--Whoever comes to power in Taiwan, he is welcome to the mainland for talks, and we may also go to Taiwan. However, there should be a basis for dialogues and negotiations across the Taiwan Straits, namely, the one China principle must first be recognized, and under this prereuistite, every thing can be discussed.
--The Taiwan issue is the biggest barrier to the improvement and development of Sino-US relations. The US side should take concrete actions to adhere to the one China policy. Only by doing so can Sino-US relations avoid setbacks and instead register improvement and development.

On March 20, President Jiang Zemin met with visiting President Denis Sassau-nguesso of the Republic of the Congo in Beijing. While talking about the Taiwan issue, Jiang said, "Premier Zhu Rongji made our stand and viewpoint very clear at a press conference following the conclusion of the Third Session of the Ninth National People's Congress."

Now, the election in the Taiwan region is over, sand Jiang. We said before and still hold today that whoever comes to power in Taiwan, he is welcome to the mainland for talks, and we may also go to Taiwan. However, there should be a basis for dialogues and negotiations across the Taiwan Straits, namely, the one China principle must first be recognized, and under this prerequisite, everything can be discussed.

The next day, during his meeting with Richard C. Holbrooke, the US permanent representative to the United Nations, at Zhongnanhai, Beijing, President Jiang stressed that how to ensure Sino-US relations maintain stability and continue improving and developing is a major issue that should be properly handle by leaders of both countries. He said, we demand that the United States abide by the three Sino-US joint communiques and the commitments of "three no's". The US side should take concrete actions to adhere to the one China policy. Only by doing so can Sino-US ties avoid setbacks and instead register improvement and development.

In this US election year, said Jiang, certain people in the United States have attempted to involve Sino-US relations in US presidential campaign policies and disturb the improvement and development of Sino-US relations. At this critical moment, how to ensure Sino-US relations maintain stability and continue improving and developing is a major issuer that should be properly handled by leaders of both countries. Proceeding from the fundamental interests of the people of the two countries, it is of vital importance to strictly abide bye the three Sino-US joint communiques, handle the differences between the two countries properly and ensure that the basis of Sino-US relations is solid and safe from damage.

The Taiwan issue is the biggest barrier to the improvement and development of Sino-US relations, said the president. The Taiwan issue is China's internal affair. It is the common desire and sacred mission of the entire Chinese people to safeguard China's State sovereignty and territorial integrity. The accomplishment of the grand cause of national reunifications is not only the common desire of the entire Chinese people that confirms to the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation, but also is conducive to the sound and steady developmen t of Sino-US relations. This is also beneficial to the US side.

We are closely watching the development of the situation on the Taiwan Island, added Jiang. The election and the result of the election of leaders in the Taiwan region cannot change the fact that Taiwan is a part of Chinese territory. The one China principle is the basis and precondition for the peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question. I have said openly that leaders across the Taiwan Straits may hold talks, with the precondition of sticking to the one China principle. We demand that the United States abide by the three Sino-US joint commuiques and the commitments of "three no's", namely, the United States gives no support to the independence of Taiwan, no support to Taiwan's entry into any international organization with membership of sovereign states. The US side should take concrete actions to adhere to the one China policy. Only by doing so, can Sino-US relations avoid setbacks and instead register improvement and development.