Extracts. China, Iran Willing to Expand Bilateral Cooperation China and Iran expressed their willingness in Tehran on Jan.6 to expand bilateral cooperation in various fields and promote regional political stability and economic development. At a meeting with Iran's First Vice President Hassan Habibi, visiting Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao said China attaches great importance to relations with Iran. He pointed out that it is a consistent policy of the Chinese government to enhance cooperation with Iran in various fields. Hu, who arrived here on Friday on a five-day official visit, said China is willing to further its friendly relations with Iran through joint efforts with the Iranian side. Recalling the traditional Sino-Iranian friendship which dates back to ancient times, the Chinese leader said that a new chapter in bilateral relations has been opened up since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries 30 years ago. At the start of the new millenium, Hu said, it is necessary for the two countries to review their relationship with a future vision so as to ensure a healthier and more mooth development of their bilateral ties. He praised Iranian President Mohammad Khatami's visit to China last June, saying that trip greatly promoted bilateral ties and laid the foundation of a long-term and stable Sino-Iranian cooperation in the new century. Hu also expressed his satisfaction at the development of economic and trade cooperation between the two sides. China-Iran two-way trade broke the 2.5-billion-U.S.-dollar mark in 2000. Iran has become an important trade partner of China in the Middle East and Gulf region. Extending warm welcome to Hu's visit, Habibi expressed hope that the trip will give a push to bilateral cooperation, especially in economic, trade, scientific and cultural fields, adding both sides should work for the expansion of ties in the new century. The two leaders also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern. Both sides said they are willing to play a constructive role in the region for the sake of the political stability and economic development there. They agreed that peace and development are the common aspiration of people around the world, and the concept of "dialog among civilizations," initiated by the Iranian president, will serve to promote friendship and understanding of different cultures and peaceful coexistence of different countries. Iran is the first stop Hu's five-nation tour, which also includes Syria, Jordan, Cyprus and Uganda. During his stay in Iran, Hu is also expected to hold talks with Khatami, Vice President Mohammad Hashemi, Majlis (parliament) speaker Mehdi Karubi and other senior officials. Accompanying Hu during the visit are Deputy Foreign Minister Ji Peiding, Deputy Minister in charge of State Development Planning Commission Wang Yang, Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Sun Guangxiang and other senior officials. **** China to Enhance Agriculture, Farmers' Income The Chinese government will put on top agenda the development of agriculture and increase of farmers' incomes this year, according to the Central Conference on Rural Work concluded in Beijing <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/beijing.html> Friday. During the meeting, participants learned Chinese President Jiang Zemin <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/leaders/jzm/jzmhome.htm> 's recent instruction on agriculture and rural work that in the new century, the country should never relax its efforts in consolidating the basis of agriculture. Jiang said that it is crucial to push forward agricultural reform, restructuring of the rural economy and increase farmers' incomes so as to guarantee national grain security and social stability in the rural areas. At the meeting, Chinese Vice Premier Wen Jiabao <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/leaders/Wenjiabao.htm> made a speech and the participants discussed the decisions put forward by the central government on this year's work in the agricultural sector and rural areas. According to the meeting, since the beginning of last year, the agricultural sector and rural economy have been developing steadily. Marked progress has resulted from the restructuring of the rural economy, industrialization and market-oriented reforms in the agricultural sector. The meeting pointed out that the slow growth of farmers' incomes has become a major problem. It noted that the lackluster sales and low prices of farm produce has shown no sign of improvement. Farmers' incomes in some grain production regions are declining. As a result, the income gap between urban and rural residents continue to widen. The meeting urged the government to take agricultural restructuring and increasing farmers' incomes as central tasks. If farmers' incomes do not increase in future, farmers will lose interest in production. Slow improvement in the purchasing power of farmers will not only dampen the demand for industrial products, but also create a weak farm produce market. According to the meeting, it is a very arduous task to resolve the problems of farmers' incomes. The meeting pointed out that in increasing the income of farmers, it is imperative to increase spending on the agriculture sector and to improve the environment for the development of the rural economy. "The most effective approach to reach the goal is to increase the overall efficiency of agriculture by restructuring the sector and rural economy, which is bound to create many new jobs for farmers," according to the meeting. Therefore, strong measures should be taken to improve grain quality and processing of agricultural products, to speed up the development of industrial and service sectors in the rural areas, and to promote the restructuring of rural enterprises. It is also imperative to implement the urbanization strategy by developing small towns and accelerating the transfer of surplus rural laborers to promote the coordinated development of urban and rural economies, it was said at the meeting. The meeting called for the advancing of agricultural science and technology to improve the efficiency of traditional agricultural operation with modern technology while the development of animal husbandry is accelerated. The restructuring of agriculture and the rural economy is a long process, it was noted at the meeting, calling for protecting farmers' enthusiasm and bringing to full play to their initiatives. Participants to the meeting placed great importance to continuing poverty-reduction efforts in rural areas. After years of work, the problem of providing enough food and clothing to poverty-stricken people in the rural areas has basically been solved in China, "But this is by no means an end to poverty-alleviation work," the meeting noted, adding that many farmers who no longer live in poverty are still vulnerable to natural disasters. It was announced at the meeting, that in the tenth-five-year plan period (2001-2005), China will take poverty alleviation as a major measure in boosting farmers' incomes, with priority given to areas inhabited by ethnic groups and the poverty-stricken regions in the middle and western regions of the country. The meeting also emphasized the importance of agriculture in ensuring grain safety of the state, noting that agriculture has always supported economic development and