Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and his US counterpart Condoleezza Rice met in New York on Sunday on the sidelines of the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly.

 

 

Yang said that China-US relations have maintained a good momentum of development, with close high-level exchanges, ever-deepening cooperation for mutual benefit, and fruitful results in consultation and coordination on major international and regional issues.

 

Yang, who is attending the UN General Assembly session for the first time since assuming the post of foreign minister, suggested that Beijing and Washington implement the important consensus reached by Chinese President Hu Jintao and US President George W. Bush on developing four areas of bilateral ties.

 

First, Yang said, the two sides should strategically assume a comprehensive and forward-looking perspective to advance bilateral ties along a path of constructive cooperation, and avoid being swayed by narrow and short-term interests.

 

Second, the two sides should strengthen dialogue and consultation and manage relevant mechanisms in a comprehensive way, while consolidating mutual strategic trust through the Strategic Economic Dialogue and the Strategic Dialogue.

 

Third, both sides should deepen and widen common interests, strengthen cooperation in such fields as economics and trade and the fight against terrorism, explore cooperation in newer areas like energy and climate change, and deepen consultation and coordination in major international and regional issues.

 

Fourth, Yang said, both sides should respect each other, heed each other's concerns, properly handle differences, and refrain from doing things that harm the other side's core interests, so as to ensure a sound and stable development of bilateral relations.

 

Rice, for her part, said the two sides should implement in earnest the good consensus reached by presidents Bush and Hu in their two meetings this year.

 

She said the two sides should broaden common ground and deepen cooperation by taking advantage of the Strategic Economic Dialogue and the Strategic Dialogue, and continue to consult and cooperate with each other on UN affairs, climate change, and other major issues.

 

On the question of Taiwan, Yang said that the Taiwanese authorities, in defiance of the international community's opposition, have recently obstinately engaged in separatist activities, pushing for a referendum on the so-called "Taiwan's application for the UN membership" and "UN membership in the name of Taiwan."

 

They have not hesitated to provoke hostilities and create crisis across the Taiwan Straits, and the cross-Straits situation is highly sensitive and complicated, he said. Therefore, it is very important for China and the US to enhance their coordination and cooperation on the question of Taiwan so that the cross-Straits situation does not develop out of control.

 

China appreciates the US reiteration of adherence to the one-China policy, abiding by the three Sino-US joint communiqués and opposing the Taiwan authorities' proposed referendum on 'Taiwan's application for UN membership,'" Yang said, voicing hope that the US will work with China to curb "Taiwan independence" separatist activities in a bid to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and protect the common interests between China and the US.

 

Rice said that the US holds a responsible position on the question of Taiwan, adheres to the one-China policy and abides by the three Sino-US joint communiqués and opposes comments and actions aimed at changing the status quo of Taiwan unilaterally.

 

Yang and Rice also exchanged views on major international and regional issues including Iran's nuclear issue and the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, and agreed to maintain close consultation and coordination on related matters.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 24, 2007)