On the afternoon of August 30, 2005, at the invitation of the International Press Center (IPC), Director General He Yafei of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs and Director General Liu Jieyi of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences and Deputy Director General Zeng Gang of the Department of Latin American Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefed domestic and international journalists as well as information officers from foreign embassies in China on the background of President Hu Jintao's upcoming state visits to the United States, Canada and Mexico and attendance to the World Summit 2005 at the 60th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations from September 5 to 17. Deputy Director General Qin Gang hosted the briefing.

Director General He Yafei first gave an overview of the current situation of China-US relations. He said the China-US relations are sound from an overall perspective. The top leaderships of the two countries have maintained frequent communication and contacts. President Hu has exchanged letters and talked over phone with President Bush from time to time. Since the beginning of this year, the two heads of state have met with each other in Moscow and Gleneagles, Scotland to exchange views on key issues of common concern. In mid-July, Vice Premier Wu Yi co-hosted the 16th meeting of China-US Joint Committee of Commerce and Trade (JCCT) with the US official. The meeting solved some trade problems between the two countries and rounded up as a great success. State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan's visit to the United States in late July and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's two visits to China since she took the office both witnessed positive progress. Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing has maintained frequent contact with Secretary of State Rice through a number of forms. Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo and US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellic conducted the first China-US Strategic Dialogue successfully not long ago. The exchanges between the parliaments and military communities of the two countries are also increasing. Bilateral cooperation in economy, trade, counter terrorism, law enforcement and non-proliferation has also witnessed new achievements. The two countries have maintained effective consultation and coordination on major international and regional issues including the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, the Iraqi question, and the reconstruction in Afghanistan as well as UN affairs. This is conducive to both China and the United States and the whole world.

He Yafei said President Hu Jintao will pay a state visit to the United States from September 5 to 8 at the invitation of President Bush. President Hu will exchange views with President Bush and other US officials on China-US relations as well as major international and regional issues of common concern. He will meet with members of US parliament, officials from some states and cities, representatives from the business community and the academia as well as the general public. In addition to Washington D.C., President Hu will also visit Seattle and Yale University and will deliver an important speech at Yale. It is believed that this visit will help enhance the mutual understanding, exchanges and cooperation between China and the United States and promote further development of China-US constructive cooperative relations.

He Yafei said both China and the United States are influential countries in the world. The two nations enjoy extensive and important common interests despite some differences between them. Facts have proven and will continue to prove the sound and stable development of China-US relations not only conforms to the fundamental interests of China and the United States but also helps the peace, stability and development of the Asia-Pacific and the world at large. We would like to work with the United States to look at and address bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, respect each other, seek common grounds while shelf differences, enhance dialogue and cooperation and care about each other's concerns so as to push forward China-US constructive cooperative relations.

When talking about President Hu's upcoming visit to Canada, He Yafei said this year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the China and Canada. Bilateral relations have developed in an all-round and rapid manner since the two nations established comprehensive cooperative partnership in 1997 with frequent top-level exchanges, exchanges between the parliaments and fast development of economic and trade relations. Bilateral trade volume hit 15.5 billion US dollars last year and it has already exceeded 9 billion US dollars in the first half of this year. Remarkable achievements have been made in bilateral cooperation in science, technology, agriculture, energy, environment and health. The two sides have also maintained close consultation and cooperation in international and regional organizations such as the United Nations and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). During Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin's visit to China early this year, the two countries launched China-Canada Strategic Working Group. It is a common mission for both governments to analyze how to grasp the historical opportunity to expand bilateral cooperation and further bilateral relations against the backdrop of accelerated globalization.

President Hu's visit to Canada will be the first visit by China's head of state in 8 years. He will discuss with Canadian officials on how to expand and deepen China-Canada mutually beneficial cooperation and exchange views with them on international and regional issues of common concern. President Hu will meet a wide range of people to fully elaborate on China's internal and external policies. This visit will help deepen bilateral political mutual trust, broaden consensus, expand cooperation areas, enrich the content of cooperation and consolidate the foundation for China-Canada relations, and will exert positive and profound influence on China-Canada comprehensive cooperative partnership.

