Act to improve ties, Koizumi told By Cao Desheng/Bao Xinyan (China Daily) Updated: 2005-12-07 06:06
According to the report prepared by a task force sponsored by the US Council
on Foreign Relations, Beijing and Washington are on opposite sides in a new
struggle for influence and resources in the "playing field" of Africa.
China consistently sticks to a path of peaceful development, and will pose no
threat to anybody or frustrate the interests of any country, Qin added.
"China and the US share common concerns over African affairs," he said, "and
the two countries can strengthen partnership in this regard."
US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer, who
recently met senior officials in Beijing, disputed the report's findings.
"I think that China has just as great a right to engage in Africa as any
other country," Frazer was quoted by AFP as saying. "Why should we see ourselves
in competition with any country in Africa? There is enough good to be done."
Also yesterday, China rejected the findings of a United Nations special
rapporteur that prison torture is widespread in China.
"We cannot accept the conclusion," Qin said. "In passing this judgment,
Manfred Nowak lacks objective evidence and sufficient facts."
China, as a UN member, has laws to prohibit torture of criminal suspects and
has done "important and effective" work to discipline violators, he said.
Nowak travelled to Beijing, Lhasa and Urumqi on the first-ever visit by a UN
torture rapporteur during his 12-day visit that ended last Friday.
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