On the morning of February 21, President Jiang Zemin and visiting US President George Bush held small-scale and large-scale talks successively at the Great Hall of the People, during which they had an in-depth exchange of views on China-US relations and major international and regional issues and reached extensive and important consensus. The talks are positive, constructive and fruitful.

Extending warm welcome to Bush, Jiang noted that he and Bush held talks on good terms in Shanghai 4 months ago, saying that he is very pleased to see Bush once again today. He said that they reached an important consensus during their meetings in Shanghai that China and the US should work together to develop strategic and cooperative relations. He noted that new progress has been made in bilateral dialogue and cooperation in various fields in the past 4 months and the momentum of bilateral relations has been good, about which not only Chinese and US people but also people throughout the world are very happy.

Bush said that he is very pleased to visit China with his wife, which enables him to see for himself the tremendous changes China has undergone. Thanking the Chinese people for their hospitality, Bush noted that he has visited China twice in 4 months’ time and he is very impressed by the great changes of Beijing. He also thanked the Chinese people once again for their solicitudes to their US counterparts and their support to the anti-terror campaign in the wake of the September 11th Incident.

Jiang said that Bush is visiting China at an important moment when Sino-US relations are saying goodbye to the past and ushering in the future. He noted that President Nixon paid a visit to China 30 years ago, during which the Chinese and US leaders put an end to the history of mutual isolation and embarked on the process of exchanges and cooperation, adding that their vision and strides have been proven to be right by history. He said that though profound changes have taken place in the world situation today after the lapse of 30 years, the common interests and common responsibilities for world peace shared by China and the US have increased rather than decreased and the importance of China-US relations has gone up instead of going down. He said that the world expects China and the US to play a positive role that is their due to safeguard world peace and stability, adding that the positive and negative experiences of China-US relations in the past 30 years have revealed that in order to develop China-US relations, the two sides should bear in mind the larger picture, adopt a long-term perspective, enhance mutual understanding, develop mutual trust, recognize and respect differences, seek and expand common ground and abide by the 3 China-US Joint Communiqués. He went on to say that at the beginning of the brand-new century, China and the US should use history as a guide and look to the future and work together for greater development of bilateral relations in the future.

Jiang also put forward the following 4 suggestions on how to maintain and develop the positive momentum of bilateral relations and how to enrich the constructive and cooperative partnership.
1.The two sides should further reinforce high-level strategic dialogues and contacts at different levels and between different departments of the two countries with a view to enhancing mutual understanding and trust.
2.The two sides should deepen their exchanges and cooperation in various fields to benefit the two peoples.
3.The two sides should properly handle their differences, esp. their differences over the question of Taiwan on the basis of mutual respect and seeking common ground while reserving their differences.
4.The two sides should view China-US relations within the world context and should conduct frequent consultations and step up cooperation in such areas as jointly safeguarding world peace and promoting the progress of human civilization.

Bush completely agreed with China’s views on bilateral relations. He said that the US government hopes to augment and intensify cooperation with China in various fields as such cooperation is not only in the interests of the two countries, but also important to maintaining world peace and promoting cooperation.

Jiang and Bush also had an in-depth exchange of views on the question of Taiwan. Jiang elaborated on the basic policy of the Chinese government of peaceful reunification and one country, two systems regarding the settlement of the Taiwan question. He also stressed the importance of adhering to the One China policy and abiding by the 3 China-US Joint Communiqués.

Bush reiterated that it is the consistent policy of the US to stick to the One China policy and abide by the 3 China-US Joint Communiqués.

Bush invited Jiang to visit the US before attending this year’s APEC meeting. Jiang thanked Bush and accepted the invitation with pleasure. At the invitation of US Vice President Cheney, Vice President Hu Jintao will also visit the US in the near future. The two countries will actively carry out exchanges and cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, energy, science and technology, environmental protection, prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and law enforcement and will convene three joint meetings on economy, trade, science and technology within this year. The two sides also agree to put in place a joint working panel on environmental protection and climate change under the precondition that this will not affect each other’s positions on the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyodo Protocol.

Jiang and Bush also had in-depth discussions about the international anti-terror campaign. The two sides agree to intensify consultations and cooperation and reinforce the medium- and long-term mechanisms for anti-terror cooperation and exchanges.

The two heads of states also discussed problems between the two countries. Jiang said that it is only natural that the two countries have some disputes, given their differences in national conditions, adding that as long as the two countries respect each other, treat each other as equals and seeking common ground while reserving their differences, they will be able to narrow down their differences, expand common ground and promote bilateral cooperation. Bush seconded this view.