On the afternoon of September 6, 2011, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Jiang Yu held a regular press conference.

Jiang Yu started the press conference with the following announcement:

At the invitation of Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Juppé, Minister of State and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of France will pay an official visit to China from September 12 to 14.

Q: World Bank President Zoellick was recently quoted as saying that against the backdrop of a slowing-down world economy and weakening confidence, it is more important for China to adjust its economic growth pattern. What is your comment?

A: World Bank President Zoellick has just wrapped up his visit to China. Several Chinese leaders have met with him separately. We support the World Bank playing a much bigger role in global poverty reduction and development, promoting governance reform and increasing the voice and representativeness of developing countries.

The coming five years are crucial for China to deepen reform and accelerate the transformation of the economic growth pattern. The 12th Five-Year Plan sets accelerating the transformation of the economic growth pattern at core and strategic economic restructuring the long-term task. We should realize that the transformation of the economic growth pattern takes time and can not be achieved overnight. China stands ready to enhance macroeconomic policy coordination with other parties and contribute to stabilizing global economy and finance as well as promoting strong, sustainable and balanced growth of the world economy.

Q: The Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) made remarks on the contact between personnel from the Chinese companies and the Gaddafi regime. Has the NTC communicated with China on this issue? Does the NTC require the Chinese side to give explanation? You mentioned yesterday that the competent authorities of the Chinese Government would deal with this issue seriously. Please give us more details.

A: I briefed you on the situation and China's position during the press conference yesterday. The line of communication between China and the NTC stays open. I want to stress that this is an act of some individuals of the Chinese companies, which does not end up with actual export. I would like to reiterate that the Chinese Government will keep on following the UN Security Council resolutions strictly and reinforcing management over military exports. We believe that the competent authorities of military trade will handle the issue seriously in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

China supports Libya's political and economic reconstruction and would like to play its due part in the process on the basis of mutual benefit. The turbulence in Libya is only temporary, while China-Libya friendship is long-lasting. China values the status and role of the NTC and would like to maintain close contact with it so as to advance China-Libya relations steadily ahead.

Q: Is China concerned that the contact between the Chinese military trade companies and representatives of the Gaddafi regime may upset the NTC or make it prefer letting the UK and France take part in the reconstruction process?

A: I think relevant Chinese companies will evaluate and decide their participation in Libya's post-war reconstruction. China always conducts economic cooperation and trade with Libya and other countries on the basis of mutual respect, equal treatment and mutual benefit. China values its relations with the NTC and supports it playing an important role in Libya after the war. We believe that China-Libya relations will advance continuously.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister met with the leader of the NTC in Paris recently, exchanging views on relevant issues. The NTC reaffirmed that they would honour their commitment by observing the existing economic contracts with China, safeguarding the rights and interests of Chinese enterprises in Libya in real earnest, and adopting concrete measures to protect the safety of Chinese nationals and property in Libya. China would like to help with Libya's post-war reconstruction as its capacity allows.

Q: Kazakh Foreign Minister Kazykhanov will visit China soon. Please shed some light on relevant arrangements.

A: At the invitation of Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Kazakh Foreign Minister Kazykhanov will pay an official visit to China from September 7 to 9.

It will be Kazykhanov's first official visit to China since he took office, to which China attaches great importance. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will hold talks with him and Chinese leaders will meet with him. The two sides will exchange views on bilateral relations as well as international and regional issues of common interest.

China and Kazakhstan are friendly neighbours and comprehensive strategic partners as well as member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties over two decades ago, our bilateral relations have maintained a sound momentum of healthy and stable development. The two countries support each other staunchly on major issues of respective concern. Practical cooperation across the board has also yielded remarkable fruits. China-Kazakhstan relationship embraces important opportunities of development as it enters a new historical stage. China is willing to further strengthen political mutual trust and consolidate bilateral practical cooperation with Kazakhstan in a bid to boost China-Kazakhstan comprehensive strategic partnership.