With regard to President Hu's visit to Mexico, Deputy Director General Zeng Gang said Mexico is an ancient civilization in the world as well as an important developing country in Latin America and the world. Mexico was among the first few countries in Latin America to establish diplomatic ties with China. When Premier Wen Jiabao visited Mexico in December 2003, the two countries declared to establish strategic partnership. In August 2004, the bilateral permanent committee between the Chinese and the Mexican governments was established. Bilateral trade and mutual investment have witnessed rapid growth. In 2004, bilateral trade volume reached 7.112 billion US dollars with a year-on-year increase of 43.9% and in the first half of this year bilateral trade volume reached 3.48 billion US dollars with a year-on-year increase of 11.9%. Mexico has become China's second largest trading partner in Latin America. The two nations have conducted increasing exchanges in culture, education, science and technology as well as sound cooperation in international affairs.

Zeng Gang said President Hu's upcoming visit to Mexico will be another important visit to Latin America following his visit to Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Cuba last November. This will be President Hu's first visit to Mexico and another visit by China's head of state to the country after 8 years. This visit is aimed to strengthen bilateral top-level dialogue and consultation, enhance mutual trust and friendship, promote mutually beneficial cooperation and further enrich and deepen bilateral strategic partnership so as to realize the objective of common development. During his visit, President Hu will conduct big- and small-scale meetings with President Fox, meet with Mexican officials including the Speaker of the Senate and the President of the Supreme Court, and will deliver a speech at the Mexican Senate. The two sides will also sign a number of cooperative documents.

Director General Liu Jieyi of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences introduced President Hu's attendance to the World Summit 2005 at the 60th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. He said the summit will be held at the UN headquarters in New York from September 14 to 16. The summit will include an opening ceremony and a plenary session. The President of the 59th UN General Assembly Gabonese President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba and the President of the 60th UN General Assembly Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson will host the summit. The summit will release a document of achievements whose content is still under consultation. Round-table Discussion, High-level Meeting on Development and Financing, Summit of the Security Council and Small-Scale ECOSOC Summit will be held during the summit.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the victory over World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations. Highly prioritizing the summit, the various parties will conduct important and in-depth discussions on how to enhance the role of the organization, promote reforms and address development. More than 122 heads of state and 58 heads of government have decided to attend the summit by now. The results of the summit will exert significant and profound influence on the future development of the United Nations as well as the prospect of the international situation.

Liu Jieyi said to attend the UN summit will be President Hu's last stop. His attendance to the summit fully demonstrates China's priority and support to the role of the United Nations. The initial arrangements for President Hu include attendance to the opening ceremony of the summit and delivery of speeches at the plenary session, Round-table Discussion, High-level Meeting on Development and Financing as well as the Summit of the Security Council. He will also be present at some bilateral events.

During the meeting, President Hu will fully elaborate China's position and viewpoints on the international situation and major issues, put forward concrete suggestions on promoting the sound and harmonious development of international relations, enhancing the role of the United Nations and furthering the reforms of the organization, and disclose the key measures China will take to boost its economic cooperation with developing countries. He will also exchange views with leaders of related countries on bilateral relations, the international situation and issues of common concern to enhance cooperation in various fields during bilateral meetings.

Liu Jieyi stressed as a founding member of the United Nations and a permanent member of its Security Council China has been consistently supporting the important role of the United Nations in safeguarding peace and promoting common development. China believes a strong United Nations is in the common interest of the international community. China would like to push the summit for positive results along with other member states. The priorities should include: First, to reiterate the commitment to the purposes and guidelines of the UN Charter and to promote the various undertakings of the organization so as to ensure the United Nations can play a bigger role in international affairs. Second, to push and address the issue of development and make significant decisions on increasing development assistance, implementing Millennium Development Goals and boosting international development and cooperation. Third, to increase the capacity of the United Nations to respond to various forms of threats and challenges through active and prudent reforms. Fourth, to strengthen multilateralism and promote the unity and cooperation of member states so as to ensure the sound and harmonious development of international relations.

He Yafei, Liu Jieyi and Zeng Gang took questions from the journalists after the briefing.

As for the exchange rate of RMB, Liu Yafei said what kind of exchange rate regime a country adopts is a matter within its sovereignty. The Chinese government has adopted a very responsible attitude toward the issue of RMB's exchange rate. The realities of China's economic and social development and how to maintain regional and international economic and financial stability constitute the basis for our considerations. We have chosen an exchange rate regime suited to China's realities and an appropriate exchange rate. Not long ago China adopted a manageable floating exchange rate based on market demand and supply and readjusted with reference to a package of currencies. We will further improve our reforms on the formation mechanism of RMB's exchange rate.

