Premier Wen: Handle China-US Relations with Strategic Foresight and Courage
President Bush:China and US are Partners in Diplomacy
US President George W. Bush held a 19-gun salute welcome ceremony on December 9, 2003 for visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao before the two leaders held talks at the White House.
At about 9:50 a.m. local time, national anthems of China and the United States were played on the White House South Lawn while 19 salute guns were fired just several hundred meters away.
Under a clear winter sky, Premier Wen walked down from the platform together with President Bush to review the guard of honor.
"Your visit reflects the increasing ties of cooperation and commerce between our two nations," Bush said as he welcomed Wen and his entourage.
"America and China share many common interests," Bush said, adding that the two countries are working together in the war on terror and are partners in diplomacy to meet the dangers of the 21st century.
On the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula, Bush said, "I am grateful for China's leadership in hosting the six-party talks, which are bringing us closer to a peaceful resolution of this issue."
"China's increasing prosperity has brought great benefits to the Chinese people and to China's trading partners around the world," Bush said. "My country looks forward to working with you as China increasingly takes its place among the leading nations of the world."
"The United States and China have made great progress in building a relationship that can address the challenges of our time, encourage global prosperity, and advance the cause of peace," Bush said.
In reply, Wen said, "I have brought with me the sincere greetings and good wishes of the great Chinese people to the great American people."
"In the past 25 years, our relations have stood all kinds of tests, moved forward through twists and turns, and made great progress," he said. "Our cooperation in a wide range of areas, such as counterterrorism, economy, trade, and international and regional issues, has effectively safeguarded our mutual interests and promoted peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large."
"At present, we are at a crucial juncture of carrying our relationship into the future, where we face both opportunities and challenges," Wen said.
"The fundamental interests of our two peoples and the people across the world require that China and the United States step up cooperation, increase mutual trust, and further push forward the constructive and cooperative bilateral relations," Wen said.
"In the final analysis, China-US relations must go on improving. It is with this earnest desire that I've come to visit your country."
"We should view and handle China-US relations in a historic perspective and with strategic foresight and courage. The three Sino-US Joint Communiques drawn up by our two sides set the guiding principles for appropriately addressing differences between the two countries and continuing to broaden bilateral exchanges and cooperation. So long as the two sides continue to strictly abide by the principles, as set forth in the three Sino-US Joint Communiques, and boost cooperation, our relationship will keep moving forward steadily," Wen said.
Wen, who started his four-day US visit on December 7, arrived in Washington on December 8 after a stopover in New York. He traveled on to the eastern US coastal city of Boston on December 10 before leaving for Canada to continue his four-nation tour.
Premier Wen: The Taiwan Authorities are Only Using Democracy as an Excuse
President Bush: The Comments and Actions Made by the Leader of Taiwan Indicate that He May be Willing to Make Decisions Unilaterally to Change the Status Quo, Which We Oppose
Premier Wen Jiabao held talks with the US President George W. Bush On December 9, 2003 during his official visit to the United States. The two leaders exchanged views on China-US relations and on regional and international issues of common concern.
Wen noted that President Jiang Zemin and President Bush set the objective of developing China-US constructive and cooperative relations in Shanghai in October 2001. "I am expecting to jointly push forward China-US relations in a sound and stable approach, and that's why it is with frank, cooperative and constructive attitude I pay this visit," the Premier said. Bush said that it is extremely important for the US and China to strengthen their cooperation and that he hoped bilateral constructive and cooperative relations could keep going on.
On the Taiwan question, Wen emphasized that the basic principle of China is "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems", and that China would try its best with utmost sincerity to achieve the peaceful reunification of the motherland. The Chinese government respects the desire of the people in Taiwan for democracy. But it must be pointed out that the Taiwan authorities, headed by Chen Shui-bian, are only using democracy as an excuse and attempt to resort to defensive referendum to break Taiwan away from China. To maintain peace and stability of the Straits is in the interests of the people on both sides of the Straits. Only when we strongly and unswervingly oppose the "Taiwan Independence" can we maintain peace and stability of the Straits. As long as there is a glimpse of hope, we would never forsake our efforts to maintain peace.
