President Jiang Zemin of China promised yesterday to broaden democracy in China and run the country according to the rule of law. In a speech to the Asia Society in Washington just before his departure for Philadelphia, he said: "We will further enlarge democracy, run the state according to law, and turn China into a socialist country ruled by law."
He also said human rights were "of universal significance, but they must tally with a country's economic and cultural development". Mr Jiang also pledged to ensure Chinese people enjoyed "extensive rights and freedoms".
Earlier, Mr Jiang had to listen to criticism of his country's human rights record and weapon sales when he met members of Congress. This followed a summit meeting with President Clinton where differences on human rights also featured.
The Senate Majority Leader, Sen Trent Lott, said in his welcoming address that "our relationship cannot be based simply on economics". He said, "We do not believe that freedom is limited by geography and history. We believe that all men and women should be able to live, work and speak free from government interference."
The Speaker of the House, Mr Newt Gingrich, gave Mr Jiang a tour of the Capitol Rotunda, showing him a painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and a replica of the Magna Carta.
Mr Gingrich said later: "I reminded our Chinese guests that you cannot have economic freedom without political freedom, and you cannot have political freedom without religious freedom. You cannot have a system that is half-totalitarian and halffree. It will not survive."
The Speaker said he had been invited to visit Tibet by Mr Jiang. Protests against China's treatment of Tibet have marked Mr Jiang's visit since he arrived in the US last Sunday. Mr Gingrich said he told Mr Jiang he hoped he would be there with the Dalai Lama when he visited Tibet next year. Mr Jiang did not reply.
In his own prepared remarks at the breakfast with 50 members of Congress, Mr Jiang paid tribute to both the Republican and Democratic parties for their contribution to US-China relations.
"We attach great importance to the considerable contribution the US Congress has made to our bilateral relations and hope it will continue the vigorous efforts in improving and developing ChinaUS relations." He also noted that more than 100 members of Congress had visited China over the past year.
Sen Lott also drew attention to China's ties with Iran, which are still viewed with suspicion by Republicans in spite of President Clinton's decision to allow the export of nuclear equipment to China. Such exports have been banned until now because China is accused of selling sensitive nuclear equipment to Iran as well as missiles with nuclear capability.
Sen Lott told Mr Jiang: "We understand you have made certain commitments on limiting nuclear co-operation and we support those commitments. We remain concerned, however, about other areas of co-operation on chemical weapons and on missile systems and technology."
He said: "There are reasons for our concern. Iranian missiles could be used against American military forces. Iranian-supported terrorists have targeted Americans. These facts make it impossible for our country to improve relations with those aiding Iran."
In separate comments to the press after the breakfast, the chairmen of the Senate and House foreign affairs committees, Sen Jesse Helms and Representative Ben Gilman, criticised President Clinton's approach to the visit.
Sen Helms said, "The administration policy towards China has been an abject failure. Abject means both utterly hopeless and shamelessly servile."
Mr Gilman said, "The President has described his policy towards China as one of constructive engagement. I think it has been more in the order of appeasement."