Sino-US Ties Improving: President Jiang

Chinese President Jiang Zemin Meets Powell

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The Sino-US relations are improving and China and the United States should make joint efforts to promote world peace and development, said Chinese President Jiang Zemin Saturday afternoon in Beijing.

Jiang made the remarks when meeting visiting US Secretary of State Colin Powell at the Great Hall of the People.

During the meeting, Powell conveyed US President George W. Bush's greetings to Jiang. Jiang extended thanks for the greetings and asked Powell to pass on his regards to Bush.

Jiang said the Sino-US ties are improving and he is looking forward to President Bush's China tour this autumn.

Since 1972 when China and the United States began to open door to each other, the Sino-US ties have yielded historic results in diversified fields, from which both Chinese and American people as well as people all over the world have benefited, Jiang said.

Jiang said that the United States is the biggest developed country in the world, while China is the biggest developing country. Therefore, both countries should assume a long-term perspective to promote the world peace and development in the new century.

The world is colorful and diversified. Various civilizations and social systems will co-exist in a long run and they should learn from each other and seek common development while putting aside their differences, which is of vital importance to world peace, stability and development in the new century, Jiang said.

Jiang reiterated the principled stance of the Chinese government on the Taiwan issue.

China will continue to abide by the basic guideline of " peaceful reunification and one country, two systems" framed up by late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, Jiang said, adding that people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are all Chinese and no one else would be more wishful than the Chinese government to resolve the Taiwan issue through peaceful means.

As long as the Taiwan authority accepts the "one China" principle, we can hold talks on any issue, Jiang said.

The three Sino-US joint communiques are the basic framework for handling the Sino-US relations and the Taiwan issue, Jiang said, noting that the Sino-US relations could be developed on a healthy track as long as the principles set in the three joint communiques are honored.

Powell said that President Bush is looking forward to the face-to-face meeting with Jiang in autumn, which will be aimed at seeking dialogue and cooperation. The United States wishes to develop a constructive relationship with China.

Powell said he believes that enhancing exchanges of high-level visits between the two countries is of vital importance. He invited Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan to visit Washington after Tang attends the United Nations Assembly session in New York in September.

China's policy of reform and opening up has brought about tremendous benefits to the people, the United States wishes to see continued development and progress of China and it wishes to seek mutual improvement through cooperation, Powell said.

On the Taiwan issue, Powell stressed that the Bush administration, just like its predecessors in the past three decades, will continue to abide by the "one China" policy.

Jiang and Powell also exchanged views on other issues of common concern during the meeting.