Bush noted that the US side understands the concern of the Chinese side, and that the US Government sticks to the one China policy, observes the three US-China joint communiqués and is against Taiwan independence, which will not change. When asked by a reporter at the end of their talks whether the US believes that the referendum planned by the Taiwanese on March 20th of next year should be cancelled, Bush said the "comments and actions made by the leader of Taiwan indicate that he may be willing to make decisions unilaterally to change the status quo, which we oppose."
On the DPRK nuclear issue, Bush extended his thanks to Wen for China's efforts to deliver the six-party talks on the nuclear issue, and said that the US is willing to carry on cooperation with the related parties for a peaceful solution. Wen noted that China advocates for a nuclear-weapon-free Peninsula and a peaceful solution of the DPRK nuclear issue through diplomatic means, to maintain peace and stability of the Peninsula. At the same time, DPRK's reasonable concern on security should also be addressed. The Chinese side will continue to step up cooperation with the related parties to promote the process of the six-way talks.
Premier Wen Put Forward Five Principles on China-US Economic and Trade Relations
Premier Wen and President Bush agreed in their talks that China-US economic and trade cooperation can bring about tremendous benefits for both peoples. It is simply natural to have some problems, which the two sides should address appropriately. Wen noted that the following five principles are of importance to ensure a sustainable and sound development of China-US economic and trade relations.
First, strengthen cooperation, and achieve mutual benefit and a win-win position.
Second, attach paramount importance to development, and solve the trade deficit through continuous consolidation of economic and trade cooperation. China hopes the US would lift restrictions on its exports to China.
Third, establish and improve economic and trade coordination mechanism.
Fourth, solve problems through consultation on an equal footing, instead of imposing restriction at will.
Fifth, not to politicize economic and trade issues.
Bush echoed Wen on these principles. He said that China has an eye-catching fast economic growth rate and the powerful development of China-US economic and trade relations is in the fundamental interests of both sides.
The two leaders agreed to upgrade the level of the China-US Joint Committee on Commerce and Trade, with Vice Premier Wu Yi as the Chairwoman from the Chinese side, and US Commerce Secretary Don Evans and Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick as Co-chairmen from the US side. The Committee will hold a meeting next spring.
Premier Wen expounded the five principles on China-US economic and trade relations to the American Bankers' Association in New York on December 8. "The core elements of these principles are development, equality, and mutual benefit. Development is our driving force, equality the premise, and mutual benefit our goal. This, in my opinion, also serves the need for a constructive and cooperative relationship to which both sides are committed," he said.
Wen explained that "by putting development first, we mean to take a forward-looking approach that allows us to narrow the trade gap through continued expansion of two-way trade."
"We do not go after an increase of US trade deficit with China. But reducing Chinese exports to the US is no good answer, for so doing serves neither China nor the US in solving its unemployment problem. Instead, it will seriously harm the interests of millions of American consumers and US firms operating in China. A more realistic solution is for the US to expand its export to China," Wen said.
He said China on its part has demonstrated the utmost sincerity and made its greatest effort by substantially increasing import of farm products and machinery from the US, and placing more purchasing orders for needed American commodities.
He expressed the hope that the US will recognize China's market economy status, and lift its export restrictions on high-tech products. "I ardently hope that the relevant US departments will make a clean break with those obsolete concepts and anachronistic practices, and throw them into the Pacific Ocean, so as to boldly keep pace with the times," he said.
Premier Wen: China's Peaceful Rise Relies on Its Own Efforts for Development
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao stressed in Harvard University on December10 that the essence of China's road to peaceful rise lies on its own efforts for development.
"China is a large developing country. It is neither proper nor possible for us to rely on foreign countries for development. We must, and we can only, rely on our own efforts," Wen Jiabao said in a speech delivered at Harvard University.
