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Jiang, Clinton Confer Over Phone on Sino-US Relations
President Jiang Zemin expressed his appreciation for the great efforts made by people of insight from all walks of life in the United States, including those in the Democratic and Republican parties, especially President Bill Clinton, to realize Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with China.
It is wise for the US House of Representatives to pass the PNTR bill, though the bill contains some articles that China can not accept, Jiang said tonight in a phone conversation with Clinton. "I believe that an early settlement of the PNTR status for China will serve to promote Sino-US economic and trade relations and bilateral ties as a whole, is in the fundamental interests of both countries, and is the common aspiration of the people of the two countries," he said.
Jiang said that though Sino-US relations have witnessed ups and downs since he and President Clinton met for the first time in Seattle almost eight years ago, bilateral relations, on the whole, have been steadily improving and developing.
Facts have proven that the choice that the two countries have made is correct, and complies with the common interests of the people of both countries as well as the trend of times, he said. At the dawn of the new century, Jiang said, it is essential for the two countries to make unremitting efforts to ensure the smooth and stable development of Sino-US relations, which he believes has an important and positive impact on peace, stability and development in the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large.
Undoubtedly, the key for achieving this objective is to properly handle the Taiwan issue, Jiang said.
President Clinton voiced pleasure over the passage of the bill on keeping Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with China by the US House of Representatives.
He said that both he himself and the US government have worked hard for it, noting that during the past eight years, President Jiang and he himself have been working to improve and develop bilateral relations.
Clinton said he believes that the settlement of the PNTR status will further strengthen the foundation of US-China relations. The US government will try its best to work for the passage of the bill in the Senate "as quickly as possible", he said.
The United States government will continue to firmly observe the one China policy, Clinton said.
The two presidents are looking forward to meeting again in the United Nations Millennium Summit scheduled to be held in September.
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