Enhanced Mutual Understanding and Trust towards a Conservative and Cooperative Relationship between China and the United States

During their two summits in October last year and February this year, President Jiang Zemin and President Bush reached important agreement on developing a constructive and cooperative relationship between China and the US. That reflected the strategic far-sightedness of the two leaders and clearly indicated the direction in which China-US relations would move forward in the new century. The two sides should implement that important agreement in good faith and effectively promote a sound development of bilateral relations.

First, the two sides should step up their high-level strategic dialogues as well as their exchanges at different levels and between various agencies.

Such dialogues and exchanges are playing an irreplaceable role in enhancing mutual understanding and trust and developing constructive and cooperative bilateral relations. President Jiang Zemin's visit to the US in the coming October will be another major event in the history of China-US relations and is bound to give a strong impetus to closer relations. We hope that American leaders and people from various communities will go to China, see for themselves, get to know how things stand in China, for instance, its society, economy and people's life, and get the feel of the goodwill of the Chinese people.

Second, the two sides should intensify exchanges and cooperation in all fields.

The Chinese and US economies are highly complementary, promising a huge cooperation potential in commerce, energy, environment, science, technology and other endeavors. As a member of the WTO, China will honor all its commitments in real earnest. Its further opening-up and grand blueprint for economic development will present vast dimensions for business communities in the US and other countries in developing economic cooperation and trade with China. In the coming five years alone, China will import US$1.5 trillion worth of goods. We hope that the US business community will seize the opportunity and vigorously expand its business with China. Meanwhile, we hope that the US side will remove the artificial obstacles and create conditions for increased bilateral economic cooperation and trade.

Third, our two sides should address our differences on the basis of mutual respect and seeking common ground while shelving differences.