On the afternoon of December 28, Chinese Ambassador Yang Jiechi to
the United State accepted People's Daily correspondents' exclusive
interview in Washington and answered the correspondents' questions
concerning the cooperation and development of Sino-US relations in
the political, economic and other fields.
Question: I would like to ask how do you, as Chinese
ambassador to the United States, appraise Sino-US relations this
year?
Answer: China-US relations are full of twists and turns and
ups and downs this year, traversing an extraordinary course, the
"plane
collision event" and the "September 11" incident have exerted
important influence on the relations between the two countries.
Thanks to the joint efforts made by both sides, particularly by
leaders of the two countries, Sino-US relations were largely
improved in the second half of this year. On October 19, President
Jiang Zemin and President George W. Bush held a successful meeting
during the 9th Informal APEC Economic
Leaders' Meeting and gained many important achievements. Both sides
reached the important consensus on devoting efforts to the
development of Sino-US constructive cooperative relationship, this
charted the direction for the future development of relations
between the two countries. Currently, both China and the United
States are implementing the consensus reached between heads of
State of the two countries, and expanding exchange and cooperation.
The development trend of Sino-US relations is good as a whole.
The course of Sino-US relationship this year indicates that
although contingencies have important impact on the relations
between the two countries, in the final analysis, it is the
fundamental interests of the two countries that decide the
development direction of Sino-US ties. Facts prove that the common
interests of China and the United States outweigh differences. As
two large influential countries in the world and permanent members
of the Security Council of the United Nations, China and the United
States shoulder common responsibilities for the future and destiny
of humankind, they have extensive and important common interests in
maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the
world at large, in promoting regional and global economic growth
and prosperity, as well as in attacking international crimes. A
satisfactory Sino-US relationship is the common wish of the two
peoples, as well as their vital interest. The developments after
the "September 11" incident show more clearly that the
international community, including China and the United States, has
important common interests in the aspects of launching
anti-terrorist cooperation and safeguarding world security.
Sino-US ties this year also show that strengthening contacts and
exchanges between ranking officials of the two countries is
extremely important. President Jiang Zemin and President Bush
maintain regular ties by means of telephone and letters, exchanging
opinions repeatedly on China-American relations and international
issues; the face-to-face contact between heads of State of the two
countries in Shanghai has deepened mutual understanding and played
a great promotional role in improving and developing Sino-US
relations. President Jiang Zemin,
NPC Chairman Li Peng, Premier Zhu Rongji and other Chinese
leaders have also exchanged views with important personages of the
US government, Congress, entrepreneurs and media, during which the
Chinese leaders explained China's principles and propositions on
developing Sino-US relations and have achieved positive results.
The visits by Vice-Premier Qian Qichen and Foreign Minister Tang
Jiaxuan to the United States respectively in March and September,
and US Secretary of State Colin Powell's China tour in July were
all carried out at the important moments of Sino-US relations,
making major preparations for the successful meeting of heads of
State of the two countries in Shanghai.
Q: How do you look upon the consensus reached by heads of
State of China and the United States on making joint efforts for
developing constructive cooperative relationship? What will be the
prospect for the development of China-US relations next year?
A: The consensus reached by President Jiang Zemin and
President Bush on both China and the United States devoting efforts
to developing constructive cooperative relationship embodies the
strategic eyes and the common interests objectively existing
between the two countries, it is of profound guidance significance
to the development of Sino-American relations in the new century.
As I understand it, "constructive" refers to recognizing that there
are both commonness and differences between China and the United
States. But it stresses that both sides should handle China-US
relationship in the spirit of seeking common grounds and laying
aside differences and with a constructive and forward-looking
attitude; "cooperative" emphasizes that in handling mutual
relations, both sides should adhere to a cooperative attitude and
strive to maintain and expand the cooperative field. Fixing
China-US ties as developing constructive, cooperative relations is
a correct choice made by China and the United States under the
tendency of the day in seeking peace and stability and promoting
development at the present time, it is conducive to boosting the
healthy and stable development of Sino-US relationship and is
beneficial to world peace and stability. As we look forward to next
year, we find there are both challenge and opportunity existing in
China-US relationship, but opportunity outweighs challenge.
