Eight documents designed to boost economic and trade relations
between China and the United States were signed Wednesday during
the 15th session of the China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and
Trade (JCCT). Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi, US
Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans and Trade Representative Robert
Zoellick jointly chaired the session. US Secretary of Agriculture
Ann Veneman also took part in the talks.
The Chinese and US officials also agreed to set up six working
groups within the framework of the JCCT, a mechanism established in
1983, to deal with issues such as China's market economy status,
trade issue remedies and protection of intellectual property
rights.
"The meeting proved to be a complete success," Wu said at a
joint press conference held after the talks.
She said China's relationship with the United States is an
important one, and economic and trade ties are a vital part of the
relationship. China and the United States have become major trading
partners, and as economic complements their prospects for
cooperation are broad.
Economic and trade cooperation between China and the United
States is a win-win relationship, Wu said, adding that China is
prepared to work with the US to advance cooperation in various
fields through better communication and mutual understanding.
Wu said it is not unusual that some trade disputes or friction
have appeared during the rapid development of the two countries'
relations. What is important, she stressed, is that both sides
handle these issues from a long-term strategic perspective with
mutual understanding and willingness to compromise. They should
avoid the politicization of pure economic and trade issues.
Wu recalled that Premier Wen Jiabao proposed five principles for
guiding Sino-US economic and trade cooperation during his official
visit to the United States in December last year.
The core elements of these principles, she said, are
development, equality and mutual benefit. China believes that the
JCCT can serve as a very good platform for advancing economic and
trade cooperation.
"This is a landmark day and a very fruitful day in terms of the
developing relationship between the United States and China," Evans
said.
The US officials said the United States will continue working to
expand and reinforce its comprehensive economic and trade relations
with China, while the JCCT meeting has shown that China is also
committed to strengthening these ties with the United States.
With rapid and steady economic growth, China has become one of
the engines to sustain global economic growth and established a
more solid basis for US-China economic and trade cooperation, they
said.
(Xinhua News Agency April 22, 2004)