US willing to boost cooperation, reduce differences with China: Rice

During the past 24 hours, Chinese leaders met respectively with visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and both sides voiced willingness to increase cooperation and to reduce differences on issues such as Taiwan and DPRK nuclear weapons.

"The United States hopes to see a confident and prosperous China and is ready to join hands with China in exploring new fields of cooperation and boosting relations," Rice said in her meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

"China and the United States are playing pragmatic and prudent tunes," said Wang Jisi, a leading Chinese expert on Sino-US relations with China Academy of Social Sciences.

"The two sides try to share recognition and respect for each other's international status quo and strategic interests, and make efforts to seek common ground in their differences", Wang said.

Chinese president Hu Jintao said in his meeting with Rice that China is willing to work with all concerned parties in the six-party talks on the "nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula," including the United States, to resume the talks at an early date.

He said China, while insisting that the Korean Peninsula should be nuclear weapons-free, is "devoting itself to solving the nuclear issue through the six-party talks, and to safeguarding peace and stability there." He said China's stance was "firm and unshakable."

Rice told reporters that China has a special role to play in the talks because it has the "closest relationship with North Korea." She said that in her discussion with Chinese leaders, the "strong emphasis of the conversation" was on how each government, especially China's, could help resume the six-party talks as soon as possible.

Rice expressed the United States' concern about China's recently passed Anti-Seccession Law. Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao, State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, made explanations in their respective meetings with Rice in attempts to soothe US worries.

Hu said that properly handling "the Taiwan question" remains key to the sound and steady development of Sino-US relations. The Anti-Secession Law, he said, "aims to promote the development of relations across the Taiwan Straits, push forward a peaceful reunification, oppose and curb 'Taiwan independence' and safeguard peace and stability across the Straits."

Premier Wen said that the secessionist activities of the Taiwan independence forces have posed the biggest threat to the peace and stability across the Straits, expressing his hope that the US would understand, respect and support China's legislation.

Rice said it conforms with US interests to maintain tranquillity across the Taiwan Straits and to solve the Taiwan

question peacefully, and the US government's position on pursuing the one-China policy and abiding by the three US-China joint communiques will not change.

At the following press conference, Rice reiterated that the United States remains absolutely committed to one-China policy, calling for the concerned two sides to take measures and demonstrate willingness to reduce tensions in cross-straits environment.

Rice said she made this China tour soon after she became US Secretary of State because of the US desire to promote a "very strong relationship" with China, which, obviously, received a positive response from Chinese leadership.

Hu said China and the United States share wide-ranging common interests and shoulder important responsibilities, and they can realize a "win-win result of mutual benefit" through cooperation.

He said China-US ties should be "pushed to a higher level."

The two large trade partners did not neglect to discuss their trade conflicts, while putting a positive spin on the cooperation situation.

Wu Yi, Chinese Vice Premier in charge of China's trade affairs, told Rice that Sino-US economic and trade cooperation constitutes an important basis and a strong driving force for the steady growth of bilateral relations, and that China remains quite alert to the trade deficit with the United States.

The two countries "should treasure the hard-won result of bilateral economic and trade cooperation and properly handle their disputes with a long-term perspective on the principles of equality, reciprocity and development," Wu said.

Many experts on China-US relations agree that China plays a significant role in current US foreign policy. In an era of accelerating globalization, China and the United States are sure to have more contacts and interactions in economy, culture, education, science and technology, public health, energy and environment.