Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan met with the press in Beijing yesterday afternoon at a press conference sponsored by the ongoing Second Session of the Ninth National People's Congress, China's legislature.
More than 500 Chinese and foreign journalists attended the press conference in the Great Hall of the People, which was broadcast live by the Central People's Radio Station, China Central Television and China Radio International.
In his opening speech, Tang said that China has made great achievements on the diplomatic front in an international situation of major, deep and complicated changes under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Jiang Zemin at the core and the State Council.
China would actively play a role with its own unique characteristics in the world arena as a big developing country to make greater contributions to peace and development in the world, he said.
While answering questions, the foreign minister noted that China's ties with major world powers, including the United States, Russia, Japan and European nations, are developing, and that the country has started to form a future-oriented framework of state-to-state relations with nearly all major powers.
"The upcoming visit to the United States by Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji next month will provide another opportunity for improving and further developing Sino-US relations," he said.
The major objectives of Premier Zhu's visit are to enhance mutual understanding, expand common ground and promote cooperation, so as to maintain the good momentum of the improvement and growth of China-US relations and allow the two countries to move toward the objective of building a constructive and strategic partnership, he said.
Noting that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-US diplomatic relations, Tang said that China is willing to bring a sound and stable relationship between the two countries into the next century.
However, he said, there have emerged some anti-China noises within the United States recently, which is nothing strange.
"There are always some people who do not want to see Sino-US relations develop and get improved, and they have always wanted to do anything to disturb the development of such relations," said the foreign minister. "But I believe that their attempt will get nowhere and will be futile."
The minister refuted a New York Times Saturday report alleging Chinese nuclear espionage in the United States as "extremely irresponsible and unfounded".
"This demonstrates that there are always some people who want to obstruct normal Sino-US trade relations and the normal export of US hi-tech products to China," he said.
The minister went on to emphasize that the Taiwan question has always been the most important and most sensitive issue in Sino-US relations which deserves the greatest attention.
China is "very much concerned about" the development of the Theater Missile Defense (TMD) system by the United States and Japan, he said.
"Any attempt to include Taiwan in the TMD system will meet with strong opposition from the entire Chinese people, including compatriots in Taiwan," he said, explaining that such attempt will inevitably amount to an encroachment on sovereignty and territorial integrity of China and an obstruction to the great cause of peaceful reunification of China.
He said that the joint research and development of TMD between the United States and Japan will greatly enhance the overall offensive and defensive capability of the military alliance, which will go far beyond the legitimate defense needs that the relevant country has repeatedly indicated.
"It will also harm peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.
Tang also denounced splitting activities by the Taiwan authorities while answering a question about the possibility of the two sides across the Taiwan Straits reaching a "diplomatic truce".
"The current situation, to put it frankly, reflects that the Taiwan authorities still cling stubbornly to the practice of creating 'one China, one Taiwan' by expanding its international space and pursue separatist activities," he said.
A complete reunification of China cannot be delayed indefinitely, as it represents the common and strong aspiration of all Chinese people including Taiwan compatriots, he said.
The minister went on to warn the United States not to " backtrack" on its relations with China on the question of human rights issue.
In response to a CNN question, Tang said that he thinks if somebody attempts to table an anti-China draft resolution on human rights again this year in Geneva, the outcome will not be different from the previous seven times.
He reiterated what he said to US State Secretary Madeleine Albright last week at the press conference.
"On the question of human rights, there will be no way out to replace dialogue with confrontation. And to backtrack on this issue will have no future," he said.
China has always stood for expanding common ground and narrowing differences through dialogs on human rights issues, he stressed.
"As long as our two sides can strictly adhere to the principles of the three China-US joint communiques and the joint China-US statement, especially such important principles as mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, relations between China and the United States will enjoy a smooth growth," said the minister.
Commenting on Sino-Russian relations, the foreign minister said that such relations have been "developing very well".
China and Russia have kept contacts on major international issues including issues on Iraq and Kosovo, and have maintained consultations through the United Nations and bilateral channels, he said, adding that "such contacts and consultations will continue."
He revealed that Russian President Boris Yeltsin will pay a visit to China later this year and hold talks with Chinese President Jiang Zemin.
Responding to a question by a Japanese reporter about Sino-Japanese relations, Tang said that last year marked the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-Japanese Treaty for Peace and Friendship, and President Jiang Zemin paid a state visit to Japan in the same year.
The most important achievement of Jiang's visit, he said, is that the leaders of the two countries, through their meetings and talks in Tokyo, had a very candid and in-depth exchange of views, on all issues left over from history and on how to view and handle them in a right way.
On issues left over from history, the two sides agreed on one principle:"To take history as guide and look to the future."
"Only by correctly understanding and handling issues left over from history can we open a future for Sino-Japanese relations," Tang said, adding that this is the "very important consensus" reached by the two sides.
The foreign minister went on to say that China's relations with the European Union and European countries are also developing very well, but he also urged EU nations to stop trade protectionism against China.
China and the European Union and European countries are not only important trading partners, but also share many views and hold similar positions on political and international affairs, Tang noted.
He said China welcomes the launch of the Euro and hopes to see the stability of the new currency.
"Meanwhile we urge European Union and European countries to change their practice of trade protectionism against China," he said. "We hope they will not start anti-dumping investigations against China and will drop current anti-dumping investigations against China."
On the human rights issue, the foreign minister said that, despite some differences, China and the overwhelming majority of European countries agree to pursue dialogs and stay away from confrontation.
According to the foreign minister, China is prepared to make further efforts to gain access to the World Trade Organization ( WTO).
US trade representative Charlene Barshefsky paid a visit to China several days ago and held talks with her Chinese counterpart which produced important progress and were constructive, Tang noted.
"But there are still important differences between the two countries," he conceded.
Noting that China has made considerable concessions in this regard during the past decade, Tang described the talks and negotiations between China and relevant parties as "marathon talks ".
"The only reason why the issue has not been settled so far is that some countries disregard the fact that China is a developing country and put too high demands on it, some of which are exorbitant," he said.
Responding to a question about Sino-Indian relations, the foreign minister said that the joint work group on boundary questions between China and India, whose work was suspended last May after India conducted underground nuclear tests, will resume its work soon.
"We hope that the Indian side will take concrete steps and make positive efforts to enable our bilateral relations to return to the track of normal development," Tang said.
He added that China welcomes efforts made by India and Pakistan toward improving their relations.
"We urge both India and Pakistan to effectively implement the UN Security Council's Resolution 1172," he said.
During the 90-minute press conference, the foreign minister also answered questions about the return of Macao to its motherland at the end of this year, his scheduled visit to four Nordic countries and Germany later this month and China's relations with Vatican.
March 8, 1999, www.people.com
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