Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met the press at the Great Hall of the
People Sunday afternoon, shortly after the closing meeting of the
Second Session of the Tenth National People's Congress (NPC),
answering questions given by Chinese and foreign journalists.
Premier vows to live up to people's
expectations?
Premier Wen Jiabao pledged that his government will stand new
challenges and live up to the expectations of the people. He called
the year 2003 an extraordinary year as China won an "important
victory" over the outbreak of SARS (severe acute respiratory
syndrome") and scored "obvious achievements" in its economic
development. But the achievements are only a reflection of the
past, he said.
"A wise nation is one good at learning, especially the one that
is good at learning from difficulties," Wen acknowledged. The most
crucial are the experience, lessons and revelation they have
brought about instead of achievements.
This year's goal is to maintain a balanced, relatively-fast
economic growth, the premier said. The most difficult problems
involved agriculture, rural areas and farmers, and what he cares
most are matters pertaining to people's interests.?
The premier pledged to continue reform, innovation and forging
ahead courageously.
China will never seek hegemony
China does not seek hegemony now, nor will it seek hegemony even
after it became powerful in the future, said Premier Wen. China has
a history of 5,000 years with both glorious achievements and
humiliating sufferings, and the rise of China has been the dream of
generations of Chinese, Wen said.
China will take full advantage of the good opportunity of world
peace to develop itself and at the same time safeguard world peace
with its development.
The premier said China's rise will be based on its own strength
and self reliance, as well as the vast domestic market, abundant
human resources and abundant natural resources.
Noting China's rise could not be achieved without the rest of
the world, Wen said the country must always maintain its open
policy and always develop economic and trade exchanges with all
friendly countries on the basis of equality and mutual
benefits.
China's rise, which would require a lot time and probably
efforts of several generations, will not stand in the way of any
other country, nor pose threat to any other country, nor at the
cost of any other country, Wen said.
"China does not seek hegemony now, nor will it seek hegemony
even after it became powerful," Wen said.
Economy at critical juncture
The Chinese government is now facing a test no less severe than
that posed by the SARS epidemic last year, said Premier Wen.
The Chinese economy developed rapidly and demonstrated "more
dynamism" last year. But some deep-seated problems in the country's
economic structure remained unsolved while new problems such as
excessive investment scale, decreasing grain output and an "obvious
trend of rising prices" kept cropping up, said the premier.
These problems exposed the Chinese government to a test "no less
severe" than that posed by last year's SARS epidemic and put
China's economy at a "critical juncture", commented Wen.
If the problems are properly handled, the "big ship of the
Chinese economy" will move forward smoothly or "setbacks" will be
"inevitable", said Wen.
Public shows great interest in Government Work
Report?
Premier Wen Jiabao, in an unprecedented move, responded to
questions from the Chinese public and teenage students from the
United States.
The general public, both home and abroad, have shown "great
interest" in the Government Work Report he delivered to the
national legislature and his press conference at the end of the
legislative session, Wen said, noting that they have put forward
many questions to him prior to the press meeting, including 54
questions from American teenagers.
In response to a question on his work, Wen quoted verses of late
Chairman Mao Zedong and an ancient Chinese poet Qu Yuan (born more
than 2,300 years ago) to express his determination to work harder
for the country in spite of numerous difficulties.
"I'd like express my gratitude to the public by answering one of
the questions," he said.
He said that he just received a letter from the United States
written by more than 30 students from a Kansas high school who
raised 54 questions.
"They inquired a lot about China's political, economic,
cultural, social affairs and my personal life, including what my
favorite food is, whether I practice martial arts and even what the
size of my shoes," he said.
"They are turning their eyes to China today," the premier said,
adding that he is also grateful to the "foreign friends who care
about China's construction work."?
Taiwan's referendum threatening stability across Taiwan
Straits
Premier Wen said the referendum scheduled for March 20 by the
Taiwan authorities under the pretext of democracy poses a threat to
stability across the Taiwan Straits, and challenges the universally
acknowledged one-China principle.
The premier said he appreciated the international opposition to
the referendum, and the open statement on the one-China principle
made by the international community, including the United States,
is conducive to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan
Straits.
"I hope the United States and other countries would honor their
commitment to the one-China principle, and make due contribution to
maintaining stability across the Taiwan Straits and to China's
peaceful reunification," Wen said.
The Taiwan issue, left over from China's civil war, is the
internal affairs of China, and will eventually be resolved by the
Chinese people on their own, said the premier.
China has sovereignty over Taiwan, which has been recognized by
the international community, he said.
Attempt opposed to separate Taiwan from
motherland?
Premier Wen Jiabao said China will never allow anyone to
separate Taiwan from the motherland by any means, while striving
for peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity and greatest
efforts.
Wen said he would like to have his message taken to Taiwanese
compatriots that there is only one China in the world, and the
Taiwan Straits can never sever the "blood relations" shared by
Chinese both on the mainland and in Taiwan.
