President Hu Jintao
said China will continue to work towards peaceful reunification
with Taiwan, but will never tolerate "Taiwan independence."
Hu was speaking at a meeting with overseas Chinese and Chinese
diplomats in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he is paying a state
visit.
He added China will stick to the principle of "one country, two
systems" in solving the Taiwan question.
Hu is now in Sao Paulo, Brazil's biggest city, on his five-day
visit to the Latin American country.
Hu arrived last Thursday and met with Brazilian?President
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Friday. The countries signed a range
of accords, in which Brazil recognized China's status as a market
economy and both sides vowed to strengthen cooperation in their
fight against organized crime.
Hu also made a speech to Brazil's National Congress, and he told
legislators that China hopes to usher in a new era of trusted
friendship with Latin American and Caribbean countries.
Both sides will work to ensure bilateral trade expands by 150
percent to cross the US$100 billion threshold by 2010, and for
mutual investment to have doubled by then.
To promote friendship and better understanding between the
peoples of China and Latin America, Hu proposed launching cultural
centers to encourage tourism, improve mass media and student
exchanges and organize cross-cultural youth festivals.
Before Hu delivered his speech, President of the National
Congress and Senate Jos Sarney, and President of the Chamber of
Deputies Joao Paulo Cunha both said Brazil supports China's stance
on Taiwan.
Hu also met Nelson Jobim, president of the Federal Supreme
Court, on Friday afternoon.
(China Daily, CRI.com November 15, 2004)