Q: How does China look at the development of China-Japan relations when it is almost one year from the Diaoyu Island collision incident?

A: You mentioned the unfortunate incident that happened last year. I would like to reiterate the Chinese Government's principled position on this issue, that is, the Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands have been China's inherent territory since ancient times. China has indisputable sovereignty over them. We hope that the Japanese side treats this issue rationally.

Chinese leaders have sent messages of congratulations to Japanese leaders on the recent inauguration of the Japanese cabinet. We have noted and appreciate Prime Minister Noda's commitment to developing China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit. We stand ready to work along with Japan to actively enhance dialogue, exchanges and cooperation in wide-ranging areas and at multi-levels in light of the spirit enshrined in four China-Japan political documents so as to push forward China-Japan relations.

Q: It is reported that Syria has launched the "national dialogue" at the provincial level. What is China's comment?

A: We welcome the launch of the dialogue in Syria and hope to see positive outcomes so as to ease the current tension. We believe that the Syrian crisis should be dissolved through the inclusive political process, and various parties in Syria should peacefully and appropriately resolve the issue through dialogue and consultation.

Q: Please brief us on relevant arrangements of French Foreign Minister Juppé's visit to China. Will China and France talk about the Libyan issue?

A: French Foreign Minister Juppé will pay an official visit to China from September 12 to 14, during which Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will hold talks with him and Chinese leaders will meet with him. The two sides will exchange views on China-France relations as well as international and regional issues of common interest. Foreign Minister Juppé will also attend the opening ceremony of the "Year of French in China" which is part of China-France Year of Language.

China-France relations enjoy a sound momentum of growth. The past year has witnessed frequent high-level visits and meetings between our two countries, which fully demonstrate how advanced the bilateral relations are. The two sides are materializing the consensus reached between the two leaders and committed to establishing a new type of comprehensive strategic partnership based on mutual trust and benefit which is muture, stable and oriented to the world. We believe that Foreign Minister Juppé's visit will be conducive to the advancement of bilateral relations.

I think it will be only natural if the two sides touch upon the Libyan issue. In terms of the current situation in Libya, China believes that it is imperative to cease armed conflicts as soon as possible so as to avert more casualties and resolve the crisis through political means. The international community should respect the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Libya as well as the Libyan people's independent choice in real earnest.

China maintains that the UN should play the leading role in the post-war reconstruction in Libya. The international community should render its support within the UN framework. China is willing to work along with the international community to ease the tension in Libya and put it back on the track of peace, reconciliation and reconstruction at an early date.

Q: Why hasn't China recognized the Libyan NTC?

A: It comes when the conditions are ripe.

Q: Please tell us about the specific arrangements for Vice Premier Wang Qishan's visit to the UK.

A: Vice Premier Wang Qishan will pay a visit to the UK from September 7 to 10 and co-chair with Chancellor of the Exchequer Osborne the Fourth China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue. The two sides will exchange views on macro economy, finance, trade, investment and other important topics.

China and the UK are major economies in the world as well as significant trading partners. Under the current circumstances, the enhancement of bilateral exchanges and cooperation and the in-depth development of practical cooperation not only bring benefit to the economic growth of both countries but also help to sustain the momentum of global economic recovery. China has high expectation on the important dialogue.

Here are some figures: The UK is the second largest investor and third largest trading partner of China in the EU. In the first half of this year, the two-way trade volume between China and the UK topped USD 25.55 billion, representing a year-on-year growth of 15.7%.

At the end of the press conference, Jiang Yu referred to the White Paper on China's Peaceful Development. She said that China's rapid development has triggered off the international community's interest in what path China takes and what influence China's development has on the whole world. The Information Office of the State Council issued the White Paper on China's Peaceful Development on September 6, comprehensively and systematically expounding on the path, goals, domestic and foreign policies of China, as well as China's handling of external relations in a bid to respond to various concerns from the international community. The White Paper solemnly declares to the world once again that peaceful development is China's strategic choice, to which China adheres unswervingly.