|
|
||
| ¡¡ ¡¡ |
The Information Office of the State Council held a press conference at 10 a.m. on September 25, 2003. Vice Minister Cai Wu briefed reporters on the CPC's foreign contacts and answered their questions. Yu Hongjun, press spokesman of the International Department and Director of its Research Office, attended the press conference, which was presided over by Wang Guoqing, Deputy Director of the Information Office. Wang Guoqing: Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen! We solicited opinions from some foreign reporters about press releases a few days ago. Many of them suggested that we invite people from relevant departments of the CPC to introduce the CPC's work here. Today we have invited Cai Wu, Vice Minister of the International Department, to introduce the CPC's foreign contacts and exchanges. Mr. Yu Hongjun, press spokesman of the International Department and Director of its Research Office, is also present. Now let me give the floor to Vice Minister Cai before he answers your questions. (10:03, September 25, 2003) Cai Wu: Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends! I'm pleased to meet with friends from the news media. Since you have already received the handout entitled The Communist Party of China's Foreign Contacts, I'll make my introduction brief to allow more time for you to raise questions. You all know that the CPC has more than 66 million members and is the Party in power in a country with a population of 1.3 billion. I believe you're interested in the CPC's contacts with the outside world. Actually, for several decades the CPC has, with the aspiration of seeking peace, development and progress, had widespread friendly exchanges and cooperation with various kinds of political parties and organizations in other countries and regions. Our latest statistics show that we have established diversified forms of exchanges and cooperation with more than 400 political parties and organizations in 147 countries. (10:07, September 25, 2003) Cai: Such friendly foreign contacts of the CPC, in their
various forms, levels and channels, have become a very important
component of the overall diplomatic work of the People's Republic,
effectively promoting the establishment, stability and development
of relations between China and other countries. My department is
the functional department of the CPC Central Committee whose particular
responsibility is the CPC's contacts and exchanges with political
parties and organizations in foreign countries and regions. Straits Times reporter (Singapore): Mr. Cai, what role does ideology play in your foreign contacts? (10:12, September 25, 2003) Cai: Everybody knows that every
political party has its own specific ideology; there is no doubt
about that. However, during the reform and opening up over the past
two decades, when increasing exchanges and cooperation with foreign
parties, the CPC has followed an important principle, that of
transcending ideological differences to seek mutual understanding
and cooperation. The handout distributed this morning notes that
when having contacts with foreign parties, the CPC adheres to the
four principles of independence, complete equality, mutual respect
and noninterference in each other's internal affairs. Based on these
principles, we have conducted exchanges and cooperation with various
kinds of parties in all countries that are willing to do so with us
by transcending ideological differences. The world today advocates
dialogue, and different ideologies of political parties do not
constitute obstacles to their exchanges; on the contrary, the
differences may necessitate their increased exchanges. (10:14,
September 25, 2003) Cai: As you know, the CPC is the party in power in China. This means that its foreign contacts constitute an important component of the state's overall diplomatic work. However, there are differences between Party diplomacy and government diplomacy. In its foreign contacts, the CPC does not deal with specific diplomatic issues that need to be handled by the government. The work associates in the two cases are different. The CPC mainly deals with foreign political parties and organizations while the government chiefly engages in diplomatic work with foreign governments. The work methods are also different. Communicating and exchanging ideas with foreign parties and statesmen plays a bigger role in the CPC's foreign exchanges. Of course, in doing specific external work, there is not only a division of labor but also cooperation between my department, which is chiefly responsible for the CPC's external work, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is in charge of China's foreign affairs, because they share a lot in their work. In China, both the CPC's foreign contacts and the government's diplomacy are under the unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee. Both the CPC and the government implement the independent foreign policy of peace formulated by the CPC and the state and work to safeguard world peace, stimulate global economic development and promote human progress. Both are devoted to creating peaceful and stable international and neighboring environments, so as to provide more favorable conditions for reform and opening up and the modernization drive. (10:19, September 25, 2003) Cai: So Party diplomacy and government diplomacy have both differences and similarities, and there is both division of labour and cooperation, thereby supplementing and enriching each other. (10:20, September 25, 2003) National Public Radio reporter (United States): My question is about the relationship between the Communist Party of China and the Communist Party of North Korea. How does it help ease the crisis over the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)? (10:21, September 25, 2003) Cai: The party in power in the DPRK isn't called the Communist Party, but the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). The CPC and the WPK have a long-standing relationship based on friendly exchanges and cooperation, and they have a tradition of exchanging visits between their top leaders. The late General Secretary of the WPK, Comrade Kim Il Sung, visited China over 20 times in his lifetime. Many top leaders of the CPC also visited the DPRK numerous times. In recent years, new developments have occurred in the