Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan yesterday refuted reports that the Chinese mainland has blocked Taiwan's efforts to get an early lifting of its SARS travel warning from the World Health Organization (WHO).

"Such reports are groundless, irresponsible and so much as having ulterior motives and making mischief," Kong told a regular press briefing.

"We sincerely hope that the WHO lifts its warning against travel to Taiwan as soon as possible according to its progress in controlling the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)," he said.

Kong said the mainland has always been very concerned with the health of the people in Taiwan Province and supported their efforts to wipe out the threat of SARS as soon as possible.

Vice-Premier Wu Yi comprehensively introduced the efforts of the central government in helping Taiwan fight SARS to the general debate of the 56th World Health Assembly last month.

"The help has included providing medicines and financial support and sharing of experiences and technical knowledge," Kong said.

He added that experts in the mainland, including Zhong Nanshan, director of the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases, who was among the first group of experts to treat SARS patients, have fully shared their experience in fighting SARS at video-seminars with their Taiwan colleagues.

Turning to the nuclear issue in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kong said China hopes dialogue will continue.

"We firmly uphold that the Korean Peninsula is free from nuclear weapons and it should be peaceful and stable," Kong said in response to reports that the DPRK said on Monday that it wanted nuclear weapons to cut conventional forces and divert funds into the economy.

"We hope both sides will not take any action that might escalate the situation under current circumstances," he said.

Noting that the Beijing talks had achieved positive results, Kong said the international community should make a joint effort to continue the process.

"China is open and flexible towards the form of the dialogue," he added.

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