The consensus was reached Saturday between Chinese leaders and visiting US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who arrived in Beijing early Saturday morning.

This is Powell's first visit to China as the US secretary of state and he is also the highest ranking US official to visit China since President George W. Bush's administration took office in January.

During the day, Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Premier Zhu Rongji and Vice Premier Qian Qichen met with Powell respectively and Foreign Minster Tang Jiaxuan held talks with him.

Powell extended the wish of the United States to develop a "constructive" and "cooperative" relationship with China, which was welcomed by China, and various leaders expressed their views on the issue.

Zhu said that China also hopes to develop a constructive and cooperative relationship with the United States.

Tang said that building such a relationship is realistic, and is in the interest of both countries, and conducive to world peace and prosperity.

Meanwhile, the Chinese leaders stressed the importance of the three Sino-US joint communiques in the development of the bilateral ties.

Jiang told Powell that the three Sino-US joint communiques are the basic framework for handling the Sino-US relations and the Taiwan issue.

Powell pledged that the US will abide by the three joint communiques.

The Taiwan issue was a topic of major importance addressed by Powell and the Chinese leaders.

Jiang said that China will continue to abide by the basic guideline of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems" framed by late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.

He said that people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are Chinese, and no one is more hopeful than the Chinese government that the Taiwan issue will be resolved peacefully.

Powell reiterated that the Bush administration, just like its predecessors, will continue to pursue the "One China" policy.

At a press conference held in Beijing Saturday evening, Powell summarized his talks and meetings with Chinese leaders as "productive," saying that both sides have reached consensus on a number of diverse issues.

Another goal of Powell's visit is to make preparations for US President Bush's China tour this autumn, and he said Bush is looking forward to this visit.

Qian noted that the upcoming visit by President Bush will provide a historic opportunity to promote a sustained and healthy development of the Sino-US relations.

"These events will be of significance to the future development trends of the Sino-US relations in the new century," Tang said.

Powell will conclude his visit to China and leave Beijing early Sunday morning.

(Xinhua News Agency 07/28/2001)