Liu Weimin started the press conference with the following announcement:

As the Chinese Government's Special Envoy, Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Ming will visit Saudi Arabia and Egypt from March 10 to 14. He will meet with leading officials of the governments of the two countries, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab League and other regional organizations and exchange views with them on the current situation in Syria, especially China's six-point proposal on the political resolution of the Syrian issue, in an effort to push for a just, peaceful and appropriate settlement of the Syrian issue. Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Ming will also visit France from March 14 to 16 to consult with the French side about the Syrian and other issues.

Not long ago, China put forward a six-point proposal on the political resolution of the Syrian issue, which is widely valued, understood and supported by the international community. The aim of Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Ming's visit is to further increase communication and consultation with relevant parties on the political resolution of the Syrian issue based on the proposal so as to build up consensus, produce synergy and push for the appropriate settlement of the Syrian issue.

Q: The third China-US Consultation on Asia-Pacific Affairs and the second coordinators meeting of the G20 Los Cabos Summit will be held soon. Would you please brief us on that? Who will the Foreign Ministry send to the above meetings?

A: As agreed by China and the US, Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai and US Assistant Secretary of State Campbell will co-host the third China-US Consultation on Asia-Pacific Affairs on March 12 in Annapolis, Maryland, the US. China looks forward to exchanging views with the US side on the implementation of the outcome of Vice President Xi Jinping's visit to the US as well as bilateral interaction and cooperation in the Asia Pacific so as to enhance mutual trust, expand cooperation, manage differences and promote healthy interaction between China and the US in the Asia Pacific and the development of China-US cooperative partnership.

The second coordinators meeting of the G20 Los Cabos Summit will be held in the Mexico City from March 15 to 16 to discuss preparations for the Summit. Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai will attend the meeting upon invitation as China's coordinator for G20 affairs. In the spirit of win-win cooperation, China will continue to work together with the other G20 members to enhance macro-economic policy coordination, deal appropriately with major risks and challenges currently faced by the world economic and financial sector, boost the confidence of the international market and push for strong, sustainable and balanced growth of world economy through the Los Cabos Summit.

Q: UN-AL Joint Special Envoy on the Syrian Crisis Annan will attend the Arab League Foreign Ministers Meeting and visit Syria. What is China's expectation of Annan's mediation efforts as well as the Arab League Foreign Ministers Meeting?

A: China supports UN-AL Joint Special Envoy Annan's mediation efforts as well as his constructive role in pursuing the political resolution of the crisis. We hope that with his wisdom and experience, Mr. Annan will encourage all parties in Syria to cease violence and embark on the path of political dialogue.

China supports the positive efforts made by the Arab countries and the Arab League in pushing for the political settlement of the crisis and hopes to see the Arab League Foreign Ministers Meeting playing a positive and constructive role in resolving politically the Syrian issue.