From March 18 to 22, Richard Holbrooke, U.S. Representative to the United
Nations, visited China. President Jiang Zemin, Vice Premier Qian Qichen, Foreign
Minister Tang Jiaxuan, and Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with Mr.
Holbrooke respectively. Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya held talks with Mr.
Holbrooke on the UN and other issues. From March 28 to 30, Samuel Berger,
Assistant to the U.S. President for National Security, visited China. President
Jiang Zemin, Premier Zhu Rongji, Vice Premier Qian Qichen, and Minister in
charge of the Foreign Affairs Office of the CPC Central Committee Liu Huaqiu met
with him respectively. Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan held talks with him. Mr.
Berger stated during the meetings and talks that the U.S. sticks to its "One
China" policy, observes the three China-U.S. Joint communiqu¨¦s, and does not
support the independence of Taiwan, does not support "Two Chinas" or "One China,
One Taiwan", and does not support Taiwan's entry into any international
organization where statehood is required. On April 8, Thomas Pickering, U.S.
Under Secretary of State, called in Mr. Li Zhaoxin, Chinese Ambassador to the
U.S., and informed him of the result of the accountability review by the U.S.
Central Intelligence Agency(CIA) concerning the U.S. bombing of the Chinese
Embassy in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The U.S. side only admitted that
it used an inappropriate methodology to locate the target and that the review
process at every level failed to find the mistake. The U.S. side sanctioned
eight CIA officers involved, with one of them fired. On April 10, Chinese
Foreign Ministry Spokesman made comments that the U.S. explanation is not
"tenable". On the same day, Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya summoned the U.S.
Ambassador to strongly demand that the U.S. Government conduct a comprehensive
and thorough investigation into its bombing of the Chinese Embassy in
Yugoslavia, bring the perpetrators to justice, and give the Chinese Government
and people a satisfactory explanation. On May 28, President Jiang Zemin had a
phone talk with President Clinton and discussed Sino-U.S. Relations and other
issues. From June 22 to 23, U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright visited
China. President Jiang Zemin, Premier Zhu Rongji and Vice Premier Qian Qichen
met with her respectively. Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan held talks with her.
She stated during the talks and meetings that the U.S. Government understands
the importance and sensitivity of the Taiwan question, and it adheres to its
"One China" Policy and observes the three China-U.S. Joint communiqu¨¦s, and does
not support the independence of Taiwan, does not support "Two Chinas" or "One
China, One Taiwan", and does not support Taiwan's entry into any international
organization where statehood is required. From July 7 to 8, John Holum, U.S.
Under Secretary of State, visited China and held consultations with Vice Foreign
Minister Wang Guangya on arms control and nonproliferation. On July 28, Foreign
Minister Tang Jiaxuan met with U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright during
the Foreign Ministers Meeting of ASEAN Regional Forum in Bankok. On September 8,
President Jiang Zemin and President Bill Clinton held an official meeting during
the UN Summit Meeting in New York, and had an in-depth exchange of views on
Sino-U.S. relations and major international and regional issues of mutual
interest. On the same day, President Jiang Zemin participated a Luncheon
sponsored by a few friendly organizations including the National Committee on
U.S.-China Relations, and delivered an important speech on Sino-U.S. relations.
Meanwhile, Vice Premier Qian Qichen, who accompanied President Jiang Zemin
during his visit, met with U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright, Assistant
to the U.S. President for National Security Affairs Samuel Berger, and U.S.
Representative to UN Richard Holbrooke. On September 14, Foreign Minister Tang
Jiaxuan held talks with U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright during the UN
General Assembly. From October 22 to 29, at the invitation of U.S. Under
Secretary of State Thomas Pickering, Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi visited
the U.S. for the Sino-U.S. Vice-Foreign-Ministerial Consultation. On November
15, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan met with U.S. Secretary of State Madeline
Albright in Brunei. On November 16, President Jiang Zemin and President Bill
Clinton held an official meeting during the APEC Informal Leadership Meeting in
Brunei, and exchanged views on Sino-U.S. relations, the Taiwan question and
China's entry into the World Trade Organization, etc. On the same day, Vice
Premier Qian Qichen, who accompanied President Jiang Zemin during his visit, met
with U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright and Assistant to the President
for National Security Affairs Samuel Berger, in Brunei. On December 14,
President Jiang Zemin and Vice President Hu Jintao sent congratulatory messages
to the U.S. Republican Presidential candidate George W. Bush and
Vice-Presidential candidate Richard Cheney respectively for their election as
President and Vice President of the United States. On December 15, the U.S.
Congress passed the "Omnibus Appropriation Act" providing for compensation of 28
million dollars for the property loss and damage suffered by China as a result
of the U.S. bombing of the Chinese Embassy in the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia. On December 17, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan sent a congratulatory
message to Collin Powell for his nomination as Secretary of State of the new
administration of the United States.
II. Bilateral Trade and Economic Relations and
Technological Cooperation
1. Bilateral Trade
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United
States in 1979, the bilateral trade has witnessed fairly rapid growth.
Especially in recent years, trade between the two countries has maintained a
sound momentum of rapid growth. According to statistics from the Chinese
Customs, the two-way trade volume reached US$54.94 billion in 1998, a 12.1%
increase over that of 1997. China's exports to the U.S. reached US$37.98
billion, an increase of 16.1%, while China's imports from the U.S. reached
US$16.96 billion, an increase of 4.0%. China saw a favorable trade balance of
US$21.02 billion in 1998. In the period from January to June 1999, China-U.S.
bilateral trade volume totaled US$27.12 billion, increasing by 11.5% over that
of the first half of 1998, with China's exports to the U.S. reaching US$18.11
billion, an increase of 8.4%, and China's imports from the U.S. US$9.00 billion.
The primary items that China imported from the U.S. were fertilizer,
airplanes, chemical products, medical care instruments, etc., while China's
exports were mainly textile, clothing, shoes, suitcases and machinery. The U.S.
remains as China's second largest trading partner while China continues to be
the fourth largest trading partner of the U.S..
China-U.S. bilateral trade, investment,economic and
technological cooperation maintained good momentum of development in 2000.
According to statistics from the Chinese Customs, the two way trade volume
totaled US$74.47 billion, a 21.1% increase over that of 1999. China's exports to
the U.S. amounted to US$52.1 billion, an increase of 24.2%, while China's
imports from the U.S. reached US$22.36 billion, up 14.5%. China saw a favorable
trade balance of US$29.74 billion in 2000. The U.S. remains as China's second
largest trading partner while China continues to be the fourth largest trading
partner of the U.S.