exchanges between the two parties. You friends probably all know that WPK General Secretary Kim Jong Il visited China once each in 2000 and 2001, and CPC General Secretary Jiang Zemin visited the DPRK by invitation in 2001. These visits by general secretaries raised the exchanges and cooperation between the two parties to a new level. Now, the new collective leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Hu Jintao as General Secretary also attaches great importance to exchanges and cooperation between the CPC and the WPK. (10:23, September 25, 2003) Cai: I believe the CPC is willing to continue developing party-to-party exchanges and cooperation with the WPK on the basis of the four principles of party-to-party relations and to further promote the sound development of state-to-state relations between China and the DPRK on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. In the course of party-to-party exchanges, we exchange views on international, regional and domestic issues of common concern in full. Of course, these exchanges of views do not substitute for exchanges and consultations on pertinent issues between the diplomatic authorities of the two countries. (10:26, September 25, 2003) Die Welt reporter (Germany): My question is, will you send a delegation to visit North Korea soon? As we know, Mr. Dai Bingguo, Vice Foreign Minister, was formerly the Head of your International Department, so you have long established contacts through the channel of party-to-party relations. And my second question is, what's the exact date when the next plenary session of the Central Committee will be held? (10:26, September 25, 2003) Cai: There are normal party-to-party exchanges and cooperation between the CPC and the WPK. We exchange party-to-party visits by four delegations each year; that is, we send four delegations to the WPK, and visa versa. Yesterday or the day before, Comrade Kim Thae Jong, Vice Director of the International Department of the WPK Central Committee, arrived in China for a visit. Comrade Dai Bingguo was Minister of the International Department for five years, during which time he was responsible for the reception work for Comrade Kim Jong Il's two visits to China, so he's well acquainted with General Secretary Kim. The plan for this year's exchanges between the two parties hasn't yet been fulfilled, and there are still some delegations to be exchanged, but the schedule for them has not yet been set. You just asked about the date for the next plenary session. I haven't been notified, so I can't tell you the exact date, but I think it will probably be soon. (10:29, September 25, 2003) Central Broadcasting Station reporter (Vietnam): Mr. Cai, what do you think about the relationship between the Communist Parties of Vietnam and China? Thank you. (10:30, September 25, 2003) Cai: China and Vietnam are close, friendly neighbors, and the CPC has a long history of friendship with the Communist Party of Vietnam. Since the relations between the two parties and the two countries resumed normalization in 1991, relations between the two countries have developed rapidly, exchanges between the two parties have become increasingly intensive, and the two parties have maintained the tradition of exchanging high-level visits, in which they exchange views on the relations between the two countries and on regional and international issues. (10:31, September 25, 2003) Cai: At a meeting in 1999, the general secretaries of the two parties put forward the principle of long-term stability, orientation to the future, friendly and good-neighborly relations and full cooperation to guide the development of bilateral relations. Under the guidance of this principle, it wasn't long before the two countries signed in succession the Treaty on the Continental Border, the Agreement on Delineation of the Beibu Gulf and the Agreement on Fishery Cooperation. General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nong Duc Manh visited China in 2001 and General Secretary Jiang Zemin returned the visit to Vietnam in early 2002. Both visits were successful and further enriched and expanded the significance of the principle. Perhaps we could say that the consensus reached by the general secretaries and the principle they framed for guiding the development of bilateral relations have given direction to the development of the relations between the two parties as well as the two countries. The two parties also keep in frequent contact; at least four delegations from each side visit the other every year. The exchanges and cooperation at all levels between the two parties play a very important role in promoting mutual understanding, trust, friendship and cooperation between us. I think these exchanges also play a positive role in bilateral relations and in the peace and stability of the region and the whole world. I don't need to say any more about this. You have all seen it. (10:37, September 25, 2003) AP reporter (United States): You know that in Taiwan now there are at least two political parties that contest elections in an open, democratic environment, or one that is different from that on the mainland. Could you talk about your relations with Taiwan's political parties? (10:39, September 25, 2003) Cai: There is a statement in the handout I just distributed to you. The International Department deals with exchanges between the CPC and different political parties and organizations of other countries. Your question is beyond the scope of the International Department's work. So I am not in the position to answer it. I'm sorry. (10:39, September 25, 2003) NHK reporter (Japan): China has always opposed the appearance of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula. To achieve this objective, what has the International Department done, and what will it do in the future£¿Another question: I've heard that Wu Bangguo, Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, is going to visit the DPRK; please confirm this if possible. (10:40, September 25, 2003) Cai: I believe you friends all know that it is our country's diplomatic authorities that are responsible for dealing with the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, and Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi is in charge of this work. According to my understanding, our country's principled position