BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China has expressed its
concern about the Iranian nuclear standoff and hopes all parties show restraint
and use diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue, a foreign ministry spokesman
said here on Tuesday.
Qin Gang said that Chinese
Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai, in a recent visit to Iran, told the
Iranian side that China is concerned about the current situation and hopes all
parties will show flexibility in trying to resolve the issue.
After his arrival in Tehran on Saturday, Cui met and
conferred with several senior Iranian officials on the nuclear crisis.
China expresses sympathy to flood-hit European
countries
The Chinese government on Tuesday expressed its
sympathy for the European countries hit by severe floods in recent weeks.
"We are convinced that they will overcome the natural
disaster and rebuild their homes," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang
said at a press briefing.
Southeastern Europe has suffered from severe flooding
this spring as a result of heavy rains and melting of snows. Countries affected
include Hungary, the Czech Republic, Germany and Romania.
The region is likely to face more flooding as meteorologists said on Sunday that the Danube river, which has reached its highest level in more than 100 years, would rise again in the days ahead.
