The Chinese leadership and the US Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice both voiced a commitment?on Sunday to continue developing
bilateral ties, calling for the resolution of current disputes in a
mutually respectful manner.
President Hu Jintao said China and
the US share wide-ranging common interests and shoulder important
responsibilities, and they can realize a mutually beneficial
results through cooperation. Constructive and cooperative ties
should be pushed to a higher level.
He said that sound, steady and
continuous development of Sino-US relations is in the fundamental
interest of both countries and their peoples, and is important for
the promotion of regional and world peace, stability and
prosperity.
Premier Wen Jiabao recognized in
his meeting with Rice that current China-US relations are in a
generally good form, and could be furthered with a strategic and
long-term perspective.
Wen said the two nations should take each other's concerns into
consideration and handle disputes and conflicts in trade
cooperation, noting that economic and trade cooperation is an
important part of China-US relations and should be based on
principles of equality, mutual benefit and development.
Rice said she came to Beijing soon
after she assumed office in January with a hope to promote a "very
strong relationship" with China, and the US hopes to see a
confident and prosperous China and to deal with differences in a
constructive manner.
Rice said the US government
attaches great importance to growing and developing constructive
and cooperative ties, and is ready to join hands with China in
exploring new fields of cooperation and to further boost
relations.
She said the US hopes to continue
to consult with China, and that "such consultations are helpful for
the Asian-Pacific region and the world at large."
Rice is on her first visit since
she became the top US diplomat as guest of Foreign Minister Li
Zhaoxing. She met and exchanged views with Chinese leaders on
US-China relations, the Taiwan issue, the Korean Peninsular nuclear
issue and other areas of mutual interest.
On Taiwan, Hu said properly
handling the issue remains key to the sound and steady development
of Sino-US relations, calling for the US to "honor the commitments
that President George W. Bush reiterated on adhering to the
one-China policy, observing the three Sino-US joint communiqués and
opposing 'Taiwan independence.'"
Hu hoped the US would "understand
and support all efforts made by the Chinese government and people
to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and
realize peaceful reunification," and that it would not "send any
wrong signal to 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces."
Wen explained that China's
anti-secession law aims to curb these forces, expressing his hope
that the US side understand, respect and support the
legislation.
He said the secessionist activities
of ‘Taiwan independence’ forces have posed the biggest threat to
the peace and stability across the straits, and the law would help
maintain peace and development in the Asian-Pacific region.
Rice said it conforms to US
interests to maintain tranquility across the Taiwan Straits and
solve the Taiwan issue peacefully, and the US will make efforts to
that end.
She promised that the US
government's position on pursuing the one-China policy and abiding
by the three US-China joint communiqués will not change.
On the six-party talks about the
Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Hu said China is willing to work
with all concerned parties, including the US, to resume them at an
early date.
Hu said China, while insisting that
the Korean Peninsula should be nuclear weapons-free, is devoting
itself to solving the issue through the six-party talks, and to
safeguarding peace and stability there.
Rice spoke highly of China's
important role in the progress of the talks and briefed Hu on US
viewpoints on this matter. She reiterated that the US also regarded
the six-party talks as the best way to solve the issue.
China and the US are playing
pragmatic and prudent tunes in current bilateral relations, said
Wang Jisi, a leading expert on Sino-US relations with the Chinese
Academy of Social Sciences, in an interview with Xinhua.
Wang said China and the US share recognition and
respect for each other's international status and strategic
interests, and are making efforts to seek common ground, which
"represents a more mature bilateral relationship," Wang said.
(Xinhua News Agency March 21, 2005)
