He said that more contact between the Chinese and US armed forces will help develop relations between the two countries and safeguard peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

Chi made the remarks to Anthony Lake, former assistant national security advisor to the US President, who is leading a delegation to a symposium on the development of Sino-US relations, hosted by the Chinese People's Liberation Army University of National Defense.

The defense minister said that the proper settlement of the Taiwan issue is the key to ensuring healthy and stable relations between China and the United States.

He said the Chinese government will solve the Taiwan issue according to "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems", and the eight-point proposal raised by Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

He urged the US side to observe the three Sino-US joint communiqués and not to mislead the Taiwan authorities.

Lake said that both the United States and China are influential countries of the world, and the two governments need to keep strategic dialogue if they want to maintain healthy and stable relations.

Chi, also vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, said that the symposium helps promote mutual understanding and trust and helps realize the consensus on developing Sino-US constructive and cooperative relations.

He said that China and the United States shoulder responsibility for world peace and development, and they share common ground, which is the foundation to develop constructive and cooperative relations.

He noted that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Shanghai Communiqué. "Sino-US relations in general have developed forward although the international situation has changed greatly over the past 30 years," he said.

He expressed the hope that the symposium will contribute to the development of the relations between the two countries and their armed forces.

(People's Daily June 25, 2002)