Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen said in Washington Friday
that an early reunification of China is conducive to a healthy
development of bilateral ties between China and the United States
and to the peace of the Asia-Pacific and the world at large.
"The Taiwan question holds the key to a healthy China-US
relationship," Qian said while addressing a welcome luncheon
jointly hosted by the National Committee on US-China Relations,
US-China Business Council, US-China Policy Foundation and the Nixon
Center.
"There is only one China in the world. Both the mainland and Taiwan
are part of China. China's sovereignty and territorial integrity
brook no division," the vice premier stated.
"It is the firm resolve of all the Chinese residing at home and
abroad to settle the Taiwan question and achieve the reunification
of the motherland at an early date," he stressed.
"Our basic principle on settling the Taiwan question is ' peaceful
reunification and one country, two systems'," Qian said. "Once the
Taiwan authorities accept the one-China principle, the two sides
across the Taiwan Straits may resume talks, and anything can be
discussed in such talks."
According to Qian, under the "one country, two systems" formula,
Taiwan may retain its economic system and way of life. It may
manage its own party, government and military systems, maintain its
judicial independence and even retain the power of final
adjudication.
"So, for the people of Taiwan and the whole country, peaceful
reunification at an early date will bring them all the benefits and
not a single harm," Qian said.
"The root cause for the tension across the Straits lies with the
separatist attempt for Taiwan's independence from China. This is
absolutely impermissible," he stated.
The Taiwan question is a legacy of China's civil war and also a
result of foreign interference, Qian said, noting that there is no
doubt that it is up to the Chinese people to solve it among
themselves and the issue brooks no foreign intervention.
"Due to historical reasons, most of the ups and downs in China- US
relations can be traced to the Taiwan question," he said, " How
this question is handled has a direct bearing on a stable
development of our relations."
"Successive US administrations, Republican or Democratic, have all
undertaken in explicit terms to implement the one-China principle,
observe the three China-US Joint Communiquis and the principles of
mutual respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial
integrity and mutual non-interference in each other's internal
affairs," Qian said.
"To honor these commitments is vital to China-US relations," the
vice premier noted.
"An early reunification of China is conducive to a healthy
development of our bilateral ties and to the peace of the Asia-
Pacific and the world at large. It will benefit both China and the
US," he added.
(Xinhua 03/24/2001)