on the DPRK nuclear issue cannot be conveyed in only one sentence, but requires four: we call for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula; we call for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula; we call for the solution of the DPRK's security concerns; and we call for the settlement of the DPRK nuclear issue through peaceful dialogue. I hope this is a relatively complete statement of our principle. As for your second question, since everybody knows that Comrade Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, once headed a DPRK delegation on a visit to China, I think China should make a return visit by a delegation at the same level. Whether or not Wu Bangguo will visit the DPRK and when, I don't now have any reliable information. Perhaps the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the NPC Standing Committee announces such news. (10:42, September 25, 2003) CCTV reporter: Everybody knows that since the 1990s, the world situation and political parties have undergone profound changes. In particular, the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the drastic changes in Eastern Europe caused some people to become pessimistic about the socialist system and even begin to have questions about the governance of the Communist Party. Mr. Cai, how are we going to ensure the CPC's normal, steady development in these circumstances? And what lessons should we draw from the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the drastic changes in Eastern Europe? (10:43, September 25, 2003) Cai: That's a big question. It would take a theorist or an expert one or even two days to answer it. I don't know whether you've noticed in our handout for this press conference the statement that another function of the International Department is to study developments and changes in the international situation and major international issues and to put forward our comments and suggestions concerning them to the CPC Central Committee and the departments concerned. The handout also states that following the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the drastic changes in Eastern Europe, we studied these processes and the lessons they embody. We have exchanged views on this with many foreign friends, and we share the common opinion: the failure of the Soviet model does not signal the failure of socialism itself; it is only the particular failure of the Soviet model of socialism. (10:44 , September 25, 2003) Cai: In the reports to the national congresses the CPC held over the last dozen years, it's clear that the CPC both reviewed the practical experience it has gained since becoming the party in power and introducing the reform and opening up policy and drew on the lessons from other countries' successes and failures in building socialism. As a result, it formulated the basic theory, program, line and policy for building socialism with Chinese characteristics. The profound substance of this work has been distilled and given expression in the important thought of Three Represents that we have put forward and are upholding. If you are interested, we can set aside some time particularly for an in-depth discussion on this theoretical issue. (10:46, September 25, 2003) Ta Kung Pao reporter (Hong Kong): Mr. Cai, your handout states that at the end of the 1970s, the CPC had exchanges with Western political parties of various types: left-wing, centrist and right-wing. Could you please discuss this? One of your department's tasks is to report to the CPC Central Committee on the latest developments in the international situation and the state of other ruling parties. Could you tell us about Western ruling parties? In your work, have you ever reported to the Central Committee on their useful experience in running their parties and countries? (10:51, September 25, 2003) Cai: We began to have exchanges with various types of Western political parties after the CPC and the country implemented the reform and opening up policy and we established new principles concerning our exchanges with foreign political parties. We started with Western socialist parties in the early 1980s. When Mr. Willy Brandt, then President of the Socialist International and former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, visited China in 1984, the two sides decided on the principle of transcending ideological differences and seeking mutual understanding and cooperation. Later on, we found that on the basis of the four principles concerning party-to-party relations, there was latitude and room for contacts with political parties having ideologies different from ours, and many of them expressed an interest in having such contacts. So, in the 1980s, we began having contacts, exchanges and cooperation with liberal and Christian democratic parties as well as some countries' conservative political parties. At present, we have already established contacts and ties of different forms with political parties of various types in almost all European countries and in many developed Western countries such as those in North America including Canada and in Australia, New Zealand and Japan. (10:54, September 25, 2003) Cai: We have found that such exchanges are very beneficial to both sides. They can be regarded as exchanges and dialogues between different cultures and civilizations. They are also an excellent way for statesmen to exchange views on international and regional issues of common concern. In such exchanges, we have found that we do not only have differences, but we also share many common problems and even many common interests. For instance, when exchanging lessons in running parties and countries, we talk not only about politics but also about economic development, restructuring, and ways to eliminate regional differences, shake off poverty and increase regional cooperation. So the topics of our exchanges are very extensive. Just now you asked whether we have ever reported on foreign experience to the State Council and the CPC Central Committee. This is a regular part of our work. For instance, in developing the western region, we arranged for experts to prepare a research report on the lessons the United States learned in developing its western region. (10:57, September 25, 2003) Cai: I still remember that when it visited Western Europe around 1995 or 1996, a CPC