Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan held talks with the United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan on November 16. Both sides exchanged views on a number of topics, including global and regional issues, the role of the UN, and China's cooperation with the UN.

Tang pointed out that the UN, as the most representative inter- government organization in the world, can never be absent in its role to safeguard world peace and security. Although the world has undergone dramatic changes over the past fifty years since the UN' s founding, the gist and principles of the UN Charter are never out of date, Tang said.

At present, the gist and principles of the UN Charter should be reinforced rather than weakened in order to maintain world peace and stability and protect the rights and interests of all countries, especially weaker ones, he added.

Tang also touched upon the relations between human rights and national sovereignty, an issue commonly concerned by members of the present UN General Assembly, pointing out that all countries should conduct dialogue and cooperation based on equality and mutual respect.

China opposes the action to politicize the human rights issue, and is especially opposed to interfering into the internal affairs of developing countries in the name of human rights, Tang said, particularly referring to the so called "humanitarian intervention " without the authorization of the UN Security Council and the consent of countries concerned.

A country's national sovereignty serves to protect human rights, Tang said, stressing the necessity to adhere to the basic principle of equality, mutual respect and non-interference into each other's internal affairs, which governs state-to-state relations.

Tang voiced satisfaction over China's sound cooperation with the UN in recent years, Annan's support of the "one China" policy as well as his efforts in safeguarding the UN Charter and the UN resolution No.2758.

Tang expressed the conviction that the UN secretary-general will uphold justice and take effective measures to prevent any actions violating the UN Charter.

Annan congratulated China for reaching agreement with the US on its entry into the WTO, noting this would benefit not only China, but also the whole world.

Annan gave a briefing on the UN's efforts to settle regional thorny issues like Iraq and East Timor, and spoke highly of China' s active role and strong support in related UN activities.

The UN would continue to pursue the "one China" policy as put forth in the UN resolution No.2758, Annan said, expressing the hope that China will realize peaceful reunification sooner than later. Annan also congratulated the Chinese on Macao's impending return to China's sovereignty.

Tang and Annan met with the press after their talks and both commented on their productive two hour meeting.