Special Report: Iran Nuclear Crisis

    BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) — China will not attend the six-nation meeting on Iran nuclear issue in Germany because of “the technical reason”, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao here on Tuesday.

    Liu also told a regular press conference that China’s stance on the Iran nuclear issue “remained unchanged”.

    He said China had reported its decision to the relevant sides, and for how the meeting was going on, China still needed to discuss with them.

    Diplomats from China, Britain, France, Russia, the United States and Germany, were originally set to meet in Berlin on Wednesday to discuss the Iran nuclear issue.

    BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) — China voiced its concerns on Tuesday over the political crisis in Sudan and urges relevant parties to settle their problems through dialogue and consultations.

    ”We believe the Sudan National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) will proceed from the overall situation of national unity and reconciliation and safeguard the hard-won peace between north and south,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said.

    He said China hopes they could resolve the issue through dialogue and consultations and make joint efforts to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) so as to push forward peace process in the country.

    The SPLM, a former anti-government group in southern Sudan, decided last Thursday to suspend its partnership with the Sudanese central government and recall its senior officials in the government of National Unity.

    The SPLM signed a peace agreement, the CPA, with the Sudanese government in 2005 according to which the ruling NCP is to share the political power with the SPLM in the government.

    The NCP said it would conduct more consultations with its peace partner, the SPLM, to settle the political crisis between them.

Special Report: 17th CPC National Congress 

    BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) — Leaders of many more foreign political parties and organizations have congratulated the Communist Party of China (CPC) on the convening of its 17th National Congress.

    In his congratulatory message to the CPC, Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko said that under the leadership of the CPC, the Chinese people will make great achievements in building a harmonious socialist society.

    He believed that the congress will pass resolutions that will promote China’s sustainable development and further raise its international prestige, he added.

    In his greetings, Runaldo Ronald Venetiaan, president of Suriname and chairman of the National Party of Suriname, expressed his best wishes to the CPC, hoping the party would “work out the necessary strategic arrangements to further China’s economic, political, cultural and social development.”

    Abdoulaye Wade, president of Senegal and secretary-general of the Senegalese Democratic Party, highly regarded the measures that are expected to be discussed and adopted during the congress, especially those regarding China’s reform, opening-up and modernization.

    He said Senegal is ready to make concerted efforts with China to strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries.

    Ranko Krivokapic, speaker of Montenegro’s parliament and chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Montenegro, said that over the last several decades, the CPC has brought about the greatest development in China’s history and benefited the well-being of the Chinese people.

    This great achievement entitles the CPC to continue to lead China in building a just and prosperous society, he said.

    Nipake Edward Natapei, deputy prime minister of Vanuatu and president of the Vanua-aku Party of Vanuatu, extended his “heartfelt congratulations” to the CPC, saying that over the last five years, the CPC “has made remarkable achievements in directing and promoting China’s economic and social development.”

    ”As the first party among the South Pacific Island countries to establish relations with the Communist Party of China, the Vanua-aku Pati has been enjoying this fraternal friendship with your esteemed party over the years,” Natapei said.

    Natapei said his party is always ready to work jointly with the CPC “in pushing the friendly relations and cooperation between our two parties to a new high.”

    Natapei reiterated that the Vanua-aku Party will continue its “unswayable adherence to the one China principle.”

    SHANGHAI, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) — Bright Dairy and Food Co. Ltd., a key dairy products maker with headquarters in Shanghai, on Tuesday announced that French yogurt maker Groupe Danone SA was selling all of its stake in the Shanghai-based company, ending the strategic partnership between the two companies.

    A press release from Bright Dairy and Food Co. Ltd. said the Danone equity transfer would not produce much impact on the Shanghai-based company’s business because sales of Danone-brand products didn’t make up a big proportion in total sales of Bright Dairy.

    Danone announced its plans to sell its 20.01 percent stake in Bright Dairy for 954.85 million yuan to Shanghai Milk Group and to S.I. Food Products Holdings Ltd., with each company buying 104.24 million shares.

    Danone has agreed to repaying Bright Dairy 330 million yuan in compensation for the latter’s help in aiding Danone to set up marketing channels and product promotion campaigns inside China.

    The deal will increase the stakes in Bright Dairy held by Shanghai Milk Group and S.I. Food to 35.18 percent each, up from 25.17 percent each.

    Real reasons leading to divorce of Danone and Bright Dairy are kept unknown.

    But it is reported that before the split, executives of Groupe Danone SA time and again put forward proposals urging adjustment of existing cooperation terms, including increased stake and the right to operate yogurt products in China. Those requests were left unattended.

    ”The relevant business cooperation agreements and the intellectual property license agreement between Danone and Bright will be terminated,” said Bright Dairy in the press release.

    Both partners claimed their previous cooperation a “success”, but the two companies agreed on the equity transfer for the sake of their individual business strategies.

    Statistics show that from 2002 to 2006, Danone earned 1.8 billion yuan for granting Bright Dairy franchises to produce and market products inside China using Danone brands. Danone brand products scored a market share of 15 percent in east China and 40 percent in south China last year.

    Danone obtained about 40 million yuan in dividends from Bright Dairy between the year 2000 to 2005.

    Through its cooperation with Danone, Bright Dairy has improved its overall capabilities of developing yogurt products independently, said Guo Benheng, President of Bright Dairy Co. Ltd., who insisted, however, his company was now better conditioned to expand business independently.

    Bright Dairy made more than 800 million yuan in sales last month, a record high.

    ”After Danone equity transfers, Bright Dairy can bring its research development advantage on yogurt in full play and enlarge market share of yogurt products using fungus developed independently by Bright Dairy,” said Guo.

    Danone and Bright set up a 50-50 yogurt joint venture in 1992. The joint venture underwent a stake diversification reshuffle and went public in 2000.

    The French dairy goods maker also has a joint venture with China’s biggest milk producer, China Mengniu Dairy Co., to make yogurt and a stake in China Huiyuan Juice Group.

    A joint venture with Chinese beverage maker Wahaha Group has been dogged by disputes over ownership and management issues.

    ((One U.S. dollars equals to 7.52 yuan)

    SHANGHAI, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) — A New Zealand naval frigate left Shanghai on Tuesday afternoon, concluding its six-day goodwill visit to the Chinese metropolis.

    Commodore David Anson, Maritime Component Commander, Joint Forces New Zealand, and Commander Andrew Grant who commanded the TEKAHA frigate, paid visits to senior government and military officials of Shanghai during their stay here.

    The 176 officers and soldiers on board also visited a China-made guided missile frigate, toured the city and had basketball and football matches with the Chinese navy.

    BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) — Oscar Arias Sanchez, president of Costa Rica, will pay a state visit to China from Oct. 22 to 28 at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao.

    Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao made the announcement here on Tuesday at a regular press conference.