Top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo met in Copenhagen Tuesday with his Danish counterpart Christian Mejdahl to exchange views on bilateral relations and on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

China attaches importance to its relationship with Denmark, said Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC).

There is a broad prospect for cooperation of mutual benefit between the two countries which have no fundamental conflict of interests and are highly complementary in their economies, he said.

"Both sides also share a common interest in safeguarding world peace and promoting mutual development."

Boosting China-Denmark relations not only conforms to the interest of both peoples but also contributes to the development of China's ties with the European nations, Wu said.

"The in-depth exchange between the NPC and the Danish parliament is an effective way to deepen political mutual trust and promote bilateral cooperation, as well as an important part of their bilateral ties," he said.

The NPC is willing to expand its cooperation with the Danish parliament and political parties and strengthen their exchanges in legislation so as to promote an all-round further development of the China-Denmark relations, the top Chinese legislator said.

During the meeting, Wu also answered questions concerning China's macro-economic policy, Taiwan, human rights and the Tibet issue.

As to the Taiwan issue, Wu said it is a problem left over from a civil war. The issue falls into China's domestic affairs and can only be solved by the Chinese themselves, he said.

Wu stressed there is but one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and the truth is widely recognized by the international community. Our basic principle to resolve the Taiwan issue is "peaceful reunification, and one country two systems," he said.

China will show the greatest sincerity and make its biggest efforts to realize the peaceful reunification, and will actively promote, together with the Taiwan compatriots, across-Straits exchanges of personnel as well as in economic, cultural and other fields, he added.

"No one is absolutely allowed to split Taiwan from China by any means and we are serious on this issue," Wu said.

Wu also expressed appreciation for Denmark's adherence to the one-China policy, saying it is the political foundation for developing bilateral ties.

As to the Tibet issue, Wu said the most barbarian and darkest serf system was practiced in Tibet before its liberation in 1951. Tibet's economy has made notable progress since then and Tibetans can enjoy abundant freedom in their religious beliefs, Wu said.

"The difference between us and the Dalai Lama is neither an ethnic nor a religious issue, nor an issue concerning human rights," Wu said.

Instead, it is a fundamental issue of principle about whether the Dalai Lama recognizes Tibet is an inalienable part of China, and it is a political issue related to China's sovereignty and territory integration, he added.

Wu indicated that channels for contact with the Dalai Lama are always open. The basis for contact and talks with the Dalai Lama remains unchanged, namely that the Dalai Lama publicly declares Tibet is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory and stops all activities aimed at splitting the motherland and recognizes Taiwan as an inalienable part of China, he said.

On the subject of human rights, Wu said it is understandable that China might have different interpretations on the issue with Denmark as the two countries are quite different from each other in history, culture, values and development.

The Chinese government attaches great importance to the endurance and development of human rights and recognizes the universal principles on the issue, Wu said, adding that the human rights situation in China now is at its best in history.

The government of China -- a developing country with a population of 1.3 billion people -- first needs to solve problems concerning feeding, clothing, employing and educating people, Wu said.

The Chinese government also attaches great importance to its cooperation with the rest of the world on the issue of human rights, Wu said, adding that the exchange of views and cooperation between China and Denmark in the field of human rights and administration of justice have been fruitful.

So far, China and Europe have conducted 17 rounds of dialogues on human rights and the National People's Congress of China has already ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, said Wu.

The top Chinese legislator also disclosed that the Chinese government is positively studying the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights and related issues and the NPC will also make a decision to ratify it when the conditions are ripe.

On the construction of a democratic and legal system in China, Wu said China has been carrying out comprehensive reforms in all fields, including active and steady efforts to promote the reform of the political system, and development of a socialist legal system.

Wu said the past 25 years since the adoption of the policy of economic reform and opening to the outside world has been a period of continuing improvement of the democratic and legal systems. For example, the Chinese Constitution provides for governance of the country by law. In a constitutional amendment earlier this year, such provisions as "the state shall respect and safeguard human rights" and "the lawful private property of citizens may not be violated" were written into the new constitution.

The Chinese government sticks to the governance theory of putting the people first and strives for the coordinating development of material, political and spiritual civilizations of China.

Mejdahl said as China and Denmark are different countries, they may face different problems, therefore they may have different approaches and ways of settling problems. Over recent years, China has achieved rapid economic development. Denmark pays attention to the development and changes taking place in China and attaches importance to the development of bilateral ties.

Wu invited Mejdahl to visit China at his convenience and Mejdahl accepted.

He welcomed the upcoming tour by the diplomatic policy commission of Denmark's parliament, Wu said.

Wu arrived in Copenhagen on Monday after visits to Russia and Bulgaria in his four-nation trip that will also take him to Norway.

(Xinhua News Agency June 2, 2004)