delegation went to France and the Netherlands and investigated their practices, experiences and problems in developing modern agriculture. Afterward, it made an excellent report of its findings and received a great response when it briefed the Chinese agricultural authorities about them. This is one aspect of our work, too. We also studied the theory and practice of the social market economy in Germany. (11:00, September 25, 2003) Indian reporter: Could you please tell us about the ties between the CPC and the political parties in India? (11:00, September 25, 2003) Cai: The CPC has had a long history of exchanges with the major parties in India. At present, the CPC maintains close, cooperative ties and has frequent party-to-party exchanges with the Indian National Congress, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and some other parties including the Andhra Pradesh-based Telugu Desam Party. China and India are close neighbors, and they are the two largest developing countries in the world. So, good-neighborly, friendly cooperation between them will not only play a positive role in their respective economic and social development but also exert a favorable influence on the peace, stability and development of the region and the rest of the world. (11:02, September 25, 2003) Cai: It's my pleasure to tell you that exchanges and cooperation between the CPC and the major parties in India have played a very positive role in promoting mutual understanding, friendship and trust between statesmen and leaders of the two countries. On the basis of the four basic principles governing party-to-party relations, we are willing to continue to develop friendly cooperation with all Indian parties, so as to help further develop good-neighborly, friendly relations between China and India. Why do I say it's my pleasure to say so? Because I'm in charge of exchanges with India in the International Department. I've personally been to India several times and have had direct exchanges with its parties. (11:04, September 25, 2003) Reuters reporter: How should we understand the relationship between the CPC and the Workers' Party of Korea? Are they comradely or brotherly? Are they as interdependent as lips and teeth; that is, if one falls, is the other in danger? (11:05, September 25, 2003) Cai: Common mountains and rivers link China and the DPRK . The friendship between our two peoples has a long history and has stood the test of time. As you friends know, since introducing the reform and opening up policy, the CPC has been committed to establishing a new type of relations between political parties, relations that adhere to the four principles of party-to-party relations - independence, complete equality, mutual respect and noninterference in each other's internal affairs - and that seek mutual understanding and cooperation. These principles apply to our relations with political parties of various kinds, including those with other communist parties. Therefore, our relations with the Workers' Party of Korea are friendly, cooperative relations that are based on the four principles of party-to-party relations. We practice the policy of being friendly and neighborly toward all the countries that share mountains and rivers with China, and we want to be good friends, good neighbors and good partners with them. I think it's natural that this policy also applies to our relations with the DPRK. Of course, because China and the DPRK are so close, we exchange visits with it more frequently than with countries that are farther away, just as relatives do. (11:08, September 25, 2003) CCTV 2, Economics Channel, reporter: Both political and economic issues are discussed in exchanges between political parties. I would like to ask whether the International Department has a specific policy to promote political and economic exchanges. Do you currently have a detailed work plan to facilitate economic exchanges? (11:09, September 25, 2003) Cai: During its restructuring, China made the decision not to allow Party and government organs to engage in any business or carry out economic activities. The International Department itself, therefore, does not carry out any economic activities. What we can do is to use our channel of party-to-party contacts to communicate information between economic and business circles in China and those in other countries and bring them into contact with each other. In other words, we can act as a matchmaker and make introductions. In general, there are two ways in which we can do this. One is to increase mutual understanding and trust through visits of high-level Party delegations to other countries, thus laying a solid foundation for cooperation with economic and business circles there. (11:10, September 25, 2003) Cai: There is an example demonstrating this: In July of last year, Comrade Li Changchun, then a member of the CPC Central Committee's Political Bureau, led a Party delegation to Russia, Poland and some other countries. This delegation included an economic mission from Guangdong Province. In Moscow, we held a meeting to promote business in Guangdong Province which attracted more than 1,000 people. Comrade Li made a speech at the meeting that caused a sensation in Moscow. Such meetings were also held in Frankfurt and in Poland. The other way is to help Chinese and foreign entrepreneurs better contact and communicate with each other through the channel of party-to-party contacts. To this end, the International Department has established under it the China Economic Liaison Center. A number of Chinese enterprises are in communication with our center, and the center maintains contacts with enterprises in more than 80 foreign countries. Let me give you an example, which, though minor, is illustrative. Beside the sports ground of Yoyogi Park in Tokyo, Japan, there is a Beijing Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant run by the Beijing Quanjude Group and a Japanese entrepreneur as a joint venture established through our center's introduction. We have heard that it is very popular among the Japanese. Of course, this is only a minor example; we have done much more than that. (11:14, September 25, 2003) Wang: This is the end of today's press
conference. Thank you, Mr. Cai. Thank you, all our journalist
friends. (11:15, September 25, 2003) ¡¡ (translation) |
|
