Jiang: China Never Gives in to Outside Pressure

President Jiang Met with Argentine Counterpart

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President Jiang Zemin said Monday in Buenos Aires that China "never gives in to any outside pressure on principle issues related to China's state sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Jiang made the remarks in his formal talks with Argentine President Fernando de la Rua during his state visit here.

Jiang stressed that "China adheres to an all-facet opening-up policy and is willing to undertake exchange and cooperation with all countries worldwide on the basis of equality and mutual benefit for common development."

According to Jiang, China has adopted an independent foreign policy for peace. "The essential goal of our foreign policy is to safeguard the independence of state sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity," he said.

China's foreign policy is also aimed at opposing hegemonism, maintaining world peace and promoting common development so as to seek a long-term, peaceful and stable international environment for China's reform, opening-up and modernization drive, he said.

In the talks, Jiang also put forward his analysis of the international situation and China's views on the situation.

"The international situation in general goes towards detente and the pursuit of peace and development has become the common aspiration of people worldwide," Jiang said.

He pointed out that there is still hegemonism and power politics, frequent regional conflicts derived from ethnic, religious and resource causes, and a number of universal problems, such as environment, drug and refugees. "Peace and development still face challenges," he commented.

On the setup of the new international political and economic order, Jiang pointed out that the order should be grounded on the Five-Principles of Peaceful Co-existence and other universally recognized norms governing international relations.

The Five-Principles of Peaceful Co-existence are mutual respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-aggression, non- interference of internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence.

China as a developing country is willing to make efforts for the lasting peace and prevailing prosperity along with other countries, including Argentina, Jiang said.

President De la Rua agreed with Jiang's analysis and said that Argentina is also committed to a peaceful and just world order. He also highly praised China's active role in international affairs.

Chinese-Argentine Ties Strategic for Both

President Jiang Zemin said here Monday that China and Argentina should review and handle the bilateral relations with strategic perspective so as to push such ties up to a new high in the new century.

"Argentina is among the first Latin American countries who forged diplomatic ties with China and now China's major economic and trade partner in Latin America," Jiang said. "The expansion of bilateral ties is conducive to the development of both and each's role in the international field," he added.

After expressing the attention by the Chinese government to developing bilateral relations, Jiang made a three-point proposal for its further growth.

Jiang said that both countries should enhance high-level reciprocal visits and contacts and expand exchanges at all levels.

He urged leaders of the two countries to often exchange views on major global and regional issues through reciprocal visits or communicate with the other via international activities or at other occasions.

The Chinese leader said that exchanges between the two countries' parliaments, political parties and local governments should also be expanded.

Jiang's second suggestion is to maintain the trade growth and increase mutual investment so as to upgrade economic cooperation. He also encouraged efforts to explore new areas for scientific and technological cooperation.

In his third proposal, Jiang suggested the two countries strengthen coordination and cooperation in the international affairs. "We share identical or similar views on major international issues so consolidated coordination and cooperation in such field can promote the world peace and development and contribute to the establishment of a just and rational international political and economic order," he said.

After expressing his welcome, De la Rua said Jiang's remarks bore far-reaching impact to the development of bilateral ties and the Argentine side held same opinion on these issues.

He said that he believed Jiang's visit would definitely promote bilateral cooperation in all fields, especially the economic and scientific areas.

After the talks, officials of both sides signed two agreements, one on bio-technologies and bio-security and the other on judiciary assistance on civil and commercial affairs.

Jiang arrived here, the second-leg of his six-nation Latin America tour, Saturday as guest of De la Rua.