The inter-parliamentary group of China's National People's
Congress (NPC) and the US Senate have completed their first round
of talks in Beijing.
The meeting starts a formal exchange mechanism between the NPC
and the US Senate, which was established in January 2004.
So far, the US Senate has only established similar exchange
mechanisms with Great Britain, Canada, Mexico and the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
It is another major move to expand China-US parliamentary
exchanges and cooperation since the NPC and the US House of
Representatives first created a conference mechanism in 1999. The
NPC and the US House of Representatives have since held five
conferences.
The delegation, headed by Ted Stevens, president pro
tempore of the Senate, is the highest-ranking group sent by
the US Congress to China in nearly seven years.
The delegates include Senate Majority leader Bill Frist, Senator
Daniel K. Inouye, co-chairman of the US side of the
inter-parliamentary group, as well as members from the
appropriations, intelligence, energy and natural resources,
agricultural and commerce committees of the US Senate.
Stevens co-hosted the talks with Sheng
Huaren, vice chairman and secretary-general of the NPC Standing
Committee, on Monday and Tuesday in Beijing.
The talks focused Taiwan issue and Sino-US relations.
China reiterated its stance on the question of Taiwan and urged
the US to honor its commitment to the one-China policy and
opposition to Taiwan independence.
China stressed that Hong Kong issues are its internal affair.
The US representatives said that an introduction on the background
of Hong Kong's political structure and related policies were
necessary for them to better understand the issue.
The two sides agreed to handle possible trade frictions under
the principles of development, equality and reciprocity.
They also reached consensus that China and the US should enhance
coordination and cooperation in handling issues in connection with
Korean Peninsula denuclearization, the Iraq war, counterterrorism
and nonproliferation.
Both sides agreed to conduct regular exchanges and facilitate
exchanges and dialogue at all levels between the NPC and the
Senate.
Sheng will lead a Chinese delegation to the US next year to
conduct the second round of talks.
"The visit has helped to improve contacts and dialogues between
the NPC and the US Congress and the promotion of bilateral
relations," said Jiang Enzhu, director of the NPC Foreign Affairs
Committee.
President Hu
Jintao, NPC Standing Committee chairman Wu
Bangguo and Premier Wen
Jiabao held separate meetings with the delegation during their
stay in Beijing.
The senators left Beijing yesterday to continue their eight-day
China visit in Gansu Province and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous
Region in western China.
(China Daily August 6, 2004)