進入英語學習論壇下載音頻

China believes the death of a Republic of Korea (ROK) Coast Guard officer in a clash with Chinese fishermen was an isolated incident and will not affect bilateral ties, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

At the ministry's daily news briefing, spokesman Liu Weimin once again expressed China's regret over the death of ROK Coast Guard officer Lee Cheong-ho, whose funeral was held on Wednesday.

Liu said: "This is an isolated case, and we believe it will not hurt the overall situation of the two countries' relationship."

Liu also said that the Chinese government had beefed up security outside the ROK embassy in Beijing and its consulates in other cities, after the ROK embassy in Beijing informed the ministry that a bulletproof window at the embassy was suspected of being hit by a metal ball allegedly fired from an air gun on Tuesday. Nobody was injured. After preliminary checks at the embassy, the possibility of gunfire could be ruled out, said Liu. An investigation into the incident is continuing.

The councilor of the ROK embassy in Beijing was unavailable for comment on Wednesday.

Liu asked the ROK government to take measures to protect the safety and guarantee the smooth operation of the Chinese embassy and consulates in ROK cities.

Lee, 41, was allegedly stabbed to death by a Chinese fishing boat captain during a clash over "illegal fishing" in the Yellow Sea.

But the 42-year-old Chinese captain denied the accusations, according to coast guard officials.

The Chinese embassy in the ROK sent staff to see the Chinese crewmembers now in custody, and China would like to actively cooperate with the ROK and take steps to resolve the issue, according to Liu.

Questions:

1. What is the name of the coastguard who died?

2. When was his funeral held?

3. How old is the Chinese fishing boat captain?

Answers:

1. Lee Cheong-ho

2. Wednesday

3. 42

（中國日報網英語點津 Rosy 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.