    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
    [October 29, 1997]
    [Pages 1452-1454]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Joint United States-China Statement
    October 29, 1997

        At the invitation of President William J. Clinton of the United
    States of America, President Jiang Zemin of the People's Republic of
    China is paying a state visit to the United States from October 26 to
    November 3, 1997. This is the first state visit by the President of
    China to the United States in twelve years. President Jiang Zemin held
    formal talks with President Clinton in Washington D.C. and also met with
    Vice President Al Gore, Congressional leaders and other American
    leaders. Talks also were held between Vice Premier and Foreign Minister
    Qian Qichen and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
        The two Presidents had an in-depth and productive exchange of views
    on the international situation, U.S.-China relations and the important
    opportunities and challenges facing the two countries. They agree that a
    sound and stable relationship between the United States and China serves
    the fundamental interests of both the American and Chinese peoples and
    is important to fulfilling their common responsibility to work for peace
    and prosperity in the 21st century.
        They agree that while the United States and China have areas of both
    agreement and disagreement, they have a significant common interest and
    a firm common will to seize opportunities and meet challenges
    cooperatively, with candor and a determination to achieve concrete
    progress. The United States and China have major differences on the
    question of human rights. At the same time, they also have great
    potential for cooperation in maintaining global and regional peace and
    stability; promoting world economic growth; preventing the proliferation
    of weapons of mass destruction; advancing Asia-Pacific regional
    cooperation; combating narcotics trafficking, international organized
    crime and terrorism; strengthening bilateral exchanges and cooperation
    in economic development, trade, law, environmental protection, energy,
    science and technology, and education and culture; as well as engaging
    in military exchanges.
        The two Presidents are determined to build toward a constructive
    strategic partnership between the United States and China through
    increasing cooperation to meet international challenges and promote
    peace and development in the world. To achieve this goal, they agree to
    approach U.S.-China relations from a long-term perspective on the basis
    of the principles of the three U.S.-China joint communiques.
        China stresses that the Taiwan question is the most important and
    sensitive central question in China-U.S. relations, and that the proper
    handling of this question in strict compliance with the principles set
    forth in the three China-U.S. joint communiques holds the key to sound
    and stable growth of China-U.S. relations. The United States reiterates
    that it adheres to its ``one China'' policy and the principles set forth
    in the three U.S.-China joint communiques.
        As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, the
    United States and China support the UN in its efforts, in accordance
    with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, to play a positive
    and effective role on global issues, including peacekeeping and the
    promotion of economic and social development. Both countries support
    efforts to reform the UN and to make the Security Council more
    representative, while retaining and improving its effectiveness.
    Stressing the need to put the UN

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    on a firmer financial basis, both countries will participate actively in
    discussions on the Scale of Assessments in the UN.
        As two major countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the United States
    and China are ready to strengthen their cooperation to meet various
    challenges and make positive contributions to promoting stability and
    prosperity in the region. Recognizing that maintenance of peace and
    stability on the Korean Peninsula is of great importance, the two
    countries are working through the Four-Party Talks to help establish a
    durable peace on the Peninsula, and will continue consultations to this
    end. They also stress that it is in the interest of the two countries to
    maintain peace and stability in other important regions, including the
    Middle East, the Gulf, and South Asia.
        The two Presidents agreed on a number of steps that will provide a
    framework for further promoting U.S.-China relations and strengthening
    their cooperation in international affairs.

    High-Level Dialogue and Consultations

        The United States and China agree to regular visits by their
    Presidents to each other's capitals.
        They agree to a Washington-Beijing presidential communications link
    to facilitate direct contact. They also agree to regular exchanges of
    visits by cabinet and sub-cabinet officials to consult on political,
    military, security and arms control issues.

    Energy and Environment Cooperation

        The United States and China reaffirm the importance of bilateral
    cooperation across the broad range of environmental issues, as evidenced
    by the establishment of the U.S.-China Forum on Environment and
    Development in March 1997.
        They consider it a critical challenge to develop and efficiently use
    energy sources, protect the global environment, and promote
    environmentally sound growth and development. Accordingly, they agree to
    strengthen their cooperation in energy and environment through an
    initiative to accelerate clean energy projects and the appropriate
    transfer of related technologies. The principal areas of cooperation
    will be in clean energy, urban air pollution control and rural
    electrification. This initiative also will foster broader cooperation on
    global environment issues such as climate change, desertification and
    bio-diversity. China's State Planning Commission and the U.S. Energy
    Department have signed the U.S.-China Initiative on Energy and
    Environment Cooperation to promote effective cooperation in these
    fields, including the use of clean energy.

