1. How do you see the timing and purpose of Premier Zhu Rongji's upcoming visit to the United States of America?

The Year of the Rabbit is quite significant for Sino-US relations. It marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US, and both sides have celebrated this special occasion. Now, when the oriental cherry in Washington DC is about to blossom, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji will soon pay an official visit to the US at the invitation of President Clinton. This is the first visit by a Chinese premier in 15 years, and it will be another major event in our bilateral relations following the successful exchange of visits between our two Presidents.

The major objective of Premier Zhu's visit is to enhance mutual understanding, expand common ground and promote mutually beneficial cooperation in a broad range of fields, so as to further promote our bilateral relations. During the visit, Premier Zhu will have an intensive exchange of views with President Clinton on China-US relations and major international and regional issues of shared interest, and meet a broad spectrum of American people and learn about achievements in economic, financial, scientific and technological, educational and social development of this country. The history of Sino-US relations has proved that the mutually beneficial relationship serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples, and conforms with the trend of the times. I believe that Premier Zhu's visit will provide us with another important opportunity to further improve and develop China-US relations, and advance the objective of building a constructive strategic partnership oriented towards the 21 century.

2. How's the cooperation between China and the US in the international arena?

With the advent of a new century, mankind has found itself at a historical juncture. Being two important countries and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and the United States bear a crucial responsibility for peace, security and prosperity in the world.

I am delighted to say that, in this respect, both sides share far more common interests than ever before and have worked closely. The two sides have made a joint effort to promote the development of international non-proliferation regime including the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and the Chemical Weapons Convention. The two sides have also carried out fruitful consultation and cooperation in checking the nuclear arms race in South Asia. Our two sides are also cooperating well in alleviating the financial crisis in Asia. Despite the adverse impact on China's economy by the financial crisis, so far China has contributed more than $5 billion to the affected countries through various channels and kept its currency stable. By so doing , China has paid a price. Besides, China and the US are playing positive roles in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in other regions, and in addressing transnational challenges such as global warming, drug trafficking, organized crimes and international terrorism. During his visit, Premier Zhu will co-chair with Vice President Gore the second session of the China-US Forum on Environment and Development. No doubt, it will further promote the mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries in the area of the environment. It goes without saying that China and the US have some differences on some international issues. China always stands for resolving international disputes by peaceful means on the basis of the UN Charter, and is opposed to the use or the threat of use of force.

3. What is the present state of China-US trade and economic relations? What are the main problems? How to address them properly?

A good momentum has been maintained for further growth of China-US trade and economic relations, which have become an important part of the bilateral relationship. Our bilateral trade has increased more than 23 times from $2.4 billion in 1979 to $57 billion in 1998. The US is China's second largest trading partner and China the fourth largest of America's. The United States is also the second largest investor in China. By the end of 1998, there had been more than 26,000 US-funded ventures in China with a contractual value of over $45.8 billion and $21 billion paid-in. Most US-funded businesses are making impressive returns. The development of bilateral trade and economic link is in conformity with the fundamental interests of our two peoples. For the United States, its exports to China support over 300,000 jobs. Quality goods at low prices from China not only meet the needs of American consumers but also help the US economy to keep low its rates of inflation and interest. International observers have calculated that had the US imported the same amount of goods from countries other than China, it would have had to spend an extra sum of more than US$10 billion every year. For China, its exports to the US help to provide nearly one million jobs. Since 1994 the trade balance has been in China's favor. However, according to our customs statistics, China's trade surplus last year was about US$21 billion, not as much as US$57 billion according to the US statistics. China's total trade surplus last year was US$43.6 billion. How can our trade surplus with the US alone surpass China's total with the world? And the US exports to China have shown a 19% annual growth rate in the past 20 years.

