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After US Vice President Dick Cheney's 46-hour heavily arranged visit in China, the "low-profile but very influential" official concluded his visit by saying that "the areas of agreements (between the United States and China) are far greater than those we disagree."
During his stay in Beijing since Tuesday afternoon, he held talks or meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Chairman of the Central Military Commission Jiang Zemin and Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice President Zeng Qinghong.
Cheney and Chinese leaders exchanged views frankly on bilateral ties and a range of regional and international issues involving the Taiwan issue, the Korean nuclear issue, trade and Iraq situation.
On the Taiwan issue, the most vital in the Sino-US relationship, Chinese leaders described "Taiwan independence" as "the biggest threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits." China will never tolerate it and urged the United States to honor the one-China policy.
Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong also told Cheney during their talks Tuesday evening that the election result in Taiwan could not change the fact that Taiwan is part of China.
Replying to his hosts, Cheney reiterated that the US government will continue to adhere to the one-China policy, which was based on the three joint communiqués between the United States and China, not support "Taiwan Independence", and oppose any unilateral action to change the status quo across the Taiwan Straits.
On the bilateral trade issue, which arose much concern in the two countries, there seems to be not much argument during Cheney's meeting with Chinese leaders, including the US trade deficit with China and the alleged "manipulated" exchange rates of Chinese currency, the RMB.
The two sides stressed the importance of enhancing Sino-US economic cooperation and trade ties, saying that it was in the common interest of the two peoples and is conducive for the world economy.
Cheney and the Chinese leaders agreed that China and the United States witnessed sound development in bilateral ties and cooperation in all fields including major regional international issues, vowing to further the Sino-US constructive cooperation relationship.
The two countries agreed to increase high-level exchanges and strengthen cooperation in anti-terrorism, trade, law-enforcement and military aspects.
During his first visit to China's biggest economic hub Shanghai, the last leg of his China tour, Cheney addressed the faculty and students of the prestigious Fudan University as former US President Ronald Reagan has done in the same season 20 years ago.
(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2004)
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