Q: On Oct. 8, the Norwegian Nobel committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2010 to Chinese "dissident" Liu Xiaobo. How do you comment?

A: As described in Nobel's will, the Nobel Peace Prize should be awarded to the person who "shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses". Liu Xiaobo is a criminal who broke China's laws and was convicted by Chinese judicial authorities. What he did runs in opposite directions to the purposes of the Prize. It completely violates the principles of the prize and discredits the peace prize itself for the Nobel committee to award the prize to such a person.

Q: Will the award undermine China-Norway relations?

A: Over the past years, China-Norway relations have maintained sound development, which is in the fundamental interests of both countries and peoples. The award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo by the Nobel committee not only contravenes the principles of the Nobel Peace Prize but also will damage China-Norway relations.