Jiang Meets Daley on Sino-US Trade Relations

Chinese President Meets US Commerce Secretary

Chinese President Jiang Zemin April 6 urged the United States to properly handle the issue of granting China permanent normal trade relations (PNTR).

Jiang made the remarks in his meeting with visiting US Commerce Secretary William Daley.

The proper solution to the PNTR issue "is in the interests of both China and the U.S.," Jiang said. The mutual granting of the most-favored nation status forms "one of the essential principles of the World Trade Organization," he pointed out. "China will, as always, make an active contribution to the healthy development of the world economy and trade," he added.

Daley told Jiang that the U.S. government values very much its ties with China and actively works for the continuous growth of U. S.-China relations.

He said that U.S.-China economic and trade cooperation is absolutely conducive to the prosperity and development of both U.S. and China and in the interests of the two peoples.

He said the Clinton administration will make efforts to push the Congress to approve the PNTR bill so as to ensure the sound development of U.S.-China trade relations.

During the meeting, Jiang welcomed Daley to visit China, who thanked Jiang and conveyed U.S. President Bill Clinton's regards to him.

In return, Jiang asked Daley to convey his regards to President Clinton.

Jiang said that Sino-U.S. relations are facing opportunities and challenges, and for the fundamental interests of the peoples of the two countries, both sides should ascend a height to enjoy a distant view, enhance mutual understanding and increase cooperation and work hard to push forward the continuous development of the relations between the two countries.

Daley is here for the 13th Session of the Sino-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade.

Among those present at the meeting were State Councilor Wu Yi, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Shi Guangsheng, vice-foreign minister Yang Jiechi, and U.S. ambassador to China Joseph Prueher.

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