Czech's one-China commitment crucial for ties: FM

BEIJING - The commitment that the Czech Republic made this week to not supporting "Tibet independence" will play an important role in the development of China-Czech relations, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Wednesday.

Spokesman Qin Gang told a daily press briefing that the foreign ministries of the two countries issued a press communique on Tuesday. In the communique the Czech side reaffirmed its adherence to the one-China policy and stressed that Tibet is part of the Chinese territory.

The Czech side reiterated its respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China and refused to support "Tibet independence" in any form, according to the spokesman.

Qin said the communique was an important political document that the two countries issued after the two governments issued a joint communique in 1999 and a joint declaration in 2005. He said China-Czech relations had been disrupted by the Tibet issue in the past few years.

Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek visited Beijing this week. During the visit, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Zaoralek.

Qin said the statement that the Czech government made on the Tibet issue during Zaoralek's visit marked that the two countries have turned a new page on bilateral relations.

"We hope that the Czech Republic makes active efforts for the sustainable, healthy and stable development of China-Czech relations on the basis of respecting the core interests and major concerns of China," Qin said.