Chinese President Hu Jintao told a US Senate delegation Tuesday
afternoon that China's stance on the Taiwan issue is unalterable
and clear.
The US side should keep its promises on the Taiwan issue and
send no wrong signals to the Taiwan authorities, he said.
Hu made the remarks when meeting with Ted Stevens, president pro
tempore of the Senate of the United States, who arrived in Beijing
Sunday for an eight-day official goodwill visit.
Hu said that different histories, cultural traditions, social
systems and values between China and the United States should not
prevent both sides from strengthening exchanges and communications,
and increasing understanding and friendship on the basis of mutual
respect and equal treatment.
To develop a healthy and stable China-US relationship is not
only in the fundamental interests of both peoples, but also of
great importance to world peace, stability and development, said
Hu.
Hu said the Chinese side is willing to work with the US side to
expand consensus, seek common points while reserving differences,
remove interference and strengthen cooperation in a bid to further
promote the China-US constructive partnership.
Hu said that the stance of the Chinese government on the Taiwan
issue is unalterable and clear.
He said the Chinese government is glad to see that US president
Bush and other US leaders had clearly reiterated their stance on
the Taiwan issue, which is adhering to the “one-China” policy,
observing the three China-US joint communiques, and opposing the
independence of Taiwan.
China hopes the US side will keep its promises on the issue,
translate its commitments into concrete actions, and send no wrong
signals to the Taiwan independence forces, Hu said.
Hu said that to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial
integrity, and to realize at an early date a completely reunified
motherland, is the common will and strong decision cherished by the
1.3 billion Chinese people.
Hu said he believed that the American people, who once also
suffered wars for the US reunification and independence, would
understand the strong national will of the Chinese people. He also
said he hoped the US Congress would play a positive role in this
aspect.
Stevens said the US Senate has sent its highest-ranking
delegation to visit China and the visit officially launched the
exchange mechanism between the US Senate and China's National
People's Congress (NPC), showing that the US side attaches great
importance to its relationship with China.
He added that his current visit will surely be conducive to the
further development of US-China ties.
Stevens said all his party believed that both the United States
and China shoulder great responsibility in maintaining the peace
and stability of the Asia-Pacific region and even of the world.
It is of great importance to continuously develop the US-China
constructive partnership, said Stevens.
He reiterated that the United States will stick to the
“one-China” policy, which is the commitment of the United States on
the Taiwan issue.
Stevens and his party were invited to China as the guests of
China's top legislator Wu Bangguo, chairman of the NPC Standing
Committee.
On Monday, Stevens had formal talks respectively with
vice-chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Sheng Huaren and
Wu.
(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2004)