Premier Wen
Jiabao said Sunday Sino-US relations are currently in a sound
momentum of development.
Wen made the remark during a meeting with visiting US Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice in Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of the
Chinese government in Beijing.
Wen said China and the US have carried out fruitful cooperation
in a wide range of fields. Noting that both China and the US are
countries of important influence in the world, Wen said it is the
strategic choice of both sides to safeguard and promote the healthy
and stable development of bilateral relations, which is in the
fundamental interests of the peoples of both countries and
conducive to peace, stability and prosperity of the world.
Wen said China is willing to further strengthen the constructive
and cooperative relations with the US on the basis of mutual
respect, equality and mutual benefits.
Wen specially made positive comments on the rapid expansion of
trade and economic links between China and the US.
He said mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation
between China and the US have not only brought huge benefits to the
peoples of both countries, but also promoted economic development
in both countries and even in the world. He said these things
constitute the mainstream of bilateral trade and economic
cooperation.
Wen also expressed the hope that the two countries should
strictly abide by relevant regulations of the World Trade
Organization (WTO) and observe the principle of "development,
equality and mutual benefits" to properly resolve problems in trade
and economic cooperation through equal dialogue and friendly
consultation, so as to realize a win-win situation in bilateral
trade and economic cooperation.
Wen stressed that China will insist on pursuing the route of
peaceful development.
He said China will focus on economic development in dealing with
domestic affairs and strive to achieve the goal of building a
relatively well-off society in all aspects.
Meanwhile, he said China will adhere to an independent and
peaceful foreign policy in dealing with international affairs.
China is trying to create a stable international environment
under which it can develop itself, Wen said. In the meantime, China
is promoting world peace and progress with its own development, Wen
said.
"China is not and will never interfere with?or threaten any
other countries," Wen said.
Wen and Rice also exchanged views on major regional and
international issues during their meeting.
President
Hu Jintao
also met with Rice on Sunday.
In his separate meeting on advancing Sino-US relations with Rice
on Sunday, Chinese Foreign Minister Li
Zhaoxing said that since the beginning of this year, both China
and the US have made active efforts to implement the consensus
reached by Chinese President Hu Jintao and US President George W.
Bush in Santiago last year, in a bid to push for a steady progress
of the constructive and cooperative relationship between the two
countries.
A few days ago, the two leaders had a friendly meeting in
Scotland, he said.
"We hope to carry out more dialogues, strengthen mutual trust
and cooperation with the US, but expel interference at the same
time, so as to safeguard the common interests of both countries and
make new progress in the Sino-US constructive and cooperative
relationship," Li said.
Li meanwhile pointed out that there are also some issues that
need to be handled with prudence in current bilateral relations,
citing that the situation across the Taiwan Straits remains
complicated and sensitive.
Li hoped the US can show its adherence to the one-China policy
through real actions and strictly abide by relevant
commitments.
Rice said the US and China have carried out fruitful cooperation
in a wide range of areas, but there are also some divergences.
She said the US expects mutual visits by heads of state within
this year, and they will make active preparations.
Rice said the US highly values and is committed to strengthening
dialogues with China. The US hopes to exchange views wit China on a
wide range of topics to enhance mutual understanding and expand
cooperation.
Rice also said that the US stance is firm on sticking to the
one-China policy and on abiding by the three joint communiqués of
the US and China. Li and Rice also exchanged views on the nuclear
issue of the Korean Peninsula, UN reform and other issues of common
concern.
Rice arrived in Beijing Saturday for a 20-hour visit to China,
the first leg of her Asian tour, which will also bring her to
Thailand, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK).
(Xinhua News Agency July 10, 2005)
