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Rice Remarks With Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao

Published: Mon 21 Mar 2005 11:50 AM
Remarks With Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao
Secretary Condoleezza Rice
Great Hall of the People
Beijing, China
March 20, 2005
PREMIER WEN: (in Chinese) Madam Secretary, welcome to China. In fact, you have arrived in China at this a time on a day of the vernal equinox according to the Chinese lunar calendar. There is a old Chinese farmer's proverb goes the day of vernal equinox is the day we start to grow. And a moment is worth more than a thousand pieces of gold. And I think spring is the season when we sow seeds in the fields and I very much hope that your current visit to this country will be able to sow promising seeds for our friendship in the future.
I know you have been working twice as hard as others to also employ your talents and capabilities to struggle in the political circle and to finally take the post of as Secretary of State of the United States and I would like to hereby offer my sincere congratulations.
This meeting here with you, also helps me recall my visit to the United States back in December 2003. That was a very successful visit. During that particular visit, President Bush made it clear that the U.S. government is committed to the One China principle and opposes Taiwan independence and I know that you have made tremendous efforts to secure the success of my visit, and I would like to take the opportunity to express my gratitude to President Bush, the U.S. government and to you, Madam Secretary, in particular for the efforts you have made.
SECRETARY RICE: Thank you very much, Premier, I do remember well your visit to the United States, as does President Bush, and I thank you very much for receiving me here.
I have come early in my tenure as Secretary of State. It is my hope that I can develop, with Minister Li, a very strong relationship -- we have already done much work together -- because it would be very good for the world if we continue to have a constructive and good relationship between the United States and China.
I look forward to our discussions today. We have many issues to discuss but I want to tell you how much the United States looks forward to a confident and a good partner in China so that we may address the many problems as well as the many opportunities that are affecting us in the Asia-Pacific region, and also around the world.
2005/T4-24
Released on March 20, 2005

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