Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday that China
hopes to see peace in Iraq and the Middle East and will continue to
provide assistance to the reconstruction of Iraq to the best of its
ability.
Li said that he learned from foreign reports Tuesday morning
that the fatalities of US soldiers in Iraq reached 3,116 by
Monday.
"They are all human lives and very young lives. That's why we
hope that we will see peace in Iraq and the Middle East region at
an early date," Li said at a press conference held on the sidelines
of the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress
(NPC), China's top legislature.
"China will continue to provide assistance to Iraqi
reconstruction to the best of its ability," he said.
China welcomes the efforts made by the Iraqi government in
stabilizing the situation of security, advancing ethnic
reconciliation and carrying out reconstruction, Li said.
In this process, people also expect the United Nations to play
an important role, the foreign minister said.
(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2007)