During a meeting with a US delegation headed by Henry J. Hyde, chairman of the international relations committee of the US House of Representatives, Jiang said the Taiwan issue was crucial to China and to Sino-US relations, and that there was only one China in the world.

To achieve the reunification at an early date, he said, would benefit peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large, the steady advancement of Sino-US relations, and the United States itself.

China would continue to strive for a peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity and utmost effort while following the basic principle of "one country, two systems" and implementing the eight-point proposal on furthering relations across the Taiwan Strait and promoting the process of reunification of the motherland, noted Jiang.

Noting that achieving full reunification was the general trend of the times and the common aspirations of the Chinese people, Jiang voiced his appreciation for US President George W. Bush's stance for adherence to the one-China policy and for abiding by the three Sino-US joint communiques and opposition to "Taiwan independence".

Progress in Sino-US bilateral relations had entered a reasonably positive period, Jiang said recalling his productive meeting with President Bush at the Crawford Ranch, Taxas in October this year.

Both countries hold they shared wide-ranging and vital common interests, and that they should increase their exchanges and cooperation in such fields as the economy, trade, science, technology, education and culture, and strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of countering terrorism in their mutual interests.

They should also strengthen consultation and coordination on major issues like addressing regional hot-spots, prevention of weapons proliferation, combating transnational crimes and promoting global economic growth, and constantly improving the constructive and cooperative Sino-US bilateral relations, added Jiang.

He attributed some differences between China and the US to different national conditions in the two countries, saying that it was very normal. The crux of the matter was to respect each other,treat each other on an equal footing and seek the common ground while reserving differences.

He said he was convinced that as long as both sides acted in line with the three Sino-US joint communiques, boosted mutual understanding and handled their differences properly, bilateral relations would develop in a healthy way to the benefit of the people of the two countries and the people all over the world.

Hyde said he was glad to witness the growth of bilateral relations was back on a normal track and the meeting between President Jiang and President Bush in the Crawford Ranch had improved ties.

He cited the constant exchanges of high-level visits and various on-going dialogues between the two sides to illustrate the good impetus.

The US people respected and admired the Chinese people's achievements and the bilateral relationship would be one of the most important state-to-state relations in the 21st century, he noted.

He went on to say he was hoping and convinced that bilateral relations would continue to make sound and steady progress which would benefit both peoples plus world peace and development.

Hyde was due to deliver a speech on the future of bilateral relations at China's most prestigious Qinghua University and leave Beijing for the industrial and business hub of Shanghai later Tuesday.

(Xinhua News Agency December 11, 2002)