The nature of the
Taiwan
question is the sovereignty of China, a question of China's
reunification or separation, President Hu Jintao said Monday.
China hopes the United States will not send the wrong signals to
the "independence forces'' of Taiwan, Hu said in a meeting with a
US Senate delegation headed by William H. Frist, the Senate
majority leader.
The Chinese government's stance on the Taiwan question is
persistent and clear, Hu said.
The US has reiterated time and again that it will adhere to the
one-China policy, abide by the three Sino-US joint communiques and
oppose the "independence of Taiwan.''
China appreciates that stance, Hu said.
China hopes the US will keep its word and play a constructive role
in China's peaceful reunification, Hu said, adding he wishes the US
Congress and the senators could exert a positive impact to this
end.
The Sino-US relationship has been continuously improved and
developed in recent years, and high-level leaders of the two
countries have maintained frequent contact and dialogue.
The two sides have made new progress in exchanges and co-operation
in the fields of anti-terrorism, economics and trade, law
enforcement and public health, Hu said.
They have also conducted effective consultations and co-ordination
in some major international and regions issues.
China and the United States should, from a strategic and long- term
perspective, seek common interests, take into consideration the
other side's concerns, handle the differences properly and
steadfastly push forward the sound and stable development of
bilateral relations, Hu said.
The president also briefed the guests on China's domestic and
foreign policies, expressing his thanks to the friends in the US
Senate and the House of Representatives who have cared for and
supported Sino-US ties for a long time.
Frist, who also met separately with Wu Bangguo, chairman of the
Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and Chinese
State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, said he agreed with Hu on US-China
relations, noting the US side supports US President George W.
Bush's commitments to Chinese leaders and adheres to the one-China
policy.
The two nations share many common interests for a wide range of
co-operation, Frist said, adding his delegation's visit to China
shows the US attaches great importance to the promotion of US-China
relations.
(China Daily April 22, 2003)