Jiang was commenting at a meeting with William Perry, former US Defense Secretary, and Brent Scowcroft, former US National Security Adviser.

Jiang briefed them on the just-concluded 16th National Congress of the CPC, noting that it was a success.

The congress would have a far-reaching impact on China's stability and development in the future, Jiang stressed.

On Sino-US relations, he said it was of great significance for both nations to maintain a stable, healthy and reciprocal relationship.

Bilateral ties have achieved a good momentum with expanded and strengthened shared benefits for economic, cultural and social exchanges and major international affairs, he said.

Jiang said the two countries also shared common ground on the Taiwan issue, as both sides adhered to a one-China policy and hoped the issue would be solved peacefully.

When he met with President George W. Bush recently in the United States, Jiang said, Bush had restated this stance.

"We hope the United States sticks to this stance," Jiang said.

Perry congratulated Jiang on the success of the CPC congress, saying the orderly transition of the CPC leadership won world acclaim.

The two sides also discussed the issue of the Korean Peninsula.

In line with China's consistently clear-cut stance on the nuclear issue, it backed all efforts for a nuclear-free peninsula, Jiang said.

Jiang stated that his country was against all those which countered such efforts and was opposed to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Implementing the hard-earned framework agreement on the nuclear issue signed between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the United States in 1994 was in the interests of all parties concerned and China hoped the relevant issues could be resolved through dialogue, Jiang said.

The delegation is in Beijing as guests of the China Foundation for International and Strategic Studies.

(Xinhua News Agency November 22, 2002)