¡¡¡¡BEIJING, Aug. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- The issue of Iraq has been heating up repeatedly in recent days, generating numerous uncertain factors in regional security and stability, and China is concerned and worried about this situation.

¡¡¡¡Chinese Vice-Premier Qian Qichen made these remarks during his meeting Wednesday afternoon here with visiting Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs Naji Sabri Ahmed in Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of the Chinese government.

¡¡¡¡He said China has always held that the issue of Iraq should be resolved through political means and on the basis of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. China does notagree with the practice of using force or threatening to use forceto resolve this issue, according to Qian.

¡¡¡¡At the same time, he noted, China hopes that Iraq will strictly implement the related resolutions of the UN Security Council and make additional efforts to maintain cooperation with the U.N. so as not to avoid the emergence of new complexity with the Iraq issue.

¡¡¡¡China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, will continue to make unremitting efforts for an just and rational resolution of the Iraq question at an earlier date, he added.

¡¡¡¡Sabri briefed Qian about Iraq's views on the current situation and its dialogue with the U.N.. Iraq will continue to cooperate with the UN secretary-general in the future, he said.

¡¡¡¡Moreover, he expressed the hope that China would continue to play an important role in pushing for a just resolution of the Iraq issue.

¡¡¡¡Earlier Wednesday morning, Dai Bingguo, head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and Zeng Jianhui, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), held separate meetings with the Iraqi foreign minister. Enditem