Nation confident on US commitment
( 2002-01-16 00:37 ) (1 )

China Tuesday expressed its belief in the US Government's adherence to its commitment of the "three no's policy'' on the Taiwan question.

This policy opposes Taiwan independence, the recognition of "two Chinas'' or "one China and one Taiwan.''

"Over the years, the United States' administrations of the Democratic Party and Republican Party have always followed the one-China policy and the three Sino-US communiques,'' said Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi.

His remarks were in response to reports that Taiwan "foreign minister'' Tien Hung-mao had said the United States would scrap the "three no's policy.''

"We believe the US Government will abide by what commitment they have made,'' Sun said.

Commenting on US President George W. Bush's China visit next month, Sun said that after the September 11 attacks the relations between China and the US had been "greatly enhanced,'' and the two held close ties on anti-terrorism affairs.

Sun indicated that though the two nations had disputes and disagreement over some issues, they also had some common ground, saying he believed Bush's coming visit would yield more positive fruits.

Turning to the free trade agreement reached between Japan and Singapore, Sun said China hopes to see good co-operation between Japan and Southeast Asia.

"We hope that Japan, as the only developed country in Asia, will play a role for development in Asia,'' the spokesman said.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and his Singaporean counterpart Goh Chok Tong on Sunday signed a free trade agreement, the first ever for the world's second largest economy.

According to the statement, the agreement will remove import and export tariffs on 98 per cent of goods traded between Singapore and Japan.

Sun pointed out that Asian countries should stress co-operation, with the "10--3'' as the main channel for promoting the common development of the entire Asian region.

The "10--3'' framework for an area covering the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as China, Japan and the Republic of Korea should remain the main focus for development in the region, Sun said.

ASEAN and China have said they will set up a free-trade zone within the next 10 years, which will become the world's largest, if implemented.

ASEAN comprises the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.

Sun also announced that China has decided to send Wang Xuexian, who is in charge of the Afghan issues from the Foreign Ministry, as the special envoy to the Conference on Reconstruction and Assistance to Afghanistan, which will be held in Tokyo late this month.

"China stands ready to make its own effort for this end and China will participate actively in the restoration and rehabilitation of Afghanistan,'' Sun said.

(China Daily by Hu Xiao)