China is ready to make concerted efforts with other UN member states for fruitful results from the summit scheduled for September 14-16 in New York, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at Tuesday's regular press conference.

Qin Gang said that as one of the founding members of the UN and a permanent member of its Security Council, China always supports the UN in playing an important role in promoting world peace and common development.

"A strong UN is in the common interests of the international community," he said.

Qin said that at Wednesday's UN summit, President Hu Jintao will speak on China's stance on the international situation and major issues, and make specific proposals on enhancing the UN's role, UN reform and developing harmonious international relations.

Hu will also announce concrete measures China is to take on promoting economic cooperation with other developing countries, he said.

Qin said that for the summit to be fruitful, efforts should be made in: reiterating commitments to the UN Charter and promoting the UN's role; making substantial decisions on development, such as increasing development assistance, realizing the Millennium Declaration and Millennium Development Goals and promoting international cooperation; enhancing the UN's capacity to respond to threats and challenges of all kinds; and promoting multilateralism and solidarity.

Hu's meeting with US President George W. Bush in New York yesterday was an important one for Sino-US relations, which are at "a crucial period," said Qin.

"We would like to work with the US to look at and address bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective so as to push forward Sino-US constructive cooperative relations," he said.

Qin added that the talks between the two presidents would not replace Hu's planned visit to Washington, which both sides agreed to postpone because of Hurricane Katrina.

Six-party talks

Turning to the Korean Peninsula nuclear talks that resumed yesterday afternoon in Beijing, Qin said consensus among the six parties is increasing and China hopes the concerned parties will go on making efforts to score positive results by showing flexibility in a pragmatic and candid spirit.

He said the parties have had in-depth discussions during the first phase of the fourth-round six-party talks, expressing their concerns very clearly with mutual respect and equal consultation.

"Although the talks did not result in a common document as people had expected, the concerned parties increased mutual understanding and accumulated consensus," Qin said.

He voiced the hope that consultations would continue to seek a resolution to achieve a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, a goal requiring the joint efforts of the six parties.

He also highlighted that China will, as before, continue to take an active and pragmatic approach to help the parties conduct intensive and profound consultations and reach consensus.

In response to a reporter's question on the duration of the second phase meeting, Qin said the meeting would still be open-ended.

"I think even the heads of the delegations do not know when the talks will conclude," he said, adding that the closing date has to be jointly decided by the six parties in accordance with the progress of the talks.

Japan urged to make active efforts to improve ties

Qin said China hopes the Japanese government and leaders will make active efforts to promote mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples so as to improve bilateral ties.

It is the first comment China made on the result of the Japanese election of House of Representatives.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi led his Liberal Democratic Party to success in Sunday's lower house election.

"No matter which party or leader won the election, China hopes its neighbor could contribute to the development of bilateral ties," Qin said.

He said China would continue to stick to principles set forth in three important bilateral documents and promote development of relations in a spirit of "reflecting on the past while looking into the future."

He also reiterated the five proposals on developing relations put forward by Hu during his meeting with Koizumi in Jakarta in April, saying that China's stance would always be consistent and clear.

Qin said China has noted Koizumi expressed his intention on various occasions to apologize and reflect on the invasive war waged by Japanese militarists.

"How the Japanese will view and handle historical issues and the Taiwan issue is a significant political basis for China and Japan to step up bilateral relations and has an important influence over the emotions of the Asian people, in particular the emotions of the Chinese people," Qin said.

"China will listen to the words of the Japanese side and watch its actions, hoping Japan can translate its words into real actions," he stressed.

Qin reiterated China's firm opposition to Japanese leaders' visits to the Yasukuni Shrine and the revision of Japanese history textbooks, saying these key issues were vital in forming the political basis of bilateral relations.

State visits

Qin announced that Vice Premier Wu Yi will visit Singapore, Thailand and Brunei from September 19 to 25 at the invitation of Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and Bruneian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Pengiran Muda Mohamed Bolkiah.

In response to questions on China-Singapore relations, Qin said as an important part of the Singapore visit, Wu will co-host the second meeting of the joint committee for China-Singapore cooperation with her Singaporean counterpart.

"Singapore is a friendly neighbor of China and a key member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)," he said.

Qin said China-Singapore ties have developed smoothly and the two countries had good cooperation in trade, education, cultural exchanges and international issues.

Singapore is currently China's largest trade partner in the ASEAN. During the first seven months of this year, the bilateral trade volume between the two countries reached US$17.8 billion, up 25 percent on a yearly basis.

Wu will also host the second meeting of the joint committee for China-Thailand economic cooperation and trade when she is in Thailand, Qin said.

He also said China's Middle East special envoy Wang Shijie will visit Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco from September 14. Wang will exchange views on issues including the current Middle East situation and the peace process.

Qin announced that Djibouti's Prime Minister Dileita Mohamed Dileita will visit from September 19 to 25 at the invitation of Premier Wen Jiabao.

(Xinhua News Agency, China Daily September 14, 2005)