BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhuanet) -- China firmly opposes the European Union's linking of lifting the arms ban on China with the human right issue, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao Tuesday. 

    Liu made the remark in response to the EU representative's remark at the Asia Europe Meeting 7th Foreign Ministers' Meeting that it will be difficult to lift the arms ban soon unless there is obvious progress in China's human right situation.

    "We oppose the EU's linking of ban-lifting with the human right issue," said Liu, adding he noticed that many EU members also believe the linking is groundless.

    Liu said China has made great effort to improve the human rights of its people in past years and "deeply" understands there are still problems.

    "China will continue to improve the human right situation, but that should by no means be relevant to the lifting of the arms embargo," Liu said.

    The spokesman urged the EU to lift the arms ban as soon as possible, saying doing this will improve the EU-China relationship.

    The EU decided to lift the ban before June of this year at a EU summit last December.

Sino-Japanese ties

    Liu Jianchao said that Anti-Japanese War anniversary celebrations in China will not undermine Sino-Japanese relationship.

    Liu made the remark when asked to comment on Japanese government's worry that the celebrations could trigger new wave of anti-Japanese sentiments in China.

    "The celebrations will not undermine the relationship. On the contrary, they are conducive to it, because they will enable both nations to cherish the hard-won friendship and cooperation on a correct view of history," Liu said.

    A decree issued by the Central Committee of China's Communist Party on May 7 instructed local authorities to stage celebrations commemorating the 60th anniversary of Anti-Japanese war. But it did not specify the agenda.

    During World War Two, Japan invaded China in 1937 and surrendered in 1945 after two atom bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. During the eight-year war 35,000,000 Chinese died.

    Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's annual visit to Yasukuni Shrine, which is dedicated to Class-A war criminals, and Japanese textbooks that whitewash the wartime atrocities have triggered the current anti-Japanese sentiment in China.

    "It is not only the Chinese people who should remember the victory, but also the Japanese people, because on that day it is not only the Chinese people who were alleviated from atrocities but also the Japanese people," Liu said.

    Liu said China expects both sides to learn lessons from history and look into the future.

Six-party talks

    China will be "pleased" if the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)have direct contact in any form, spokesman Liu Jianchao said at a routine press conference.

    "China is in support of any proposals, measures and steps that are conducive to achieving a nuclear-weapon-free Korean Peninsula,to easing the tension there and to the early resumption of the six-party talks," Liu said.

    However, he added, the conditions required for the direct contact between DPRK and the US depend on the two parties themselves instead of the Chinese side.

    "Whether they are within the framework of the six-party talks or not and, provided the U.S. and the DPRK, as main parties concerned, are able to exchanges views on some issues, it would be helpful to resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula," he said.

    Liu said that any party in the six-party talks should only say or do things conducive to continuing the six-party talks or easingthe situation. China hopes all relevant parties should show flexibility, pragmatic spirit and sincerity and push for the resumption of the six-party talks, he noted.

    "We stand for resolving the issue through dialogue and consultation on an equal footing. We are not in favor of exerting pressure or imposing sanctions," Liu said. "We believe that such measures are not necessarily effective."

    The US State Department spokesman Tom Casey said Monday that the United States is willing to have direct talks with DPRK only within the framework of six-party talks.

    "As we've done in the past, our practice has been to meet directly with all parties, including the North Koreans, in the context of the six-party talks," he said.

    Casey made the remarks after the DPRK Foreign Ministry said Sunday that Pyongyang has no intention to hold bilateral talks with Washington, which would be separate from the framework of thesix-party talks.

    Three rounds of the six-party talks, involving the Republic of Korea, China, Japan and Russia in addition to the United States and the DPRK have been held to try to resolve the nuclear confrontation between the United States and the DPRK.

    The six-party talks have been stalled since June last year as the DPRK accused the United States of adopting a hostile policy towards Pyongyang. Enditem