China and US Hold Vice-Ministerial-Level Political ConsultationChina and the United States concluded a vice-ministerial-level political consultation on Tuesday, with both sides vowing to further improve relations between the two countries.During the two-day dialogue, Yang Jiechi, Vice Minister of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, met with Assistant to the President on National Security Affairs Samuel R. Berger, Acting Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, Under Secretary of State Thomas R. Pickering, Under Secretary of Defense Walter B. Slocombe, and Assistant to the Vice President on National Security Affairs Leon S. Fuerth. Also present at the meetings was Chinese Ambassador to the United States Li Zhaoxing. The two sides reviewed the progress China and the United States have made in bilateral relations since the beginning of this year. Both sides believe that the meeting between President Jiang Zemin and President Bill Clinton during the United Nations Millennium Summit in New York City last September has yielded positive results. The two sides pledged to prepare another summit for the two leaders during the upcoming annual meeting of the Asia and Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), to be held in Brunei in November. They hope another summit would promote further development of Sino-US relations. The Chinese side stressed that handling the Taiwan issue on the basis of the three China-US joint communiques is vital to the Sino-US relationship. The US side reaffirmed it position, saying that the American government will continue to adhere to the one-China policy. The two sides also compared notes on international and regional issues of common concern. |
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