While opening still wider to the outside world, he said, China must more fully and more consciously depend on its own structural innovation, on constantly expanding the domestic market, on converting the huge savings of the citizens into investment, and on improving the quality of the population and scientific and technological progress to solve the problems of resources and environment.
This is the essence of China's road to peaceful rise and development, said the Chinese premier, who arrived in the northeast US port city earlier in the day, the last stop of his four-day official visit to the country.
"China today is a country in reform and opening-up and a rising power dedicated to peace," he emphasized. "China will continue to be a big country tomorrow that loves peace and has a great deal to look forward to."
In his speech, Wen expressed confidence that the Chinese Government and people can overcome all difficulties and achieve their ambitious modernization goals, under which China will become a medium-developed nation by the mid of the century.
He listed four favorable factors for China to carry out its modernization plan, which include a global trend toward peace and development, vitality of socialism China adheres to, tremendous economic achievements China has made, and the nation's rich cultural reserves.
China's development is blessed with "a rare period of strategic opportunities," he said. "We are determined to secure a peaceful international environment and a stable domestic environment in which to concentrate on our own development and, with it, to help promote world peace and development."
Twenty-five years of reform and opening-up has given China a considerable material accumulation and its economy has gained a foothold in the world, he noted.
China Signs Multi-Billion-Dollar Contracts with US Companies
In a major effort to boost the US export, China signed two contracts on Nov.13 with US companies for the purchase of billions of dollars worth of planes and aircraft engines.
Five Chinese airlines have decided to order 30 Next-Generation 737 jets valued at about 1.7 billion US dollars. The planes are scheduled to be delivered in 2005 and 2006 to Air China, Hainan Airlines, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines and Xiamen Airlines.
The Chinese AVIC I Commercial Aircraft Co. Ltd. also inked a deal with GE Aircraft Engines to supply GE engines for ARJ21, China's new regional jet aircraft now under development and slated for flight-testing in 2006.
Representatives from the two companies predicted that 500 ARJ aircraft will be produced in China over the next 20 years, creating approximately 3 billion dollars of business for GE engines.
The two aviation contracts are just part of a series of deals China is to make for purchasing US goods, said Zhang Guobao, vice chairman of China's National Development and Reform Commission who is leading a Chinese delegation to the United States. The contracts were signed at the US Department of Commerce.
China also plans to import a large amount of US agricultural products, Cadillac cars and auto components, as well as telecommunication equipment, he said.
These purchases are a proof that "China is making great efforts to expand its import from the United States to reduce the trade imbalance between the two countries," the Chinese official noted.
US Secretary of Commerce Donald L. Evans also hailed the new contracts.
"They will generate corporate revenue, and they will support high-tech manufacturing jobs in many American communities. This will have a tremendous ripple effect throughout the economy," Evans said at the signing ceremony.
China Signs $1.6 Billion Deal with US
China signed contracts with the United States on December 18 to import US soybeans and eletronic-mechanical equipment, a measure that would add substance to a consensus reached earlier this month.
The consensus, between Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and US President George W. Bush, is on strengthening economic and trade relations between the two countries.
The contracts, totaling 1.59 billion US dollars, were signed at the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) by a Chinese purchasing mission organized by the China Chamber of Commerce and its US counterparts.
Under the soybean contracts, Chinese companies will buy American soybeans worth of 1.4 billion dollars. They will also purchase 190 million dollars of US machinery and electronic products.
Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Liao Xiaoqi, head of the government economic and trade delegation, attended the signing ceremony.
The delegation said in a news release that the Chinese government attaches great importance to economic and trade cooperation with the United States and is vigorously pushing for the steady and healthy development of their economic and trade ties.
The Chinese government encourages enterprises in their efforts to increase imports from the United States so as to cut back on the trade deficit, the delegation said.
The development of China-US economic and trade relations had brought about tangible benefits to the two peoples. The relationship, which was mutually beneficial and highlighted a win-win outcome, would certainly make a positive contribution to the economic prosperity in their neighboring countries, and global economic growth at large, it said.