Then why such a big disparity? The reason is complicated and multi-faceted. First, the two countries are using different measures for calculation of the entrepot trade via Hong Kong. The US counts its imports from HK as originated from the mainland of China while excluding its exports to China mainland via HK from its books. China still treats HK as an independent customs territory. This alone last year produced a difference of US$15 billion. Secondly, 58% of imports and exports between China and the US are from processing industry and a great deal is achieved by the American enterprises in China. Most of the profits are actually earned by US business. Thirdly, the US long-term discriminatory export control policy also restricts the US exports to China, costing the American companies many opportunities to enter China's market.

As a matter of fact, China is not only willing but also capable of addressing this problem. China scored a 7.8% GDP increase last year and predicts a 7% growth rate for this year. Its foreign exchange reserves have reached over US$146 billion. China's opening-up is deepening and its market expanding. So long as the US relaxes its export restrictions and alters the present practice of deliberately withholding what China wants to buy, the issue of trade balance can be solved gradually through consultations on an equal footing. China as the largest developing country and the US the largest developed country in the world, the two economies are highly complementary to each other. The potential for further cooperation is huge and the prospects for future development promising.

4. During President Jiang Zemin's visit to the US, the two heads of state decided to build towards a constructive strategic partnership. Why the US media is again advocating "China threat" now?

The reason for this repeated outcry of "China threat" lies in the cold-war-syndrome. During the Cold War period, the two superpowers were locked in the struggle for world domination. After the Cold War, the main theme of the world has become one searching for peace and development. However, those who were so accustomed to the cold-war mentality somehow felt being left in the cold. It seems that they need an enemy to justify their own agenda. Unfortunately, China falls into their sight. Yet, they neglect the following simple facts: First, China is China. It was not the former Soviet Union and is not and will never be the former Soviet Union. Second, the Chinese nation has a long peace loving tradition of since ancient times. Chinese thinkers in pre-Qin Dynasty period ( before 221 BC) in their search for peace under heaven already developed such concept as "be kind and benevolent to your neighbors is a national treasure". The Chinese modern history is filled with bitter experience of being subjected to aggression and bullying by foreign powers. Never will China impose its own past sufferings on others. Third, to concentrate on economic construction, China needs a long-term peaceful international environment. It pursues an independent foreign policy of peace and works hard to develop friendly and cooperative relations with other countries on the basis of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

China has taken an active part in many international disarmament activities. It unilaterally downsized its army by one million even before the end of the Cold War and is making another reduction by half a million before the end of this century. China has not stationed a single soldier abroad. Among big countries, China's military expenditure is the lowest accounting merely for 3.6% of that of the US. So, China's development will not pose threat to any one, rather, it is conducive to world peace and stability. If China failed in its modernization drive and its people remained poor, then it would not only be a misfortune for the Chinese people but also a disaster for the world, as Mr. Deng Xiaoping once pointed out.

5. You just said that China does not pose any threat to the US, but isn't it that at the moment when American people are welcoming Primer Zhu, some people in the US accuse China of "stealing" American nuclear technology? How do you explain such a strange phenomenon?

This sounds strange, but is actually not strange at all. Whenever the bilateral ties between the two countries face new growth, there are always some people who feel unhappy and come to the fore to make trouble. In 1997, when the American people were ready to receive President Jiang Zemin for his state visit to the US, allegations were made by some elements trying to halt growth of the relations on the issue of "campaign donations" which have proved to be sheer fabrications . Now Premier Zhu Rongji is going to visit this country, new allegations are again made accusing China of "stealing US technology", which is totally a far-fetched imagination. Cooperation and exchanges have been initiated and conducted according to agreement between the two countries, which are in the interests of both peoples. Facts shall prove again that fabricating rumors is doomed to failure. The Chinese people have developed their own nuclear and missile technologies on self-reliance. As early as the Ming Dynasty in ancient Chinese history, one of the then officials devoted his life to the experiment of launching a prototype rocket. New China tested its first atomic bomb as early as in 1964, more than a decade before the establishment of Sino-US diplomatic relations. I have recently received many letters from Chinese scientists telling me that they regard it an insult that technologies they have developed through their own hard work and creativity have been alleged as stolen from the US, and that they resent such arrogance and prejudice. This is a new kind of chauvinism in the shrine of science and technology.