social stability in the process of strategic restructuring the national economy. The meeting called for the agriculture sector to face the new challenges when of the country's accession to the World Trade Organization and urged governments at all levels to render more support to agriculture, especially to face the current problem of a surplus of agricultural products. "Providing sufficient food to the more than 1.2 billion Chinese remains the top task of the country," the meeting stressed. The Chinese government will take concrete measures to ensure adequate food supply and food safety this year. These measures include protecting the country's arable land, maintaining farmers' production initiatives, enhancing the grain output level in major production areas and improving the co- ordination system of grain reserves, the meeting noted. The relationship between restructuring the agricultural sector and a stable grain production must be properly handled, it was stressed at the meeting. The reform of replacing arbitrary fees imposed by local authorities with taxes is a key policy adopted by the central government to protect farmers' initiatives and interests. It is also important to long-term rural development and stability, according to the meeting. Maintaining stability in rural areas is a "prerequisite" for rural reforms and development, the meeting pointed out. The meeting stressed that all policies must be strictly carried out in rural areas to safeguard the rights and interests of farmers. The conference also outlined ten major tasks for rural work this year: ---- Promoting agricultural restructuring and enhancing the overall performance of the rural sector; ---- Ensuring sufficient food supply and improving the economic returns of grain production; ---- Transferring surplus rural labors to other sectors and gradually increasing the incomes of farmers; ---- Stepping up rural tax reforms to ease the burden of farmers; ---- Increasing investment in agriculture and infrastructure in the rural areas; ---- Deepening technological and educational reforms; ---- Reforming the rural credit cooperatives and improving financial services; ---- Continuing poverty alleviation programs and improving farmers' production and living standards; ---- Further opening up the rural sector to the outside world to participate in global competition; ---- And promoting the overall social progress in rural areas. **** Chinese Vice Premier Meets Finnish Guests Chinese Vice Premier Wu Bangguo <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/leaders/Wubangguo.htm> met in Beijing <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/beijing.html> January 5 afternoon with Jorma Ollila, president and chief executive officer of Nokia and his party. Wu briefed the guests on China's economic development. He said that information technology contributed to economic growth in China. He said that he hopes foreign companies including Nokia will place greater importance on cooperation with their Chinese counterparts. Ollila noted that his company has always regarded developing business in China as significant and will continue to do so in the future. The Finnish guests are here at the invitation of the Ministry of Information Industry. **** Vice-Premier Meets Taiwan Delegations Chinese Vice-premier Qian Qichen <http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/leaders/Qianqichen.htm> said in Beijing <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/beijing.html> January 5 that he appreciates the effort by individuals and organizations in Taiwan <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/taiwan.html> to promote direct links in trade, transportation and postal services (the "three direct links") across the Taiwan Straits. Qian made the remarks in a meeting with two delegations from Taiwan for "three links", headed respectively by Her Jyh-Huei from Taiwan's Kuomintang and Fung Hu-Hsiang from Taiwan's New Party. Qian said that early in 1979 the mainland suggested direct links in trade, transportation and postal services across the Taiwan Straits, which became impossible because of obstructions by the Taiwan authorities. He noted, however, that the "three direct links" has now become the common desire of Taiwan compatriots and a common understanding between the mainland and those political parties, organizations and personage who advocate promoting across-Straits relations. Qian said that during the past 20 years the mainland has done a lot to prepare for the "three direct links". Some non- governmental organizations on both sides of the Straits have also carried out discussions and negotiations on this issue. It is time for the Taiwan authorities to abandon its policy of hindering the "three direct links" and make a contribution to the realization of the "three direct links", said Qian. The "three direct links" is related to the development of the mainland and Taiwan in the 21st century. The two sides can achieve prosperity and development through exchange and cooperation, noted Qian. Qian also pointed out that the "three direct links" is an internal affair of China and should be realized by the two sides of the Straits on the basis of "directness, two-way and mutual benefit". He said that the "three direct links" will finally realize with effort by the two sides of Straits. **** Officials Across Taiwan Strait Say "Three Links" Is A General Trend Realization of the "Three Links" is a general trend and the common wish of the people across the Taiwan <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/taiwan.html> Strait, said officials from the Beijing <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/beijing.html> -based Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) and visiting delegates of Taiwan's Kuomintang Party and New Party during their dialogue held January 5. The "Three Links" refers to direct links in trade, transportation, and postal services across the Taiwan Strait. It is against the will of the peoples on both sides of the strait to postpone the realization of the "Three Links", the officials said. Both sides of the Taiwan Straits have called for the Taiwan authorities to lift unreasonable limitations and adopt substantial moves to pave way for the "Three Links." Although the Taiwan authorities recently approved direct trade and personnel exchange between Jinmen, Mazu, and the coastal areas of Fujian <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/fujian.html> Province, these are not the "Three Links" in a genuine sense, said Sun Yafu, deputy president with the ARATS. The "Three Links" across the Taiwan Strait is an internal affair of China, therefore many relevant issues should be solved through consultation on the principle of One China, direct and two- way exchanges, and mutual benefit, the ARATS offcial stressed. If the Taiwan authorities are sincere in resolving the issue, they should acknowledge the "One China" policy clearly as soon as possible and make substantial efforts to remove unreasonable policies. Experts from some departments under the State Council also attended the dialogue and introduced the Taiwan visitors to the preparations the mainland of China has made for the "Three Links." The 40-member Kuomintang delegation and the 22-member New Party delegation arrived Thursday at the invitation of the ARATS. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
