On April 9, President Jiang Zemin held talks with Argentine President Fernando de la Rua at the Argentine Presidential Palace. The two sides exchanged views on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues of common concern in a friendly atmosphere and reached broad consensus.

De la Rua extended a warm welcome to President Jiang for his first state visit to Argentine and expressed the belief that President Jiang's current visit would certainly promote the further development of Argentine-China cooperation in all areas, particularly economic, trade, scientific and technological fields.

President Jiang positively assessed the development of relations between China and Argentina. He said that Argentina is among the first Latin American countries of forging diplomatic ties with China and now China's major economic and trade partner in Latin America. The expansion of bilateral ties will promote the development of both countries and their respective role in the international arena. In the new century, we should review and handle bilateral relations from a strategic vision and push China-Argentina cooperation to a higher level.

Jiang said that the Chinese government attaches great importance to relations with Argentina. The Argentine President and government have paid great attention to relations with China, which is testified to by the President's visit to China last September. He said that next year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Therefore, he would like to propose the following suggestions on how to deepen bilateral relations in the new century.

First, enhance high-level reciprocal visits and contacts and expand exchanges at all levels. The leaders of the two countries should frequently exchange views on major global and regional issues through reciprocal visits or communicate with the other via international activities or at other occasions. Exchanges between the two countries' parliaments, political parties and local governments should also be expanded.

Second, maintain trade growth and increase mutual investment so as to upgrade economic cooperation. Efforts should also be made to explore new areas for scientific and technological cooperation.

Third, strengthen coordination and cooperation in the international affairs. We share identical or similar views on major international issues. Consolidated coordination and cooperation in international affairs can promote world peace and development and contribute to the establishment of a just and rational international political and economic order.

De la Rua said Jiang's remarks bore far-reaching impact to the development of bilateral ties and the Argentine side held same opinion on these issues.

On China-Argentina economic relations and trade, Jiang also expressed his satisfaction over the records of bilateral trade volume scored by the two sides over the past years. There are more potentials for economic and trade cooperation between China and Argentina as the two nations are in a major phase of development at present and complementary in terms of economy.

China has held positive attitude towards further cooperation between the two sides in the fields of economy, trade, science and technology, encouraging Chinese enterprises to expand investment in Argentina. Investments by Argentine enterprises in China are also welcomed. Both China and Argentina have certain strength in science and technology and are complementary. He expressed his hope that science sectors of the two countries would increase their exchanges and enlarge new fields of cooperation.

De la Rua said that Argentina attaches great importance to economic and trade cooperation with China, expressing his hope that the two sides would further enhance the cooperation in this regard. Argentina also hopes that the enterprises of the two sides will enhance exchanges and cooperation and achieve new developments in scientific cooperation.

The two sides exchanged views on some projects in bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

Jiang said that after the talks, the two sides would sign some cooperation agreements concerning judiciary assistance on civil and commercial affairs and biotechnology cooperation. It is believed that the signing of these documents would help expand areas of bilateral cooperation.

Jiang explained his views on the current international situation and China's foreign policy during the talks.

Jiang said that the international situation in general goes towards détente and the pursuit of peace and development has become the common aspiration of people worldwide. There are still hegemonism and power politics, frequent regional conflicts derived from ethnic, religious and resource causes, and a number of universal problems, such as environment, drug and refugees. Peace and development still face challenges.

Jiang said that China has adopted an independent foreign policy for peace, the essential goal of which is to safeguard the independence of state sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity. It is also aimed at opposing hegemonism, maintaining world peace and promoting common development so as to seek a long-term, peaceful and stable international environment for China's reform, opening-up and modernization drive. China will never give in to any outside pressure on principle issues related to China's state sovereignty and territorial integrity. China adheres to an all-facet opening-up policy and is willing to undertake exchange and cooperation with all countries worldwide on the basis of equality and mutual benefit for common development.

On the setup of the new international political and economic order, Jiang pointed out that the order should be based on the Five-Principles of Peaceful Co-existence and other universally recognized norms governing international relations. The Five-Principles of Peaceful Co-existence are mutual respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-aggression, non- interference of internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence. China as a developing country is willing to make efforts for the lasting peace and prevailing prosperity along with other countries, including Argentina.

Jiang also stated China's views on political multi-polarization and economic globalization in the world.

President De la Rua agreed with Jiang's analysis on the international situation and said that Argentina is also committed to a peaceful and just world order. He also highly praised China's active role in international affairs.

On the afternoon of the same day, President Jiang Zemin also met with Interim President of the Argentine Senate Mario Anibal Losada, President of the Chamber of Deputies Rafael Pascual, and President of the Argentine Supreme Court Julio Salvador Nazareno on separate occasions.