China announced yesterday that its second round of consultations
with the United States at the vice-foreign ministerial level on
strategic security, multilateral arms control and non-proliferation
will be held in the US in the second half of this year.
The specific time and place will be discussed between the two
sides, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue told a regular
briefing in Beijing.
She described the first round of consultations, which concluded in
Beijing on Monday, as "constructive," noting that both sides were
"satisfied" with the result.
Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Guangya and the US Under-Secretary of
State John Bolton had an in-depth exchange of views on the current
situation of strategic security, international arms control and
non-proliferation as well as the Iraq issue and the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) nuclear issue, according to
Zhang. Vice-Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing also held talks with
Bolton yesterday.
"Both sides agreed that they share more interests than differences
in the above fields," Zhang said.
Bolton's visit was arranged according to a consensus between the
two heads of state last year to set up a consultation mechanism at
the vice-foreign ministerial level on strategic security,
multilateral arms control and non-proliferation.
Zhang also confirmed at yesterday's briefing that Chinese police
had seized the abductors who kidnapped a Japanese woman last
Wednesday.
The woman, Hirasima Kudeko, was reportedly kidnapped by people
traffickers whom she hired to help take her from the DPRK to
China.
Zhang said the woman was safe, but the relevant Chinese authorities
are currently trying to verify her identity.
"Because she entered China illegally we have to further verify her
identity," Zhang said, adding the case was still under
investigation.
(China Daily January 22, 2003)