On the afternoon of May 27, 2010, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ma Zhaoxu held a regular press conference and answered questions.

Ma Zhaoxu: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. First of all, I'd like to extend welcome to spokespersons of different agencies under the Beijing Municipal Government and postgraduate students from the University of Hong Kong.

I have no announcement to make. Now the floor is open.

Q: Premier Wen Jiabao is scheduled to visit the ROK tomorrow. Please brief us on his itinerary.

A: Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun already took questions on Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to the ROK at the special press briefing yesterday.

At the invitation of President Lee Myung-bak, Premier Wen Jiabao will start his visit to the ROK tomorrow. The two sides will have extensive exchange of views on China-ROK relations as well as international and regional issues of common interest. As for his itinerary, please follow the information to be released in due course.

Q: When will China finish its assessment of the investigation into the Cheonan incident? If the assessment is already completed, what is China's conclusion?

A: This issue is extremely complicated. Since it has no first hand information, China is still studying and assessing information from all sides in a serious and prudent manner.

Q: Qatar reportedly said that the Sudanese Government would resume peaceful talks with Darfur anti-government rebel groups in Doha in early June. How do you comment?

A: We welcome the resumption of peaceful talks between the Sudanese Government and relevant opposition parties in Darfur. We appreciate the positive efforts of the Qatari Government and Mr. Bassolé, the Joint African Union-United Nations Chief Mediator for Darfur. We hope relevant parties and the international community could step up efforts and move towards early and substantial progress in the political process in Darfur so as to achieve comprehensive and proper settlement of the Darfur issue.

Q: We'd like to know more about Premier Wen Jiabao's attendance at the 3rd Trilateral Summit Meeting among China, Japan and the ROK. What position will he bring to the meeting about the Cheonan incident?

A: Yesterday, Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun already elaborated on Premier Wen Jiabao's attendance at the 3rd Trilateral Summit Meeting among China, Japan and the ROK. The meeting is to be held on Jeju Island of the ROK from May 29 to 30. Leaders of the three countries will exchange views on trilateral cooperation as well as regional and international issues of common interest. The meeting agenda is now under consultation among the three countries.

China-Japan-ROK cooperation is an important part of East Asian cooperation. We expect and believe that the meeting will achieve positive results in enhancing mutual trust, envisioning future cooperation, deepening practical cooperation in various fields among the three countries and injecting new vitality in the sustained economic recovery and cooperation in East Asia.

Q: The US side said that Premier Wen Jiabao would hint at China's support for the investigation into the Cheonan incident during his upcoming visit to the ROK. Does that mean China's position has changed?

A: China's position on the Cheonan incident has stayed unchanged.

Q: It's reported that the DPRK is scraping a pact with the ROK in preventing accidental clashes across the border. Does China have any security concerns or reactions to this development?

A: Being committed to safeguarding peace and stability in Northeast Asia and on the Korean Peninsula, China has been pushing forward the Six-Party Talks and denuclearization on the Peninsula. We always believe that dialogue is better than confrontation, and relaxation is better than tension. China sincerely hopes that all parties concerned will stay calm, exercise restraint and properly handle relevant issues to avoid the escalation of tension. This is in the fundamental interest of the South and North of the Peninsula and in the common interest of all parties.

If there are no more questions, thank you for coming. See you next week!