President Hu Jintao's meeting with US President George W. Bush on Saturday has been winning favorable comments from Chinese researchers of international relations. They say it is a good sign of how the two nations will work together in the next four years.  

The APEC summit, which is taking place in Santiago, Chile, offers a rare opportunity of diplomacy for both leaders.

For President Hu and President Bush who just won the election to begin his second term of presidency, it will be a good time to clarify their policies for the Asia-Pacific region -- an increasingly important part of the global market economy and also one of the most frequent victims of terrorist activities in the international community.

The good news is that the two leaders said they both want to maintain the momentum the two nations have built up in the last four years.

Of course, all progress in China-US relations has been only possible because the two nations have been able not to let the Taiwan question stand in their way.

It was just so as Hu told Bush how China appreciated Washington's adherence to the one-China policy and its refusal to go along with "Taiwan independence."

China's intention is to solve the Taiwan question through application of the principle of "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems," Hu said.

He also stressed China will never put up with any efforts by those seeking "Taiwan independence" and to separate the island from its motherland.

"Taiwan independence" would be a bad gambling move not only to risk stability across the Taiwan Straits, but in effect to take hostage of the peace and prosperity in the entire Asia-Pacific region.

So both China and the United States should perceive the perils of "Taiwan independence" in such a strategic perspective, as the Chinese president said.

For his part, the US president reportedly said Washington understands the sensitivity of the Taiwan question and that it will stick to the one-China policy, abide by the three joint communiqués that US signed with China in the development of their relations, and oppose any words or deeds to unilaterally alter the status quo and declare independence, and give no inconsistent signals to the Taiwan authorities over that issue.

These words, and the ideas that they reflect, have showed the two leaders have a deep sense of responsibility for steering the bilateral relationship clear of the poisoning factor of "Taiwan independence," which is a scheme for the separatists to profit only from setting China and the United States against each other.

After making clear, once again, China's stance on Taiwan, the Chinese president had a full bag-load of promising plans for his partner and other leaders in the APEC.

Between China and the US, he said, the progress of constructive and cooperative relationship may well lead to concrete results from a broad range of common interests through more high-level dialogues and strategic exchanges, to joint efforts in anti-terrorism, law-enforcement -- from economy to health and environment. China is ready to work in this direction in the coming four years, China's president told Bush.

Hu promoted common efforts among the leaders of other economies in the region as well. China also pledges to play a more active part in promoting free trade among the Pacific Rim member economies.

Viewed in this perspective, China's agenda is really clear and simple. It is determined to be a responsible member of the international community in such a way as to generate more free market benefits for its partners and for itself. And overtime, the benefit can be enormous, while not letting the scheme of "Taiwan independence" upset the whole process.

(China Daily November 22, 2004)