The mainland will strive to maintain stability across the
Straits with the utmost efforts and push for direct mail service,
trade, air and shipping services across the Straits, as well as
cross-Straits economic, cultural and personnel exchanges, the
premier said.
The mainland will strive for an early resumption of
cross-Straits dialogue and negotiations under the one-China
principle and for the eventual peaceful reunification of the
motherland, the premier said.
Wen said the referendum scheduled for March 20 in Taiwan, which
is sponsored by the Taiwan authorities for Taiwan independence
under the pretext of democracy, poses a threat to stability across
the Taiwan Straits, and challenges the universally acknowledged
one-China principle.
The premier said he appreciated the international opposition to
the referendum, and the open statement on the one-China principle
made by the international community, including the United States,
is conducive to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan
Straits.
"I hope the United States and other countries would honor their
commitment to the one-China principle, and make due contribution to
maintaining stability across the Taiwan Straits and to China's
peaceful reunification," Wen said.
The Taiwan issue, left over from China's civil war, is the
internal affairs of China, and will eventually be resolved by the
Chinese people on their own, said the premier.
China has sovereignty over Taiwan, which has been recognized by
the international community, he said.
Premier confident in energy cooperation with
Russia
Premier Wen Jiabao said he was confident in the prospects of
energy cooperation with "friendly neighbor" Russia.
Although there were some ups and downs in Sino-Russian
cooperation in constructing oil pipelines, the premier still
believed Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian people
will strengthen cooperation with China in "exploring and
developing" energy resources such as oil and natural gas, and
constructing oil pipelines.
The premier described Russia as a "friendly neighbor" sharing a
common boundary line of 4,300 km and said "the two countries should
be friends forever and never fight again".
According to Wen, Chinese and Russian economies are
"complementary" and a series of measures have been taken to enhance
economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.
The premier also referred to regular meetings of Chinese and
Russian leaders, Sino-Russian Strategic Partnership of Cooperation,
and efforts to enhance "political mutual trust", promote "strategic
consultation" and strengthen "non-governmental exchanges" between
the two countries to prove a "sound momentum" in Sino-Russian
relationship.??
Party to follow Constitution and law
The leading officials of the Communist Party of China and all
Party members should play an exemplary role in abiding by the
Constitution and laws, said Premier Wen.
In response to a question by a German journalist about the
amended Constitution, Wen said the Constitution and laws will not
be changed according to changes of state leaders or changes in the
leaders' attention.
He stressed two principles that the Party leads the people in
making the Constitution and laws, and leading Party officials and
all Party members should play an exemplary role in implementing the
Constitution and laws.
The amendment to the Constitution is of great significance for
China's development, he said, adding that it had just passed at the
national legislature's annual session with an overwhelming support,
which is a reflection of the will of the entire people.
He highlighted the incorporation into the Constitution the
important thought of "Three Respects" together with
Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping theory as
the guiding ideology for the Party and the nation, saying that it
has profound and far-reaching significance. ?
Government institutional reform?
Premier Wen Jiabao said that without successful political
restructuring, there would be no successful economic reform. He
mentioned that he set three objectives on government institutional
reform since the first day of his premiership.
Wen cited the first goal as the establishment of a scientific
and democratic decision-making mechanism, including a group
decision-making system and consultations with experts and
professional people.
The second goal is to administrate the country according to
laws, he said. "We must prompt the government to administrate the
country in line with law, build the clean and honest government,
and pursue the combination of the government's power and
responsibility."
The third goal is to accept supervision from every corner of the
society, including the supervision from the National People's
Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People's
Political Consultative Conference, and governments must hear and
solicit opinions and views from people and general public, the
premier said.
Premier pledges continuous support to HK?
Premier Wen Jiabao said that the central government will do
everything conducive to the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong
and to the common development of Hong Kong and the inland of
China.
"Our principle is that whatever is conducive to the prosperity
and stability of Hong Kong, to the common development of Hong Kong
and the inland, we will actively do it and give our full support to
it," he said when answering a question from Hong Kong press.
The premier said the central government holds an active attitude
toward the upcoming issuance of 20 billion Hong Kong dollars of
bonds in Hong Kong.
The premier attended a ceremony last June in Hong Kong where the
agreement on the Mainland-Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership
Arrangement (CEPA) was signed.
Wen reiterated that the central government will unsparingly
uphold the principles of "one country, two systems", "Hong Kong
people governing Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy as well
as the Basic Law of Hong Kong.
"I sincerely hope that Hong Kong residents can take into
consideration the broad situation of the long-term prosperity and
stability as well as the long-term and fundamental interests of
Hong Kong residents, be united and work together with firm
determination for a better future of Hong Kong," he said.
State commercial banks face last-ditch battle
Premier Wen Jiabao said that in recent years, the state-owned
commercial banks have made some progress, but problems are
numerous.