6. Do you think that the consideration and study of incorporating Taiwan into the Theater Missile Defence System or TMD is another example of the cold-war mentality?

Absolutely. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. The question of Taiwan is China's internal affairs, which brooks no foreign interference. The idea of including Taiwan into the TMD is definitely wrong. It has violated the spirit of the three China-US joint communiqués and relevant commitments by the US, especially the principles of handling US arms sales to Taiwan stipulated in the August 17th, 1982 joint communiqué. This would only abet the forces for "Taiwan independence". Such an attempt will inevitably amount to an encroachment upon China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and an obstruction to the great cause of peaceful reunification of China.

The Taiwan question has always been the most important and sensitive key issue in China-US relations. It touches on the national sentiments of all the Chinese people. Chinese university students often ask how the American people would feel if other countries supplied arms to Hawaii or the Long Island? Confucius once said "Don't impose on others what you yourself dislike". Naturally, this attempt will meet with strong opposition from the entire Chinese people including our compatriots in Taiwan. The past two decades have proved that whenever the question of Taiwan was properly handled in light of the three China-US joint communiqués the bilateral relations saw smooth going. Otherwise, the relationship was damaged. The three China-US joint communiqués set forth the guidelines for proper handling of the Taiwan question. Only by strictly following these guidelines, can Sino-US relations move forward in a sound and stable way.

7. Recently, the US raised more criticism of China's human rights situation. Does it mean that China's human rights are declining?

On the contrary, China's human rights are getting better and better. I think there are two kinds of criticism. One is well-intentioned but based on misinformation and misunderstanding of China's human rights situation. The other is a biased and even malicious attack just because China, as well as many other countries, are different from the US. I would like to welcome more and more Americans to China and see for themselves what China is really like and how the Chinese people enjoy the basic rights and freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution. Meanwhile, I honestly hope that the double standard of making indiscreet remarks about other countries' human rights while keeping silent about its own will be abandoned. For this practice amounts to interference in other countries' internal affairs, violating the basic principles of the UN Charter. China is a developing country with nearly 1.25 billion people. The top priority of the Chinese people's human rights is naturally their right to subsistence and development. The Chinese government has done a great job in improving the living standards of nearly a quarter of the world population.

The Chinese government respects the international instruments on promoting human rights and basic freedoms. It has made unswerving efforts to protect and advance the Chinese people's political, economic and civil rights and freedom and scored good progress.

As far as signing international human rights conventions is concerned, China has joined 17 international instruments on human rights, two more than the US. This is a fact many US politicians are reluctant to mention. A new amendment to our Constitution lays emphasis on governing the country according to law. "No one is above the law" has become a common practice in China. It is also a catchword in the US.

What baffles me is that some politicians in this country behave well before US laws, but show no respect for other countries' laws. When China's court, based on hard evidence, sentenced a few law breakers according to Chinese law, they recklessly accused China of violating human rights.

When more than 3,000 Chinese people lost their lives last year during the most severe flooding in a century, none of those self-claimed human rights defendants in the US said a single word of sympathy to the affected. Instead, it was those American people who didn't make indiscreet remarks against China gave generous donations. Doesn't this make one ponder? Recently, some US politicians even advocated tabling an anti-China draft resolution once again at the coming session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva this year. This is an insidious and unwise attempt which will only meet with the same outcome of the previous seven times. Since the successful exchange of visits by our two presidents, China and the US have resumed the governmental dialogue on human rights. In January this year, the two countries held positive consultations on human rights in Washington D.C.. Facts have proved that dialogue is better than confrontation and confrontation will get nowhere. The hard won achievements in China-US relationship are worth cherishing. Thank you.