Remarks With State Councilor Dai Bingguo

STATE COUNCILOR DAI: Mr. Negroponte, it is such a delight to see you in Beijing again. A big warm welcome to you and your friends. It is such a pity that each visit of yours is so short. You need to find a longer period of time to see China in more detail.

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Someday I will have more time.

[Laughter]

STATE COUNCILOR DAI: Maybe a few months later.

[Laughter]

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Yeah, exactly. But you may not be as interested in seeing me.

STATE COUNCILOR DAI: I will still be interested.

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: I will come back to Guizhou.

STATE COUNCILOR DAI: Welcome. There are many places you have not visited in Guizhou.

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: That’s right.

STATE COUNCILOR DAI: So when we meet a few months later maybe we can be more free in our discussion.

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: That’s right. Well, I can, anyway.

STATE COUNCILOR DAI: In the morning, you met with Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and also held talks with Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi. I believe you have already exhausted all that needs to be discussed. So what we can do now is to have a free discussion.

This year we are soon to witness the thirtieth year of our diplomatic relations. Over the past thirty years, the international situation has undergone complex and major changes and so has China. We have carried out extensive and deep reform. There had been tremendous development in China-U.S. relations. And this brings home one idea, that is a China which sticks to reform and development and stays on the path of peaceful development in a partner of cooperation that can be relied upon by the United States.