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)
