Solemn Commitment to Reform and Opening up, Peaceful Development and Common Progress

Yang Jiechi Talks about Premier Wen’s Attendance of UN Meetings

From September 23 to 25, 2008, Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council, at invitation, attended the UN High-Level Event on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the general debate of the 63rd UN General Assembly in the UN Headquarters, New York. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, who was also present at the above meetings, introduced to journalists the outcome of Premier Wen’s visit to the UN as the tour comes to the end.

Yang said that the current international situation remains complicated and fluctuating. Global financial, energy and food security issues get increasingly serious and Wall Street of New York is shadowed by a financial crisis. The Beijing Olympic Games has just successfully concluded. The international community is generally concerned about the economic and political direction of China after the Olympics and how China will cope with the severe challenges faced by world peace and development. Against such a background, Premier Wen attended the two important UN meetings, which has drawn wide attention from people concerned. Within a short period of 48 hours, Premier Wen contacted foreign leaders, people of all walks of life in the U.S. and the media extensively and conducted intensive diplomatic and policy expounding activities.

I. Declaring China’s firm determination of sticking to peaceful development, reform and opening up and an independent foreign policy of peace

The international community is generally optimistic about China’s future development, but there remain some one-sided opinions which are mainly as follows: exaggerating China’s strength, asking China to undertake more “international obligations”, worrying that China will close its door after the Olympics and claiming a stronger China will seek external expansion.

On the occasions of attending the general debate of the General Assembly, delivering speeches to the Americans of different walks of life and taking media interviews, Premier Wen comprehensively and systematically elaborated China’s development positioning, road and direction. He pointed out that we must keep a cool head in front of achievements and difficulties, opportunities and challenges. China is still a developing country and has a long way to go to realize modernization. Development remains the fundamental task of China. China’s development depends on reform and opening up and needs a peaceful international environment. China unswervingly pursues an independent foreign policy of peace and engages in friendly cooperation with all other countries on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. China’s development is peaceful in nature. China does not seek hegemony, nor will it in the future. As a responsible big country, China will promote world peace and development by its own growth.

The disambiguation and explanations of Premier Wen sent clear information and helped increase the outside world’s comprehensive and objective understanding about China and confidence of China’s development.

II. Conveying China’s sincere commitment to promoting common development

2008 is the mid-term assessment year of the MDGs. Global development is highly unbalanced, with 1 billion of population still living under poverty line. Shortage of energy and food has made the difficult situation of many countries even worse. We still shoulder heavy responsibilities to reach the MDGs. The fact that leaders of more than 50 countries attended the UN High-Level Event on the MDGs demonstrates that the development issue has once again drawn attention from the international community.

At the meeting, Premier Wen completely introduced China’s achievements of poverty alleviation and contribution to poverty reduction worldwide and promotion of South-South cooperation, raised 5 initiatives to realize the MDGs, called for countries to pay greater attention to the poverty issue and increase international aid. He also announced 6 measures of the Chinese government to assist the developing countries, including establishing the development assistance fund within the Food and Agriculture Organization, helping to train agricultural technicians, increase food export, exempt debt and tariff and building clean energy projects.

China takes the concerns of developing countries seriously. Its initiatives, proposals and measures are timely, effective and pragmatic, which is widely recognized. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon noted that countries expect to share China’s successful experience of economic and social development. The developing countries generally praise China for its consistency of words and acts, sincerity and selflessness. Many developing countries expressed hope to strengthen cooperation with China in the fields of international poverty alleviation and development aid.

III. Demonstrating China’s firm confidence of coping with the negative impact of the U.S. financial crisis

The U.S. is suffering from the financial crisis. What should China do? Will the Chinese economy maintain stable and relatively fast growth? The world once again turns focus to China.

Premier Wen exchanged opinions with heads of governments of different countries and held talks with people from the U.S. economic and financial community. He pointed out that confidence is particularly important in front of crisis, even more important than gold or money. To cope with the crisis, countries need to strengthen cooperation. China will work hard to maintain the stability of its macro economy, financial market and capital market, which is critical to the stability of world economy. He also noted that China is willing to strengthen coordination and collaboration with the U.S. and hopes countries stand side by side to overcome difficulties and jointly keep the stability of the international financial market, which is beneficial to the U.S., to China and to the world at large.

Parties concerned attached great importance to and agreed with Premier Wen’s views and shared the opinion that China is an important factor for the stability of the international economic and financial system. To maintain stable and relatively fast growth of its economy will be a major contribution made by China to the world. The U.S., U.K. and India all expressed hope to strengthen consultations and coordination with China on macroeconomic policies.

IV. Displaying China’s responsible attitude to food safety

The recent infant milk powder contamination incident of China has drawn high attention from home and abroad about China’s food safety.

Premier Wen stressed that the Chinese government pays great attention to food safety and will take vigorous measures to ensure product quality and food safety. Businesses will never be allowed to grow at the cost of the health and life of the people. He especially said that China’s food exports should meet not only the international standards but also the requirements of the importers. China is willing to enhance cooperation with all other countries in the world including the U.S. on food safety.

Premier Wen faced up the problem frankly and sincerely and made solemn commitment, illustrating the vision of the Chinese government of taking people’s interest first and governing for the people, eased the external worry about China’s food safety and won the understanding and support of the US society. They believe the Chinese government has handled the milk powder event quickly and resolutely. Food safety is a common challenge faced by all countries. The U.S. is willing to work joint with China in that regard.

V. Elaborating China’s principled stance of giving priority to developing relations with the U.S.

The U.S. will soon hold presidential election, and China-U.S. relations stand at an important moment. It is critical to ensure the smooth transition of the bilateral relations.

11 American friendly organizations held a grand welcoming luncheon for Premier Wen and more than 500 people from all walks of life in the U.S. attended the banquet, which well demonstrates the strong aspiration to cooperate with China of the U.S. people from different communities who are an importance force for promoting China-U.S. relations. Premier Wen made an important speech on the bilateral ties, saying that China and the U.S. share extensive common interest. The two countries are not rivals but partners. They should strengthen dialogue and exchanges, increase mutual trust, enhance cooperation and properly handle sensitive issues including the Taiwan question so as to ensure the healthy and stable progress of bilateral ties, which serves the fundamental interest of the two countries, is beneficial to world peace, stability and development and complies with the trend of history. He stressed that the Chinese government always attaches great importance to China-U.S. relations and its principle of promoting China-U.S. constructive partnership will remain unchanged no matter which American political party comes into power.

The fair and sensible speech of Premier Wen aroused positive responses. The U.S. side noted that to solve major issues faced by the world today needs the cooperation between the U.S. and China. The U.S. should look at its relations with China from a long-term perspective and global point of view and strengthen engagement and cooperation with China.

Yang said that the Chinese living in the U.S. love the motherland and actively support and participate in the disaster relief and the Beijing Olympic Games. More than 5,000 overseas Chinese especially came to New York to welcome Premier Wen. The scene that Premier Wen walked among them to extend greetings is really touching. The premier also met with representatives of overseas Chinese in the U.S. and held talks with chief executives of local Chinese media, conveying to them the care and greetings of the motherland for the Chinese people abroad. All these have shown the image of the Chinese government of giving top priority to the interest of the people and moved the overseas Chinese in the U.S. deeply. They expressed the willingness of making greater contributions to realizing the prosperity and unification of the motherland and promoting the China-U.S. friendship.