Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said in Washington Tuesday
that China-United States cooperation is conducive to stability in
the Asia-Pacific region as well as to peace and development in the
world.?
Addressing a dinner hosted by nine American organizations, the
premier, who arrived here Monday on his first official visit to the
United States since taking the office early this year, said
China-US cooperation has played, and will continue to play, a
positive role in safeguarding stability in the Asia-Pacific region
and the world at large.
"This is a role that cannot be replaced," Wen stressed.
He said China and the United States had established a mechanism
of mid and long-term anti-terrorism exchange and cooperation based
on the principle of "equality, cooperation, reciprocity and mutual
benefit."
Also, China and the United States, together with parties
concerned, had conducted fruitful cooperation over a peaceful
settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.
Modern world history shows it is the economy and national
interests rather than ideologies that underpin the cooperation
between big countries, the premier pointed out.
"Cooperation between China and the United States shows countries
with different social systems and cultural traditions can coexist
in peace and enjoy common development provided that they set store
by their peoples' fundamental interests, and respect and tolerate
each other," he said.
"This will be an example of global significance showing the
world how big countries can transcend ideological differences and
develop cooperation on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful
Coexistence."
The nine American organizations hosting the dinner were the
National Committee on US-China relations, the US-China Business
Council, the America-China Forum, the Asia Society, the Center for
Strategic and International Studies, the Committee of 100, the
Council on Foreign Relations, the US Chamber of Commerce and the
US-China Policy Foundation.
(Xinhua News Agency December 10, 2003)