Speaking at a function hosted by the George Bush Presidential Library, Jiang said that with its growing development, opening-up and interactions with the outside world, China's need for an international environment of lasting peace and stability is also growing.

"Strengthening peace and development at both regional and global levels serves China's fundamental interests," Jiang said.

As the national conditions vary from country to country, "it isperfectly normal for things, countries, nations or regions to be different one way or another," Jiang said.

Quoting a Confucius maxim that "in human relationships, a gentleman seeks harmony but not uniformity," Jiang said harmony promotes coexistence and co-prosperity, whereas differences foster mutual complementation and mutual support.

"Harmony without sameness is an important principle in the development of all social affairs and relationships and in guiding people's conduct and behavior," he stressed.

As an Asian-Pacific country, the Chinese president said, China has been striving for peace and stability in the region, having resolved the land boundary question with most of its neighbors through peaceful negotiations and "in the spirit of good-neighborliness."

China is also an active participant in such multiple cooperation mechanisms as APEC, ARF and 10 plus 3, and has decided to set up a China-ASEAN Free Trade Area in 10 years, he added.

Jiang said that as "a staunch force dedicated to peace in the Asia-Pacific region," China stands "ready to work with the United States and other countries in the region to promote a peaceful andprosperous Asia-Pacific."

He said that an early solution to the Taiwan question and an early accomplishment of the peaceful reunification of China is conducive to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific and the worldat large.

The president said that in recent years, personnel exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits have been on the increase steadily and interactions in the economic, cultural and other fields are also expanding. "The people in Taiwan share our strong desire for an early opening of the three direct links."

"As far as solving the Taiwan question is concerned, no formulais better than 'peaceful reunification and one country, two systems,' and nothing threatens peace and stability in the Straits more than 'Taiwan Independence'," the president said. He urged the United States to stick to its commitment to the three Sino-US Joint Communiques and the one China policy.

(Xinhua News Agency October 25, 2002)