On May 31, 2012, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Liu Weimin held a press conference.

Liu Weimin started the press conference with the following announcement.

At the invitation of President Hu Jintao, President Rahmon of the Republic of Tajikistan, President Atambayev of the Kyrgyz Republic, President Nazarbayev of the Republic of Kazakhstan, President Karimov of the Republic of Uzbekistan, President Zardari of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, President Ahmadinejad of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and President Karzai of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will visit China from June 1 to 9 successively and attend the 12th Meeting of the Heads of State Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Q: It is reported that Iran cancelled a dam construction contract with China. Will it affect Iranian President Ahmadinejad's visit to China? Will China ask for compensation from Iran?

A: I have no information about that. Please refer to relevant company. China and Iran maintain normal state-to-state relations with sound cooperation in political, economic, trade, cultural and other fields. President Ahmadinejad will soon visit China and attend the SCO Summit. Chinese leaders will have meetings and talks with him.

Q: US Defense Secretary Panetta started his visit to the Asian countries neighbouring China from May 30. Panetta said before his trip that the US strategic pivot would remain focused on the Asia-Pacific. How do you comment on the new US defense strategy? Separately, the Shangri-La Dialogue will be held in Singapore and the South China Sea issue might be on the agenda of the dialogue. What is China's view on that? Which Chinese official will attend the dialogue?

A: On your first question, at present, peace, cooperation and development is the general trend of the times and common aspiration of people in the Asia-Pacific region. Asia-Pacific affairs should be jointly managed by countries in the region. All parties should be committed to safeguarding and promoting peace, stability and development in the Asia-Pacific instead of artificially highlighting military and security agenda. We welcome the constructive role played by the US in the Asia-Pacific and hope that the US side respects the interests and concerns of other parties including China. We hope the US side can work with China and other Asia-Pacific countries to build a more stable and prosperous Asia-Pacific. Chinese and US leaders reached a consensus at the recent Strategic and Economic Dialogue on developping a relationship featuring mutual benefit, win-win and sound interaction between emerging and established powers. Unprecedented as it is, China and the US must build a new type of relationship between major countries under the new circumstances of the 21st century.

On your second question, China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and their adjacent waters. However, China is committed to solving the South China Sea disputes through negotiations and consultations with countries directly concerned. China and the ASEAN countries signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and its implementation guidelines which speak to the aspiration of parties to conduct practical cooperation in the South China Sea. We hope other parties can work with the Chinese side to strengthen practical cooperation in the region and create a good atmosphere for the proper resolution of relevant disputes. Complicating and magnifying the South China Sea issue does not help solve relevant disputes, nor is it conducive to regional peace and stability.

With regard to the Chinese attendees of the Shangri-La Dialogue, please refer to the Ministry of National Defense.

Q: The US Commerce Department said yesterday that the US might impose anti-dumping duties on Chinese wind turbine products which were unfairly subsidized by the Chinese Government. What is China comment?

A: Please refer the specific question to the Commerce Ministry. In principle, given the tremendous bilateral trade volume and wide range of cooperation between China and the US, problems are inevitable in the course of their cooperation and should be addressed through negotiations and consultations between the two countries. Resorting to trade protectionist measures at will is no good for stronger China-US business cooperation of mutual benefit.

Q: Please update us on the 9th Senior Officials' Meeting of China-Arab States Cooperation Forum and China's expectations of the 5th Ministerial Meeting of the Forum.

A: The 9th Senior Officials' Meeting of China-Arab States Cooperation Forum was held in Hammamet, Tunisia from May 29 to 30. Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun and senior officials from foreign ministries of Arab countries and the Arab League Secretariat attended the meeting. The two sides reviewed the institutional events of the Forum since the 4th Ministerial Meeting and had exchanges of views on the preparation of the 5th Ministerial Meeting. The two sides also held consultation and reached broad consensus on international and regional issues of common interest.

Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun stressed that the development of the Forum has strongly promoted and elevated China-Arab friendly cooperation and plays an increasingly leading, coordinating and exemplary role for the development of China-Arab relations. China is ready to take the 5th Ministerial Meeting as an opportunity to work with the Arab side to continually strengthen the building of the Forum, and give full play to the Forum's role as the main channel for the collective dialogue and cooperation between China and Arab states with a view to pushing China-Arab strategic cooperative relations to a new high.

The participating Arab senior officials spoke highly of China-Arab strategic cooperative relations and the major achievements in the building of the Forum, expressed their strong aspiration to further deepen China-Arab practical cooperation across the board and strengthen the building of the Forum, and put forward many concrete suggestions and ideas concerning the future development of China-Arab relations and the Forum.

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi leads a delegation to the 5th Ministerial Meeting of China-Arab States Cooperation Forum which is held in Hammamet today. It has been the highest-level institutional event of the Forum since China and Arab states established their strategic cooperative relationship in 2010 as well as a meeting convened since West Asia and North Africa experienced major changes. The meeting is thus of special significance for deepening China-Arab strategic cooperation and strengthening the building of the Forum. Themed "deepen strategic cooperation and promote common development", the meeting aims at attaining the following three major objectives. First, explore and discuss the approaches and measures of deepening China-Arab strategic cooperative relations and advance the institution building of the Forum. Second, identify priority cooperation areas and projects in the coming two years and make relevant plans of action. Third, exchange views on major international and regional issues and build up consensus to better uphold and expand our common interests.

Q: Will China and Arab states discuss cooperation on the Syrian issue at the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum?

A: China, Arab states and the Arab League secretariat have stayed in unhindered and effective communication and cooperation on the Syrian issue. Besides discussions on bilateral cooperation, China is open to exchanging views with Arab states on international issues of common interest including the Syrian issue during the forum.

Q: What is China's response to growing international call for intervention in Syria to stop violence in the country? Secondly, the Tokyo Municipal Government launched a campaign encouraging public donation for the purchase of the Diaoyu Island. What is China's comment?

A: The current situation in Syria is complex and grave. China still believes that Special Envoy Annan's mediation has been effective and the international community should give more trust and support to him and the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS). It surely takes time to resolve the Syrian issue. Special Envoy Annan's mediation is unlikely to be plain sailing and will encounter twists and turns. But we should not lose faith or patience, let alone giving up easily. Instead, we should give our full support. China will continue to stay in communication and coordination with all parties to this end and play a positive and constructive role for the political resolution of the Syrian issue. There are now nine Chinese observers working with the UNSMIS, which embodies China's support to the work of the UN and Special Envoy Annan with its concrete actions.

On your second question, the Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands have been China's inherent territory since ancient times. China has indisputable sovereignty over that. The petty tricks of some Japanese politicians won't alter the fact that these islands belong to China. The Chinese side will continue to take concrete measures to resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty. The irresponsible words and deeds of the Japanese politicians impair not only their own reputation but also the international image of Japan.