Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji's visit to the United States has achieved positive results as had been expected, Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said in Boston on April 14 at the end of the visit.

The positive results have been achieved through frank and candid talks and discussions between Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and U.S. President Bill Clinton and other leaders during the eight-day visit in six cities, Tang told reporters.

Tang summed up four results of Premier Zhu's visit.

It has vigorously pushed forward the Sino-U.S. relations in the direction of establishing a constructive strategic partnership between China and the United States, Tang said of the first result.

"After in-depth exchanges of views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues, Premier Zhu and President Clinton agreed that both China and the United States, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, should take great responsibility for world peace and development despite their differences," Tang said.

He said development of Sino-U.S. relations conforms to the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples; it also serves peace, stability and development of the Asia-Pacific area and the world at large.

Secondly, Premier Zhu's visit has deepened mutual understanding and strengthened friendship between the Chinese and American peoples, Tang said.

During his tour of six cities, Tang said, Premier Zhu made direct contacts with Americans of various levels from senior administration officials, to lawmakers, state officials, business leaders, the media and other walks of life, bringing them to a comprehensive understanding of China's on-going reforms and the situation of the economic development there, of the Chinese people's aspiration for peace and progress, and of China's position on major international issues.

Premier Zhu, while adhering to the principles, reasoned with facts and clarified misunderstandings among some misinformed Americans, winning high appreciation from them and boosted their support for further improvement of Sino-U.S. relations, Tang said.

Thirdly, important progress has been made in Sino-U.S. negotiations on China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO), Tang said. This was reflected in the joint communique on issues concerning China's entry into the WTO, in which the U.S. government made it clear that it firmly supports China to enter the WTO in 1999. The two sides have reached consensus that China's early entry into the WTO is in the interests of both countries.

Finally, Tang pointed out, Zhu's visit has given impetus to cooperation in various areas between the two countries. The many agreements signed during the visit will yield benefits to both peoples.