U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Office of the Spokesman

Comments by
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
Following Bilateral Meeting With
Philippine Vice President Guingona
Hanoi, Vietnam
July 25, 2001

QUESTION: Secretary Powell, do you care to comment on the release of Li Shaomin this morning?

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, I'm very pleased to hear that, that's all I have right now. That's breaking news.

QUESTION: Do you have any comments, sir, on the fact that two U.S. residents were sentenced to 10 years in prison? You're about to have the meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister this afternoon. Do you have any comments on that?

SECRETARY POWELL: We'll talk about that this afternoon. I am pleased that these cases are now being resolved as I said previously. It is not the individual cases that should be raised concern, but the whole process by which people are detained. I'm sure that we will have a chance to discuss that with the Chinese Foreign Minister. I'm looking forward to that, but I'm glad that these matters are now slowly but surely being resolved.

END