On September 20, Board Members of the US-China Policy Foundation attended a dinner in honor of Minister Tang Jiaxuan at the Willard Inter-Continental Hotel in Washington, DC., where he spoke to a large audience of policy makers, academics, and business executives. After expressing his personal pain on viewing the September 11 attack and affirming that terrorism "posed a challenge to people everywhere," Minister Tang delivered his address on U.S.-China relations.

Tang stressed the significant advances made by China in modernizing the country and in expanding the Chinese people's opportunities for education, employment, social security, and medical services, as well as in improving the rule of law and human rights conditions. He believes that now would be an excellent opportunity for the two sides to improve their relationship if the United States and China could discard prejudices and view each other objectively.

Because Taiwan is a primary stumbling block in U.S.-China relations, Tang spoke in some detail about it. Of course he emphasized the "one China" policy, the desire for "peaceful reunification," and the flourishing economic ties between China and Taiwan. However, he promised that once reunified, Taiwan will be able to retain its own economic system and manage its own political and military systems. Tang went on to list the common interests between Washington and Beijing and stressed the importance his government attaches to having good relations with the United States. He ended with his conviction that by working together the two countries can develop a constructive and cooperative relationship.

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