Jiang made his remarks during his meeting with US Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans. Evans is in China for the 14th conference of the China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade.

Noting the recent progress made in economic, anti-terrorism and technological co-operation, Jiang nevertheless pointed out that bilateral ties had been damaged by problems that should have been avoided.

On April 9, some members of the United States House of Representatives started a Congressional Taiwan Caucus and vowed to co-operate closely with Taiwan in line with the so-called Taiwan Relations Act.

In March, the US Government invited Tang Yiau-ming - Taiwan's "defence minister" - to visit the United States.

Also in March, the United States put China on a list of seven countries it said would become targets of its nuclear attacks in an emergency. The US Congress also passed a bill supporting Taiwan's membership of the World Health Organization as an observer.

Jiang highlighted fast economic development and improved living standards as basic long-term goals and said China is willing to develop friendly co-operation with the United States.

China highly values the joint commission mechanism and hopes that the relevant departments of the two countries will enhance their co-operation, he said.

Evans, expressing US support for China's development, said his department will strengthen co-operation with relevant Chinese departments and contribute to the development of bilateral ties.

China and the United States yesterday signed four US Trade and Development Agency grant agreements that will provide funding for Chinese projects in electronic commerce, renewable energy, the environment and aviation.

Chinese Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation Shi Guangsheng and Evans took part in the signing ceremony after concluding the 14th meeting of the joint commission on economic co-operation and trade.

China and the US exchanged views on extensive trade topics during the meeting, which included loosening US control over high-tech exports to China, controversial US tariffs on steel imports, US anti-dumping measures against China and intellectual property rights, Shi said after the signing ceremony.

The two sides agreed to an ambitious agenda, including training exchanges on World Trade Organization responsibilities, increased private-sector participation in the commission and more frequent meetings of the commission, Evans said.

(China Daily April 24, 2002)