting other cities in China.

Q: My first question is, on China's assistance to Zimbabwe. Mr. Liu Guijin, the special envoy of the Chinese Government on African Affairs, said on Tuesday that China has halted its development assistance to Zimbabwe, but will continue to offer humanitarian assistance. But the Chinese Ambassador in Zimbabwe said yesterday that China's assistance to Zimbabwe in all forms will continue. Could you tell us whether China's policy towards Zimbabwe has changed or not? Secondly, do you think it's fair that China singles out in facing with mounting international pressure on the issue of climate change? How do you comment on the proposal of a global per-capital emission standard raised by India and Germany?

A: China has normal and sound state-to-state relations with Zimbabwe. We are ready to continue to develop our relations with Zimbabwe on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. We hold that the affairs of Zimbabwe should be resolved by the Zimbabwean government and people in the end. The international community should offer constructive assistance to the reconciliation, stability and development in Zimbabwe.

On your second question, more than 190 states have signed the UN Framework Convention on the Climate Change, and more than 170 have signed the Kyodo Protocol. The principles set in the Convention and Protocol are extensively recognized and accepted by the international community. We believe that the Convention and Protocol should be the main channel and effective framework in the international cooperation of dealing with climate change. States should strengthen their cooperation in line with the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities". The developed countries should play a leading role in the reduction of greenhouse gas emission. The developing countries should handle the climate change actively under the framework of sustainable development.

The Chinese Government attaches great importance to climate change, adopts series of active measures, and makes active contribution to the global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emission. In the future, we will implement the National Action Plan for Handling Climate Change in full capacity. In the meanwhile of developing economy, we will make efforts to reduce the greenhouse gas emission and enhance our capability to deal with climate change.

If there are no more questions, thank your for attendance. See you next time.