From March 18 to 22, Richard Holbrooke, U.S. Representative to the United Nations, visited China. President Jiang Zemin, Vice Premier Qian Qichen, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, and Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with Mr. Holbrooke respectively. Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya held talks with Mr. Holbrooke on the UN and other issues. From March 28 to 30, Samuel Berger, Assistant to the U.S. President for National Security, visited China. President Jiang Zemin, Premier Zhu Rongji, Vice Premier Qian Qichen, and Minister in charge of the Foreign Affairs Office of the CPC Central Committee Liu Huaqiu met with him respectively. Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan held talks with him. Mr. Berger stated during the meetings and talks that the U.S. sticks to its "One China" policy, observes the three China-U.S. Joint communiqués, and does not support the independence of Taiwan, does not support "Two Chinas" or "One China, One Taiwan", and does not support Taiwan's entry into any international organization where statehood is required. On April 8, Thomas Pickering, U.S. Under Secretary of State, called in Mr. Li Zhaoxin, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S., and informed him of the result of the accountability review by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency(CIA) concerning the U.S. bombing of the Chinese Embassy in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The U.S. side only admitted that it used an inappropriate methodology to locate the target and that the review process at every level failed to find the mistake. The U.S. side sanctioned eight CIA officers involved, with one of them fired. On April 10, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman made comments that the U.S. explanation is not "tenable". On the same day, Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya summoned the U.S. Ambassador to strongly demand that the U.S. Government conduct a comprehensive and thorough investigation into its bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia, bring the perpetrators to justice, and give the Chinese Government and people a satisfactory explanation. On May 28, President Jiang Zemin had a phone talk with President Clinton and discussed Sino-U.S. Relations and other issues. From June 22 to 23, U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright visited China. President Jiang Zemin, Premier Zhu Rongji and Vice Premier Qian Qichen met with her respectively. Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan held talks with her. She stated during the talks and meetings that the U.S. Government understands the importance and sensitivity of the Taiwan question, and it adheres to its "One China" Policy and observes the three China-U.S. Joint communiqués, and does not support the independence of Taiwan, does not support "Two Chinas" or "One China, One Taiwan", and does not support Taiwan's entry into any international organization where statehood is required. From July 7 to 8, John Holum, U.S. Under Secretary of State, visited China and held consultations with Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya on arms control and nonproliferation. On July 28, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan met with U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright during the Foreign Ministers Meeting of ASEAN Regional Forum in Bankok. On September 8, President Jiang Zemin and President Bill Clinton held an official meeting during the UN Summit Meeting in New York, and had an in-depth exchange of views on Sino-U.S. relations and major international and regional issues of mutual interest. On the same day, President Jiang Zemin participated a Luncheon sponsored by a few friendly organizations including the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, and delivered an important speech on Sino-U.S. relations. Meanwhile, Vice Premier Qian Qichen, who accompanied President Jiang Zemin during his visit, met with U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright, Assistant to the U.S. President for National Security Affairs Samuel Berger, and U.S. Representative to UN Richard Holbrooke. On September 14, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan held talks with U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright during the UN General Assembly. From October 22 to 29, at the invitation of U.S. Under Secretary of State Thomas Pickering, Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi visited the U.S. for the Sino-U.S. Vice-Foreign-Ministerial Consultation. On November 15, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan met with U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright in Brunei. On November 16, President Jiang Zemin and President Bill Clinton held an official meeting during the APEC Informal Leadership Meeting in Brunei, and exchanged views on Sino-U.S. relations, the Taiwan question and China's entry into the World Trade Organization, etc. On the same day, Vice Premier Qian Qichen, who accompanied President Jiang Zemin during his visit, met with U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright and Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Samuel Berger, in Brunei. On December 14, President Jiang Zemin and Vice President Hu Jintao sent congratulatory messages to the U.S. Republican Presidential candidate George W. Bush and Vice-Presidential candidate Richard Cheney respectively for their election as President and Vice President of the United States. On December 15, the U.S. Congress passed the "Omnibus Appropriation Act" providing for compensation of 28 million dollars for the property loss and damage suffered by China as a result of the U.S. bombing of the Chinese Embassy in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. On December 17, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan sent a congratulatory message to Collin Powell for his nomination as Secretary of State of the new administration of the United States.

(Source: website of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs)