Chinese Foreign Minister Hosts New Year Reception ����Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said that China is willing to further the friendly and cooperative relations with other countries in the coming new year. ����Tang made the remarks at the annual New Year reception in Beijing on the evening of December 30 in honor of diplomatic envoys, representatives of international organizations and their spouses residing in China. ����Vice-Premier Qian Qichen, his wife Zhou Hanqiong and other senior Chinese officials attended the reception. ����"The year 1998 is an unusual year for China. In face of the Asian and the subsequent global economic turbulence, we have maintained political and social stability and achieved a steady economic growth," he said. ����Moreover, China won a victory over the devastating floods, he said, adding that the campaign demonstrated the strong will and great cohesion of the Chinese nation. ����In 1998, according to the foreign minister, China also actively pursued an all-round independent foreign policy of peace and strengthened and developed cooperation and friendly relations with other countries. ����Tang said with the arrival of the year 1999, the new century is to come soon. "At the turn of the century, the multi-polarization and economic globalization will develop further in a world, which is full of hopes and also faced with grave challenges. ����"In the coming year, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the resumption of exercise of sovereignty over Macao," he said. ����"The Chinese government will continue its reform and opening-up drive and as always pursue an independent foreign policy of peace," he said. ����According to the foreign minister, China wishes to further strengthen and develop friendly and cooperative relations with other countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, and continue its unremitting efforts to safeguard world peace and promote the common development for mankind. ���� HomeNews 1999-01-04 Page4 Full Story in Chinese