    Economic Relations and Trade

        The two Presidents are prepared to take positive and effective
    measures to expand U.S.-China trade and economic ties. As both economies
    move into the 21st century, information technology will be critical to
    spurring technological innovation and improving productivity. In this
    regard, China indicated its intention to participate as soon as possible
    in the Information Technology Agreement. In addition, in the context of
    WTO negotiations, China will continue to make further substantial tariff
    reductions.
        The United States and China agree that China's full participation in
    the multilateral trading system is in their mutual interest. To this
    end, they agree to intensify negotiations on market access, including
    tariffs, non-tariff measures, services, standards and agriculture and on
    implementation of WTO principles so that China can accede to the WTO on
    a commercially meaningful basis at the earliest possible date.

    Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation

        The United States and China agree that it is in their mutual
    interest to cooperate in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. To this
    end, they each have taken the steps necessary to implement the U.S.-
    China Agreement on Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation concluded in 1985. In
    addition, China's State Planning Commission and the U.S. Department of
    Energy have signed an Agreement of Intent to promote peaceful nuclear
    cooperation and research between the two countries.

    Nonproliferation

        The United States and China agree to work to bring the Comprehensive
    Test Ban Treaty into force at the earliest possible date. They also
    agree to pursue at the UN Conference on Disarmament the early start of
    formal negotiations on the Treaty on the Prohibition of the Production
    of Fissile Materials Used in Nuclear Weapons and Other Nuclear Explosive
    Devices.
        The United States and China reiterate their commitment not to
    provide any assistance to unsafeguarded nuclear facilities and nuclear
    explosion programs. China has placed controls on

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    exports of nuclear and dual-use materials and related technology and
    will take further measures to strengthen dual-use export controls by
    mid-1998. The United States will continue to enforce firm controls on
    the export of nuclear and dual-use materials and related technology.
        As original parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, the United
    States and China agree to cooperate in implementing the Convention
    within a multilateral framework. Both countries agree on the importance
    of government oversight of chemical-related exports.
        The United States and China agree to build on the 1994 Joint
    Statement on Missile Nonproliferation. They reaffirm their respective
    commitments to the guidelines and parameters of the Missile Technology
    Control Regime (MTCR).

    Human Rights

        The United States and China both recognize the positive role of the
    Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other international human
    rights instruments in promoting human rights. They reiterate their
    commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights and
    fundamental freedoms.
        While the two countries have not resolved their differences on human
    rights, they have agreed to discuss them through dialogue at both
    governmental and non-governmental levels in the spirit of equality and
    mutual respect. The two countries agree to hold discussions on the
    structure and functions of an NGO forum on human rights.

    Cooperation in the Field of Law

        The United States and China agree that promoting cooperation in the
    field of law serves the interests and needs of both countries. They will
    strengthen cooperation in combating international organized crime,
    narcotics trafficking, alien smuggling, counterfeiting and money
    laundering. To this end, they intend to establish a joint liaison group
    for law enforcement cooperation composed of representatives of the
    relevant agencies of both governments. They agree to begin consultations
    on mutual legal assistance aimed at concluding a mutual legal assistance
    agreement.
        The United States and China will assign counternarcotics officers to
    their respective embassies on a reciprocal basis. Recognizing the
    importance the United States and China each attaches to legal exchanges,
    they intend to establish a joint liaison group to pursue cooperative
    activities in this area. These may include exchanges of legal experts;
    training of judges and lawyers; strengthening legal information systems
    and the exchange of legal materials; sharing ideas about legal
    assistance; consulting on administrative procedures; and strengthening
    commercial law and arbitration.
        As part of this program of legal cooperation, China's Minister of
    Justice will visit the United States in November 1997 at the invitation
    of the U.S. Attorney General.

    Military-to-Military Relations

        The United States and China have reached agreement on the
    establishment of a consultation mechanism to strengthen military
    maritime safety, which will enable their maritime and air forces to
    avoid accidents, misunderstandings or miscalculations.
        They agree to share information and discuss issues related to their
    respective experiences in the areas of humanitarian assistance and
    disaster relief.

    Science and Technology, Educational and Cultural Exchanges

        The U.S.-China Joint Commission on Science and Technology will
    continue to guide the active bilateral scientific and technological
    cooperation program, which involves more than 30 agreements reached
    since 1979, and will promote the further use of science and technology
    to solve national and global problems. The United States and China also
    will identify areas for cooperative projects using space for Earth
    science research and practical applications.
        The United States and China will expand educational and cultural
    exchanges. Both Presidents believe that increased people-to-people
    exchanges will help cultivate long-term bilateral relations.
        President Jiang Zemin expressed his thanks to President Clinton and
    the American people for their warm reception and invited President
    Clinton to visit China in 1998. President Clinton accepted this
    invitation with pleasure.

    Note: The joint statement was made available by the Office of the Press
    Secretary but was not issued as a White House press release.