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China's Top Legislator Meets IPU President
Li Peng, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC), said that China places great importance on the Inter-Parliamentary Union's role, and actively participates in its activities.
While meeting with Najma Heptulla, president of the Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Li called the IPU an important international parliamentary organization. He said that the IPU has worked together with the United Nations on some important international issues in recent years, thus increasing the body's influence.
He said that the Conference of Presiding Officers of National Parliaments, to be held in the U.N. headquarters starting in late August, will be an important event, and he will lead an NPC delegation to the gathering, and work with Heptulla to ensure its success.
Li added that the Chinese side has put forth some constructive proposals, including equal sovereignty, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, respecting every country's people's choices and safeguarding the authority of the U.N.
He expressed the hope that these basic norms governing international relations will be reflected in the final document of the conference's declaration.
Heptulla, who arrived in Beijing earlier Friday on a five-day official good-will visit to China, said that this is her fourth visit to China. She is here to exchange views with Li on how to ensure the success of the conference. She praised the Chinese NPC's participation in the IPU, and said she hopes that the NPC will play an even greater role in it.
She said that she has paid close attention to China's suggestions for the declaration, and will make efforts to address China's concerns in the forthcoming conference and the millennium summit of heads of state to be held in September.
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