In an interview on August 8 with Chairman of the New York Times Company and Publisher of the New York Times (NYT) Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., NYT Executive Editor Joseph Lelyveld and other NYT journalists, Jiang said China and the US also shared common responsibilities in promoting national and global economic development and prosperity and managing global issues.

"Hence there is a need for closer cooperation," he said, "We hope to develop a constructive, cooperative relationship with the United States."

He said it is nothing strange for China and the US, two big countries, to have differences. But he expressed that he is optimistic about the prospects of China-US relations.

So long as the two sides abide by the three China-US Joint Communiques and basic norms governing international relations and properly handle the bilateral issues, China-US relations will improve further and grow stronger, he said.

On the so-called fear that China and the US could have a new Cold War, Jiang said that Chinese, like all other peoples in the world, would not like to see any recurrence of a hot war, cold war or turmoil anywhere in the world.

"We long for a lasting world peace and promote common development and prosperity," he said.

China has made it its central task to develop the economy and improve people's life, he said. "China does not pursue expansion. China poses no threat to any country and has no intention to seek confrontation with any country," he stressed.

China instead wishes to live with all other countries as equals and conduct friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation with them on the basis on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, Jiang said.

(Xinhua News Agency 08/13/2001)