February 28 will mark the 30th anniversary of the publication of
the Sino-US Shanghai Communique, an important day worth
commemoration. The publication of the Shanghai Communique is an
epoch-making milestone in the history of Sino-US relations. The
Shanghai Communique and its subsequent publication of the Sino-US
communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations between
China and the United States and the "August 17" communique laid
down important principles guiding China-US relations. The course
traversed by China-US relationship over the past 30 years indicates
that so long as both sides can treat bilateral relations with a
strategic perspective and from a long-term angle, firmly grasp the
common interests between the two countries, abide by the three
China-US joint communiques, enhance mutual understanding, expand
common views, seek common grounds and reserve differences and
develop cooperation, then Sino-US relations can definitely continue
to achieve major improvement and development.
Q: Would you please say something about the Taiwan issue in
Sino-US relationship?
A: The Taiwan question
has always been a most important and sensitive core issue in
China-US relationship. The three China-US joint communiques have
laid down guiding principles for correctly handling the Taiwan
question. Abiding by the three Sino-US joint communiques and
handling the Taiwan issue prudently and properly are the key to
guaranteeing the stable and sound development of Sino-US
relationship.
On
the issue of Taiwan, all previous US governments have made
clear-cut promises to the Chinese government and people, and that
is, upholding the one-China policy, observing the three Sino-US
joint communiques and refraining from supporting the "independence"
of Taiwan. We pay great attention to the above-mentioned promises
made by the US side, but we attach even more importance to its
actual deeds.
The Chinese government will continue to follow the basic principles
of "peaceful reunification, and one country, two systems" and the
eight-point proposal put forward by President Jiang Zemin for
solving the Taiwan issue. We have the greatest sincerity in trying
all we can for peaceful reunification, at the same time, we will
absolutely not allow anybody and any force to separate Taiwan from
China. It must be noted that opposing "Taiwan independence",
seeking stability and development is the mainstream popular will of
the Taiwanese society, and more and more Americans have come to
understand and realize this point. The US government should go with
the trend of history, and support China's peaceful reunification.
An early solution of the Taiwan issue not only conforms to China's
interest, but also facilitates peace, stability and development in
the Asia-Pacific region, it is also beneficial to the United
States.
Q: Economic and trade ties are an important component of the
Sino-US relationship, how do you appraise the cooperation between
the two countries this year in this field? What influence will
China's accession to the WTO
produce on Sino-US relations?
A: Although there is an obvious slowdown in the world
economic growth and US gradual entry into economic recession this
year, the development momentum of Chinese-US economic and trade
relations remains good. In the trading realm, Chinese customs
statistics show that between January and October this year, the
total volume of Sino-US trade reached US$66.8 billion, an 8.9
percent increase over last year's same period. Of which China's
exports to the United States were valued at US$45.2 billion, and
its imports were US$21.6 billion. Although the Chinese side had a
trade surplus, its imports from the United States grew by 21.2
percent, far higher than the growth rate of export to the United
States. China's export of good and cheap daily-use articles to the
United States greatly benefits US common people, and objectively
helps reduce the United States' worries about inflation as it
adopts measures to stimulate the domestic economy. With regard to
investment, in the first three quarters of this year, the United
States newly added 1,872 invested projects in China, with actual
investment amounting to US$3.183 billion, a 37.76 percent
year-on-year increase. The above-mentioned achievements in China-US
economic and trade exchange and cooperation were gained under the
difficulties emerged in the US economy and the world economy. This
precisely shows that the two countries have strong mutual
complementarity and tremendous cooperative potential.
China's entry into the WTO is beneficial to both China and the
United States. On December 27, President Bush formally announced
that the United States granted China permanent normal trade
relation (PNTR) status, clearing away a big artificial political
interference factor, this will enhance stability in bilateral
economic and trade ties. China's accession to the WTO will make the
Chinese market more attractive and will facilitate expansion of
trade with the United States and attraction of more US investment
and technologies; the further improvement of China's domestic
commercial environment and the further opening of its market to the
outside world will provide US enterprises with more business
opportunities. What is more, China still has great development
potential in the realm of information and communication technology
and has broad market space. In addition, China and the United
States will have more opportunity to develop multilateral trading
cooperation within the WTO framework. In short, China's entry into
the WTO not only should, but also can, become a strong driving
force for the further development of economic and trade cooperation
between the two countries, the key to this is to make a good
beginning. I want to point out here that under the current new
situation, it is of more important strategic significance for China
and the United States to conduct dialog and cooperation in a series
of problems including economy, finance and trade.
In
addition, the exchange and cooperation between China and the United
States this year in the fields of culture, education, science and
technology, public health and sports continue to maintain a good
development momentum and there are closer ties between the two
peoples. I believe that the exchange and contact in various fields
between China and the United States will have new development next
year, advancing bilateral ties in a more positive direction.
(
December 30, 2001)