Chinese premier answers questions from US teenagers

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, March 14, 2004

Chinese premier answers questions from US teenagers

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, in an unprecedented move, has answered questions from teenage students from the United States.

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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, in an unprecedented move, has answered questions from teenage students from the United States.

In his opening remarks at a press conference held in Beijing right after the annual session of China's top legislature, Premier Wen mentioned the questions he received via CRI from students at the Capital City High School in Kansas.

Some of these questions concern the March meetings of the National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, such as how China's political system works for the good of the people of China, and if the NPC and CPPCC are the mechanisms by which China guarantees due process and protection for all.

Understanding China is becoming increasingly important, because the country is playing an ever greater role in the international political arena. A 16-year-old student hopes the Chinese premier can expound on China's rise to world prominence in the areas of economy and space.

Ever since the September 11 attacks, issues of national security have been of great concern for Americans. The American students want to compare the US response to terrorism with that of China. The students ask questions such as, "How do you deal with terrorists in China? Is it legal to carry guns in China? What is the punishment for getting caught with a gun in China?"

Another 16-year-old student asks the premier why the crime rate in China is so much lower than in the United States.

In terms of international issues, the US students are most interested in China's bilateral relations with Russia and North Korea, both of which attended the just concluded second round of six-party talks in Beijing on the Korean Peninsula Nuclear Issue.

Two students ask, "How are China's relations with Russia different from 30 to 50 years ago"and "Are relations with Russia better than they were 30 to 40 years ago?"

Meanwhile, a 15-year-old would like to know how the Chinese premier feels about the Korean Peninsular nuclear development, whereas another student wants to know whether China fears North Korea's nuclear abilities.

As the bird flu outbreak in Asia is not yet under control, a 16-year-old asks the Chinese premier whether he is scared of Bird Flu and what he is doing about it.

Some students hope the premier can tell them his impressions of US President George W. Bush and former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Others are curious about the Chinese premier's private life, inquiring about his favorite food, favorite animal and favorite sport.

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