BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said here Thursday that Hong Kong's newly-announced report on constitutional development is based on the views of all walks of life in Hong Kong and conforms with Hong Kong's practical condition .

    Kong made the remarks at a routine press conference in response to a reporter's question that some US congressmen criticized the report.

    Hong Kong Chief Secretary of Administration Rafael Hui made the Fifth Report of the Constitutional Development Task Force at the Legislative Council on Oct. 21. It contains a package of proposals on methods for selection of the Chief Executive in 2007 and for the formation of the Legislative Council in 2008.

    Kong said the report is consistent with the essence of the Basic Law and with the stipulation of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on the explanation of the Basic Law. The report epitomizes the spirit of "balanced participation" and "advance step by step".

    "We hope the US congressmen would gain a comprehensive impression of Hong Kong's status quo." Kong said.

    Hu's DPRK, Vietnam trip

    Kong Quan also made comments on Chinese President Hu Jintao's upcoming visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

    According to an earlier announcement made by Guo Yezhou, spokesman for the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, Hu will pay official good-will visits to the DPRK and Vietnam between Oct. 28 and Nov. 2.

    Hu will visit the DPRK between Oct. 28 and 30 as guest of Kim Jong-il, general secretary of the Worker's Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defence Commission.

    During the DPRK tour, Hu, who will pay the visit in the capacity of both general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese President, will hold talks with DPRK party and state leaders on relations between the CPC and the Workers' Party of Korea and between China and the DPRK, Kong said.

    The two sides will also exchange views on international and regional affairs of mutual interest, Kong said.

    Hu's Vietnam trip, due from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, will be made at the invitation of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nong Duc Manh and Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong.

    In Vietnam, Hu will hold talks with Manh and Luong, which are expected to cover "a wide range of issues," Kong said.

    The growth of China-Vietnam relations is "generally good", he said. The continuous consolidation and enhancement of friendly ties between China and Vietnam complies with the fundamental interests of the two peoples, he said.

    China hopes the visit could play a due role in further implementing the consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, enhancing bilateral cooperation and uplifting bilateral ties to a new height, Kong said.

    CNPC acquisition of PetroKazakhstan

    The Chinese government has all along taken a positive view on energy cooperation with foreign countries, including those with its neighbors, Kong made the remarks when commenting on the successful acquisition of Canada-based PetroKazakhstan Inc. (PK) by China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) through its wholly-owned subsidiary company Thursday morning. 

    Both the Chinese and Kazakstan governments have voiced their support for the cooperation between their energy companies based on equality and mutual benefit so as to achieve common progress and prosperity, he said.

    PetroKazakhstan Inc. is an international energy company registered in Canada, with all of its assets, such as oilfields and refineries, in the Republic of Kazakhstan. PK's annual crude production capacity exceeds 7 million tons.

    Since its first presence in Kazakhstan in 1997, CNPC has developed sound relationship with local government by strictly following local laws and regulations as well as international conventions of the industry.

    New round of six-party talks

    Kong urged all parties concerned to make preparations for the coming fifth round of six-party talks.

    The pressing matter of the moment is to implement all principles and agreements stated in the common document reached at the fourth round of six-party talks and move forward on the course set by the previous round of talks so as to make new achievements at the new round of talks, Kong said.

    All parties exchanged views on various issues of common concern at the fourth-round of six-party talks, which concluded on Sept. 19 in Beijing.

    Kong said that a specific date for the coming round of talks has not to be decided by all parties concerned. China, which holds the chairmanship, is discussing with parties concerned for fixing the definite date.

    Kong expressed the hope that all parties concerned would stick to their commitment as agreed in the common document, namely, making joint efforts to bring about enduring peace and stability in northeast Asia. Parties "directly concerned" will sit by the bargaining table to discuss the establishment of a mechanism for permanent peace on the Korean peninsula.

    Referring to the visit of Li Bin, Chinese envoy in charge of Korean Peninsula affairs, to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK), the spokesman said that Li had visited the DPRK, and held talks with Christopher Hill, head of the US delegation to the six-party talks, during his visit to the United States. He will visit ROK soon.

    Additional US$13.8 mln aid to Pakistan

    China will again provide with cash and materials worthing 13.8 million US dollars to Pakistan as quake relief aid, Kong announced.

    China has decided to send a medical team to the quake-hit area in Pakistan and considered to build up an earthquake monitoring network for the country, Kong said.

    According to Kong, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in Moscow when they attended a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Wen again expressed sympathy to Aziz with the heavy human casualties caused by the strong earthquake.

    Previously, China has already offered 6.2-million-dollar-worth aid to Pakistan.

    The death toll of the earthquake in South Asia has reported to reach more than 54,000.

    Sino-Japan relations

    China urged Japan to take action to fulfil its promise on reviewing invasion war, and never do anything more to hurt the feelings of the Chinese people, said Kong.

    "The Japanese side should fully realize the seriousness of this matter," said Kong, adding that Japan should earnestly win trust from the Asian neighbors and international community.

    When commenting on Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's plea on his current visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, Kong said the responsibility for the current difficult relations between China and Japan does not lie in China.

    A right-wing force in Japan has always beautified the invasion war launched by the Japanese militarism, and refused to admit the crimes of aggression, Kong said.

    "Their acts severely hurt the feeling of the people of all Asian victimized countries, and violate the principles in the three political documents between China and Japan," he said.

    As a government leader, Koizumi stubbornly keeps visiting Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 Class-A war criminals. "This randomly impairs the political foundation of Sino-Japanese relations," the spokesman said.

    He noted in order to safeguard Sino-Japanese friendship as well as peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region, China, in the principle of learning from history and facing the future, has donea lot of work on the Japanese side, and hopes Koizumi would take attitude of being responsible for history, peoples, and the general situation of Sino-Japanese friendly relations to make a correct political decision on war shrine visiting.

    "However, Koizumi insists on acting on his own way and thus constitutes obstacles to normal development of Sino-Japanese relationship," he said. Enditem