When answering a question from a journalist of the South
China Morning Post, Wen said the biggest problem existing in
China's banking system is that the ratio of non-performing loans
(NPL) is high, which has reached nearly two trillion yuan,
accounting for 20 percent of the total.
He also said that nowadays the state-owned banks do not perform
very well. The fundamental reasons lie in institution and
mechanism.
The central government has made a decisive move on adopting a
share-holding reform in Bank of China (BOC) and China Construction
Bank (CCB) and has injected US$45 billion of capital in the banks.
The measures have received generally positive response from home
and abroad.
"I want to make clear that the banking reform we took this time
is to really push our state-owned commercial banks to be the real
modern commercial banks," he pointed out.
He said the leadership of the two banks must take measures to
ensure the safety of the capitals injected by the state, at the
same time shoulder the responsibility of lowering the NPL
ratio.
He also said the management and the competence of the staff
inside the state-owned banks is key to the success of the banking
reform.
"This is our last-ditch battle. We could not afford any failure.
We must take decisive measures to ensure a successful reform," he
stressed.?
Japanese leaders' Yasukuni Shrine visits main problem
Premier Wen Jiabao said that Japanese leaders' visits to
Yasukuni Shrine, where top war criminals are enshrined, have
tremendously harmed the feelings of the people in China and Asian
at large, underscoring that it is the main problem for bilateral
relations between two countries.
China lost more than 20 million lives during the war of Japanese
aggression against China, said the premier, whose own family
suffered during the war.
Premier Wen cited Sino-Japanese relations as "generally good".
According to the premier, the average trade volume between China
and Japan has been valued at some US$130 billion a year and there
is an annual exchange of 3 million people in personnel exchange.
There are also more than 200 cities with a yoke of sisterly
friendship between the two countries, he noted.
He urged Japanese leaders to abide by the three political
documents concerning Sino-Japanese ties signed between the two
governments, learn lessons earnestly from the history, look forward
to the future, do not do things detrimental the feelings of the
Chinese people anymore, and not affect the regular exchanges of
visits of leaders of the two nations and the normal growth of
bilateral relations.
China hopes for lasting peace, stability in South
Asia
China is pleased to see the healthy momentum that has emerged in
India-Pakistan relationship and hopes for lasting peace and
stability in south Asia, said Premier Wen.
China's relationship with any country in South Asia is not
targeted at a third country, he added.
When asked to comment on China-India relations, the premier said
the friendship between the two countries stretched for more than
2,000 years whereas conflicts between them lasted for only two
years.
He recalled Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit
to China last year, saying that it indicated the relationship
between the two countries had begun developing their relations in a
healthy and cooperative way since then.
Special envoys from the two countries have already held two
rounds of talks on border issues between China and India, Wen
said.
As long as the two countries stick to peaceful coexistence,
respect for each other and mutual understanding, China and India
could tackle the problems left over from history and maintain
lasting friendship and cooperation, Wen said.
Premier vows further crackdown upon corruption?
Premier Wen said that the Chinese government will take it as one
of its most essential tasks to further step up the fight against
corruption in his tenure of office, as it is a "life-or-death"
issue for the destiny of the Communist Party of China and the
Chinese government.
"My colleagues and I are willing to be subjected under the
supervision by people," Wen made the pledge in response to a
question concerning the conviction of a batch of provincial-level
officials over corruption charges last year.
The government will take three steps to further carry out the
anti-corruption drive, Wen said, acknowledging that China will
install educational and supervisional rules and regulations to
prevent and fight corruption, resolutely punish corrupt officials,
halt unethical practices in the public administration, and do well
the work closely relating to the interests of the people.
Wen also reminded the people of late Chairman Mao Zedong's
admonitions six decades ago to the whole Party not to follow suit
of some peasant uprising leaders in the Chinese history who turned
corrupted once they were in power.
"In the past 60 years, many comrades of our Party have stood the
test, and there have also been some who didn't and became
victimized by 'sugar-coated bullets,'" Premier Wen said.?
Premier cites unity, stability as priority
Premier Wen said that unity and stability are his overriding
concerns.
Wen said in response to a question about the incident in 1989
that an important reason for China's tremendous development in the
past 15 years was the fact that the Communist Party of China (CPC)
maintained China's unity and social and political stability.
"A severe political storm occurred in China at the late 1980s
and early 1990s," he said. "At a crucial juncture bearing on the
country's destiny, the CPC Central Committee, by relying on the
whole Party and the people of all ethnicities across the country,
continued to uphold the policies laid down following the Third
Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee held in late 1978
and successfully steered the general situation of China's reform
and opening to the outside world, and safeguarded the cause of
socialism with Chinese characteristics."
The next two decades will be a very crucial, strategic period
for China's development, and unity and stability are overriding
issues, the Chinese premier said.
(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2004)
