Interview: NPC official on Stevens' China tour

President pro tempore of the US Senate Ted Stevens' China tour is a significant event in the exchanges between the two congresses, said Jiang Enzhu, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Foreign Affairs Committee.

The visit bodes well for regular contact and dialogue between the two congresses and will promote the Sino-US relations, Jiang said during an interview with Xinhua after Stevens' delegation left Beijing Wednesday for Gansu Province and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China.

The exchange program was initiated by China's top legislature and the US Senate at the end of 2003. China reacted positively after the US Senate approved the proposal advanced by Stevens and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist to establish an exchange program with the NPC, Jiang said.

Sheng Huaren, vice-chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, went to Hawaii on Jan. 1 to meet with Stevens, and the two agreed to set up an exchange group, with Sheng as chairman of the Chinese group and Stevens as chairman of the US one.

The United States stressed repeatedly that the US Senate established such programs with only a few nations, Jiang said.

The NPC and the House of Representatives set up a similar program in 1999. The exchange mechanism between the NPC and the US Senate was another important step forward in the progress of exchanges and cooperation between the two nations.

Chinese leaders attached great importance to Stevens' China tour, which was the highest US congressional delegation to China in seven years.

During Stevens' stay in Beijing, President Hu Jintao, Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao met or held talks with his delegation. Sheng presided over three working talks jointly with Stevens.

Stevens' delegation consists of such important members as Frist and the committee chairmen of funds allocation, intelligence, energy, agriculture and commerce. Stevens himself used to fight against Japan with the Chinese people during the anti-Japanese war, and Frist led a delegation to China in April, 2003 when severe acute respiratory syndrome was rampant.

The meetings and talks involved a series of problems of common concern, and were undertaken in a friendly, frank and concrete atmosphere, Jiang said. Mutual understanding was enhanced through discussions of both shared viewpoints and disputes, he said.

The two sides exchanged views extensively on the Sino-US relations, international and regional affairs, Sino-US trade and economic relations and other issues of shared concern, such as the Taiwan issue.

The two sides spoke positively of the 25-year progress of bilateral ties, stressing that China and the United States are among the world's most influential nations, and the development of bilateral ties is conducive not only to the interests of the two peoples, but also to the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large, Jiang said.

China stressed that the Taiwan issue is the most important, most sensitive issue in Sino-US relations, as it concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and concerns the fundamental interest of the Chinese people.

China will try its best to solve the Taiwan issue peacefully, but will never tolerate Taiwan independence or allow anyone to split Taiwan from China through any measures.

China urged the United States to honor its promises on the Taiwan issue, adhere to the one-China policy, observe the three Sino-US joint communiques, oppose Taiwan independence, and not send wrong signals to the Taiwan authorities.

The United States reiterated the stands taken by President George W. Bush and the US Administration on the issue.

China also expressed its standpoint on the constitutional system of Hong Kong, stressing that Hong Kong affairs are internal ones. The United States appreciated the introduction by the Chinese side on relevant policies in Hong Kong, saying that the information helped them understand more about Hong Kong, the NPC official said.

The two sides exchanged views on the trade and economic relations of the two nations. They both agreed that trade and economic cooperation between the two nations played an important

role in bilateral ties, and the two nations should properly deal with possible disputes and friction in friendly and cooperative ways.

They also exchanged views on issues including the Korean nuclear issue, the Iraq issue, anti-terrorism, non-proliferation and the situations in the Middle East and Africa. They held that consultations and cooperation in these fields should be strengthened, Jiang said. The two sides achieved consensus on future operation of the exchange mechanism. They agreed to undertake regular exchanges and make efforts to promote the multi-level exchanges between the NPC and the US Congress and take concrete steps to enrich the content of the exchange program.

The two sides agreed that Sheng Huaren will lead a delegation to visit the United States at a proper time next year for the second round of the working talks, according to Jiang.

Source: Xinhua