As for the protection of Intellectual Property Right (IPR), He Yafei said the Chinese government gives top priority to the protection of IPR. This is not only required by China's commitments to the World Trade Organization (WTO) upon its accession, but also needed by China's furtherance of opening up, improvement of investment environment, and introduction of foreign investments and advanced technologies. Meanwhile, to accelerate China's own economic and social development, we also need to protect IPR. In recent years, the Chinese government has intensified its efforts in improving and protecting IPR and tried to get rid of the deep-rooted causes of IPR infringement. We have established a IPR protection mechanism and a complete set of legal system, and have adopted a series of effective measures to strengthen the enforcement in IPR protection laws. All these efforts have been rewarded with tremendous achievements. China and the United States reached a number of consensuses on IPR protection and decided to enhance bilateral cooperation in this area at the 16th JCCT meeting before long. IPR protection is a global issue and requires the joint efforts of the whole international community. During the APEC Leaders' Meeting in 2004, the leaders of various countries reached consensus on the measures necessary for IPR protection. China and the United States need to continue their cooperation within this framework.

As for market access, He Yafei said China has been earnestly fulfilling its commitments to the WTO since its accession to the organization and the Chinese market is being further opened. China has jumped to be the 3rd largest market around the globe from the 6th since China joined the organization 3 years ago. China's import exceeded 560 billion US dollars in 2004. With the development of China's economy and the furtherance of opening up, China's import is expected to hit 1 trillion US dollars in 2010. China has established a market economic system. The Chinese market has been integrated into the global market. The competition in the Chinese market is fair, open and also fierce. We welcome the businesses from various countries and regions including the United States to participate in the competition in the Chinese market and succeed with its own competences on the basis of openness and fairness.

As for the trade imbalance between China and the United States, He Yafei said bilateral economic and trade cooperation surged in recent years. US trade deficit to China is an undeniable fact. However, this is a result of the different industry mix of the two countries and international labor division accelerated by globalization. It is a complimentary deficit rather than a competitive one. We should address the issue through the expansion of bilateral trade. Simply restricting China's export to the United States does not solve the problem fundamentally. To import reasonably priced and quality guaranteed commodities from China is in the interest of the American people and conducive to reducing inflation in the United States. China does not pursue long-term trade surplus with the United States and would like to import more commodities from the United States. In recent years, China has become the fastest growing export market for the United States. At the same time, we hope the United States can loosen restrictions over China's export to the United States and stop taking protectionist measures against China's commodities. This will help solve the US trade deficit with China.

As for energy issue and China-US energy cooperation, He Yafei said the basic guideline for China to address the energy problem is to mainly rely on domestic supply, give equal emphasis to energy exploration and conservation, and at the same time actively utilize overseas energy and make full use of international and domestic markets and resources. China has been tapping the international energy market in line with international rules and has no intention to compete with other countries for energy supply. We hope to realize mutual benefits and create a win-win situation through cooperation on an equal footing. Both China and the United States are big nations in terms of energy production and consumption. To strengthen bilateral energy cooperation is in the common interest of both sides. As a matter of fact, China and the United States have already conducted effective cooperation in the area of energy. We have achieved a number of consensuses at the First China-US Policy Dialogue on Energy in June and we would like to deepen dialogue and cooperation with the United States in the field of energy.

As for the textile trade between China and the United States, He Yafei said the two countries will conduct a new round of negotiations on textiles from August 30 to 31 in Beijing. China would like to work with the United States to find out a solution acceptable to both sides through consultation on an equal footing.

As for China's exchanges and cooperation with Canada, He Yafei said the there are frequent exchanges between the two countries at all levels. Premier Wen Jiabao paid a visit to Canada in December 2003 and Prime Minister Paul Martin paid a visit to China in January this year. There is no fundamental conflict between China and Canada. On the contrary, they share common interests on a number of issues. Thus the two countries enjoy great prospect for cooperation. Currently the two sides are negotiating on listing Canada as a tourist destination for Chinese citizens. More cooperative agreements in such fields as economy and trade, environment and health will be reached.

As for whether China and Mexico will sign any agreement on agricultural cooperation during President Hu's visit to the country, Zeng Gang said the two sides will sign a cooperative agreement on the quarantine of plants.

As for President Hu's attendance to the World Summit 2005 at the 60th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and China's position on the reform of the UN Security Council, Liu Jieyi said President Hu will disclose a series of measures of China to enhance cooperation with developing nations which are related to debts, development and other issues that developing countries concern. Meanwhile, President Hu will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders of some countries. Liu Jieyi indicated China supports the reform of the Security Council. The reform of the Security Council is aimed to expand the representation of developing countries, improve the Security Council's efficiency as well as its capacity to respond to various challenges, and fulfill its functions authorized by the UN Charter.