BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- The fifth round of talks on the East China Sea issues between China and Japan will be held on May 18 in Tokyo, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Liu Jianchao announced here Tuesday.

    Director of the FM Department of Asian Affairs Hu Zhengyue, and his Japanese counterpart Kenichiro Sasae, head of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, will be top negotiators of the two sides respectively, Liu said.

    Liu said the two sides will continue to exchange views on the East China Sea issue and the Chinese side believes that the consultation will help both sides reach more consensus and narrow differences.

    However, it is hard to make any breakthroughs in this round of talks due to the disputes on some complicated issues, Liu said, adding the Chinese side will continue to conduct serious consultations with the Japanese side in a responsible and active attitude, in a bid to narrow the gap between the two sides.

    Since October 2004, China and Japan have held four rounds of talks on the East China Sea issues. Last round of talks was held in Beijing in March this year.

    German Chancellor to visit China     

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel will pay an official visit to China from May 21 to 23 at the invitation of her Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, announced Liu Jianchao on Tuesday.

    This will be the German chancellor's first visit to China since she came to power in November 2005.

    Liu said that the two sides will exchange views on further developing China-Germany relations and some major international and regional issues of common concern.

    Chinese President Hu Jintao will meet with Merkel. She will also hold talks with Premier Wen and deliver a joint press briefing after the talks. The two government leaders will also attend the fourth meeting of the China-Germany High-Tech Dialogue Forum, according to Liu.

    The two sides will sign some cooperation agreements and contracts on cooperation projects during her China visit.

    Besides Beijing, Merkel will also visit Shanghai.

    China and Germany have carried out fruitful cooperation in various fields, including politics, economy and trade, culture, sports, technology and environmental protection, Liu said, noting Germany is a major cooperation partner of China in all areas.

    The bilateral trade volume in 2005 reached 63.2 billion US dollars, accounting for nearly one-third of the trade volume between China and the European Union. Germany is China's biggest EU trading partner.

    As for bilateral cooperation in developing magnetically levitated trains, Liu said that it is a new area of China-Germany technological cooperation and the two sides have made breakthroughs in the Shanghai magnetically levitated train project. China is willing to continue cooperation in this field with Germany, he said.

    WMD proliferation

    China strongly opposes the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and does not allow any Chinese company or individual to engage in such activities, said Liu Jianchao on Tuesday.

    It is reported that the U.S. government is considering imposing sanctions on several small Chinese banks, which have business with companies of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) involved in the proliferation of WMD.

    When asked to make comments on this issue, Liu told a regular press conference that the Chinese government holds a firm and definite stance over the non-proliferation issue.

    China strongly opposes any Chinese company or individual engaging in activities concerning proliferation of WMD, said the spokesman.

    China also maintains that problems in this field should be solved through dialogue not sanctions, Liu noted. 

    EU's commitment to solving Iranian nuclear issue through negotiation

    China appreciates the European Union's commitment to solving the Iranian nuclear issue through negotiations, Liu Jianchao said Tuesday.

    On Monday, the EU reaffirmed its commitment to finding a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue and offer a cooperation package to Tehran.

    According to Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, whose country holds the current EU Presidency, the EU is prepared to offer a cooperation package and to support Iran's development of a sustainable and proliferation-proof civilian nuclear program, if international concerns were fully addressed and Iran's intentions are established.

    "China appreciates this important stance of the European Union," Liu told a routine press conference.

    China has not yet received the official paper from the European Union on its solution to the nuclear issue, Liu said, hoping that the program would be a comprehensive, balanced one, which not only helps achieve the non-proliferation goal but also addresses Iran's reasonable concerns.

    Liu said all parties concerned should work actively to start the next round of diplomatic negotiations.

    On May 19, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, namely, the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France; and Germany will hold talks on the Iran nuclear issue in London, and the EU is expected to table the new package to the meeting.

    Meanwhile, China and Iran have always been in consultations on the nuclear issue and they are currently maintaining close contacts and coordination, the spokesman said.

    Military exercise at Guam

    China is actively considering the invitation by the United States to watch a military exercise at Guam, said a Foreign Ministry spokesman on Tuesday.

    During a visit in China, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command William Fallon officially invited the Chinese side to view a U.S. military exercise.

    Liu Jianchao said China welcomes the efforts by the U.S. side to promote mutual understanding between the two countries and relations between the two armed forces.

    He noted that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has invited the U.S. side many times to view and emulate military exercises held within the boundaries of China.

    Liu said the armed forces of China and the United States need to make joint efforts in enhancing mutual trust, clearing each other's doubts and strengthening cooperation. Enditem