Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Wu Bangguo paid an official good-will visit to Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia at invitation from May 17 to 31, 2005. Deputy Secretary-General of the NPC Standing Committee Cao Weizhou who accompanied Wu during his visit briefed the journalists of the delegation on the visit on his way back to China on the evening of May 31.

Cao said Chairman Wu's four-nation tour to the Asia Pacific is an important diplomatic move to neighboring countries for the Chinese leaders aimed at enhancing mutual trust, expanding consensus, promoting cooperation and boosting development. During his visit, Wu held meetings or talks with leaders of the four nations to exchange in-depth views on bilateral relations, economic and trade cooperation, parliamentary exchanges as well as international and regional issues of common concern and reached important consensuses. Wu also met extensively with leaders of various political parties and local governments as well as people from all walks of life to introduce China's tremendous achievements in the reform and opening up and to elaborate on China's independent foreign policy of peace. He also attended the opening ceremony of China-Singapore and China-Australia Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum and delivered keynote speeches in Singapore and Sydney and in Kuala Lumpur he made an important speech oriented toward Asia, all of which were strongly echoed. This is a successful visit with substantive results and significant influence.

First, the visit has enhanced the political mutual trust between China and the four nations. Wu made positive remarks over the existing friendly relations between China and the four nations and their sound momentum of development, indicating China would like to promote further development of bilateral relations on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefits. The leaders of the four nations made positive responses to Wu's comments. The leaders of Singapore and Malaysia said they highly prioritize relations with China and hoped to continuously expand exchanges and cooperation with China in various fields so as to uplift bilateral relations to a higher level. The leaders of Australia and New Zealand stressed that they place relations with China at an important or core position in their relations with foreign countries. Wu also comprehensively elaborated on China's principles and stances on the Taiwan issue based on the recent promulgation of the Anti-Secession Law and the latest development of the relations across the Taiwan Straits. He pointed out the rooted causes for the tension between the straits have not been eliminated despite some relaxing signs in the situation in the area, and the splitting activities aimed at "Taiwan independence" remain the biggest obstacle to developing relations across the Taiwan Straits and the largest threat to the peace and stability of the area. He emphasized that the adherence to the one-China principle constitutes the political basis for China to develop relations with other countries and hoped the four nations will continue to understand and support China's efforts to achieve peaceful reunification. The leaders of the four nations reiterated that they would firmly uphold the one-China policy.

Second, it has promoted the economic and trade cooperation between China and the four nations. Wu gave a detailed introduction to China's economic and social development and a comprehensive analysis of the priority areas and orientations for the reciprocal economic and trade cooperation between China and the four nations to the leaders and people from all walks of life in the four nations. All the four nations looked on China's development as an important opportunity, believing the economies are highly complimentary with each country having its own features and advantages. Foreseeing a bright prospect of cooperation, they expected to establish a closer, more pragmatic and more effective relations of reciprocal cooperation with China. The governments and the public of the four nations expressed strong desire to develop reciprocal economic and trade cooperation with China. In Australia, Chairman Wu paid a special visit to inspect the cooperative projects on energy and mineral resources and proposed the following suggestions on the establishment of China-Australia long-term strategic cooperative relations in the field of energy and mineral resources: first, to encourage the businesses to hold each other's shares and expand investment; second, to encourage Chinese businesses to participate in the deep processing of minerals and the infrastructure construction like the building of railways and ports in the mining area; third, to establish a long-term and stable relationship between supply and demand as well as a fair and rational mechanism of pricing. These suggestions were positively responded by Australia. The leaders in Singapore stressed a strong and prosperous China conforms to the interest of Singapore and they will grasp the opportunity to actively expand cooperation with China. The leaders of New Zealand expressed their willingness to jointly explore new areas of cooperation with China. The leaders of Malaysia indicated they will make their utmost efforts to expand and deepen bilateral reciprocal cooperation.

Third, the visit has enhanced the exchanges between China's NPC and the parliaments of the four nations. Wu made positive remarks on the friendly exchanges and cooperation between China's NPC and the parliaments of the four nations. He pointed out that members of parliament should represent the people and the parliaments should reflect the opinions of the people. As an important part of national relations, parliamentary exchanges play an irreplaceable role in enhancing the understanding and friendship between the people, bringing closer friendly exchanges between local governments, boosting exchanges and cooperation in various fields and pushing forward the comprehensive development of national relations. He said the NPC would like to push forward the friendly exchanges between the two countries' ad hoc committees, amity groups, young parliamentarians and working bodies under the parliaments of the four nations, conduct exchanges in legislative and supervisory areas, and maintain coordination and cooperation in international and regional parliamentary organizations. The leaders of the four nations said they would like to enhance exchanges and cooperation with China's NPC so as to inject new vitality into the relations between China and the four nations. Wu also briefed the leaders of the four countries on China's National People's Congress as well as its democratic and legal building, which has deepened their understanding to China's reality.

Fourth, the visit provided a platform to exchange in-depth views on international situation, regional cooperation and other important international and regional issues. Wu noted as the largest developing country in the world as well as a participant and builder of peace and development in the Asia Pacific region, China is well aware of its formidable responsibilities to the peace and development of the Asia Pacific. We always firmly uphold the independent foreign policy of peace to fulfill domestic missions. While developing ourselves, we will also try to maintain world peace and promote common prosperity. In a speech delivered in Kuala Lumpur, Wu comprehensively expounded China's policy to Asia from the four areas of political dialogue, economic and trade cooperation, multilateral process and regional security with substantial facts and detailed data, indicating China was, is, and will be committed to developing friendly cooperative relations with Asian countries. The leaders of the four nations highly appreciated China's active role in international and regional affairs, saying they would like to enhance consultation and coordination with China on international and regional issues so as to promote the peace and prosperity of the Asia Pacific region.

Cao Weizhou concluded that Chairman Wu's four-nation tour to the Asia Pacific has deepened mutual understanding, enhanced political mutual trust, boosted mutually beneficial cooperation and promoted the in-depth development of China's relations with the four nations. As a result, the visit has fulfilled its objectives and rounded up with great success.