US President Meets Chinese Vice Premier

US President George W. Bush said Thursday that he is willing to work together with China to further bilateral relations in the new century.

In a meeting with visiting Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen at the White House, Bush said he has accepted an invitation from Chinese President Jiang Zemin to attend the Informal Leadership Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum scheduled to be held in Shanghai this fall and then visit Beijing.

Bush said he looks forward to seeing the modernization that has taken place in China and most of all looks forward to getting to know the leaders of China and holding face-to-face meeting with them.

China is a great country with vast potential, the US president said. The two countries can find agreements in many areas but also have some differences on certain issues and therefore it is very important for the two sides to have face-to-face dialogue on the basis of mutual respect, he added.

Bush also expressed support for China's early accession into the World Trade Organization.

Qian said his US visit is aimed at implementing important consensus reached by presidents of the two countries to further promote bilateral relations.

The Chinese government and leaders, which attach great importance to relations with the United States, have always viewed and handled the bilateral ties in a long-term and strategic perspective, the vice premier said.

He said that to maintain the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries is not only in the common interests of the two peoples, but also conducive to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the world as a whole.

Qian believed that differences between China and the US will not hinder bilateral cooperation so long as both sides respect each other and seek common ground while shelve differences.

During the talks, Qian conveyed best regards from President Jiang and Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, saying that President Jiang looks forward to meeting Bush first at the APEC gathering in Shanghai and then in Beijing.

In return, Bush asked Qian to pass on his regards to President Jiang and Premier Zhu.

Qian, who arrived in the United States on Sunday for a week-long visit, also met on Thursday with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.






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