A senior diplomat said?in Beijing?Friday that Chinese
President Hu Jintao's upcoming visit to the United States is
"vitally important" in promoting the bilateral relations between
the two countries.
Speaking at a news briefing about Hu's five-nation visit, Vice
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Hu's US visit slated for April 18
to 21 was a major event in the Sino-US relations and would help
facilitate the "sustainable, healthy and steady" development of the
bilateral ties.
Noting that China-US relations were maintaining a good momentum,
Yang said Hu Jintao and US President George W. Bush and
other US leaders would exchange views on bilateral relations and
major international and regional issues of common concern in a
"profound way".
The two leaders met last year in New York and Beijing
respectively and they came to an important consensus on promoting
the constructive and cooperative relations facing the new century
in an all-round way.
In his visit to Seattle, Washington D.C. and Yale University, Hu
will meet?members of Congress, officials, scholars, workers
and students as well.
"We hope that Hu's visit will encourage both sides to examine
the importance and necessity of developing the Sino-US relations
from a strategic height and long-term perspective," he said.
The relationship between China and the United States was among
the most important bilateral relations in the world, Yang said.
"The common interests of both countries have increased steadily,
the foundation for cooperation has been further fortified and
opportunities are on steady rise."
Maintaining stable and healthy development of the Sino-US
relations is in the fundamental interests of both countries and
conducive to peace, stability and development in the Asia-Pacific
Region and the world, he added.
The two countries have been maintaining frequent high-level
exchanges and contacts this year, Yang said.
A number of senior US officials, including US Assistant
Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Thomas Shannon and
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, have visited China
this year.
China has also sent many delegations to the United States, with
Vice Premier Wu Yi co-chairing the 17th meeting of the
China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) with US
Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez and Trade Representative
Robert Portman.
The two countries have made headway in many areas including
trade, anti-terrorism, nonproliferation, and prevention and control
of bird flu as well.
They have been maintaining effective consultations and
coordination in international and regional affairs such as the
nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, the Iranian nuclear issue,
the reconstruction of Iraq and United Nations affairs, Yang
said.
Noting that the Taiwan issue was the most important and
sensitive one in the China-US relations, Yang said it is in the
interests of both China and the United States to oppose and contain
"Taiwan independence" and to maintain peace and stability across
the Taiwan Straits.
He reiterated China's hope that the US government would stick to
its pledges on the issue and would not send "wrong" signals to
"Taiwan independence" activists.
Hailing that economic and trade cooperation had brought benefits
to the two peoples, Yang expressed the hope that the two countries
would take into account each other's concerns as well.
(Xinhua News Agency April 15, 2006)