China values the commitment of the government of the United States, and hopes the US will continue its constructive role in the peaceful settlement of the Taiwan issue, said a Chinese military leader Thursday. 

"We adhere to 'peaceful reunification, and one country, two systems', and will make all efforts to achieve reunification with Taiwan by peaceful means, but will not allow Taiwan's independence," he said.  

Jiang Zemin, chairman of the Central Military Commission, met here with Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US armed forces, and stressed that the Taiwan issue is the most important and sensitive issue in Sino-US relations.

Jiang said that Sino-US relations had developed although ups and downs still existed since the two countries forged diplomatic ties 25 years ago.

He said that both China and the US are major powers of the world, and with different domestic situations, the two countries have differences on some issues, but they also shared common interests.

The development of Sino-US constructive and cooperative relations conforms to the fundamental interest of the two peoples, and is conducive to world peace and stability as well, Jiang said.

He said that Sino-US relations have maintained good momentum, and the two sides should deal with the relationship from the strategic and long-term viewpoint, expand consensus, reduce differences, and solve problems, to push forward a healthy and stable bilateral relationship.

Myers said that during the visit, he has good talks with Chinese military leaders on US-China military relations and the international and regional security situation, and the two sides had reached consensus.

He said that the US is satisfied with the military relationship, and is ready to work with China to continue the existing momentum.

Myers arrived here Monday on an official visit to China. Guo Boxiong, vice chairman of the CMC, and Cao Gangchuan, CMC vice chairman, state councilor and minister of defense of China, met with Myers on Wednesday.

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2004)