China touts clout in anti-terror fight

Jiang befriends 'axis of evil' member Libya while hitting out at Washington's anti-terrorism efforts

(CNN) -- Chinese President Jiang Zemin has again attacked Washington's anti-terrorist campaign, saying that fighting terrorism should "have the right objective, based on authentic evidence and avoid hurting innocent people".

Jiang made the comments during talks with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi over the weekend.

The talks were part of a five-nation tour by Jiang that includes Libya and Iran.

Jiang, who had repeatedly decried the "double standards" of Washington's anti-terrorist efforts, said China was "against the practise that links terrorism with a certain nationality or religion".

The Chinese and Libyan leaders also discussed the situation in the Middle East as well as bilateral issues, including economic cooperation.

Official Chinese papers on Monday reported that Jiang and Gaddafi agreed Israel should pull out of Palestinian territories immediately.

Jiang repeated his message that fighting terrorism and restoring peace in the Middle East should be pursued under the auspices of the United Nations.

Considerable influence

Diplomatic analysts in Beijing said Jiang was letting U.S. President George W. Bush know that Chinese help or acquiescence in the anti-terrorist campaign could not be taken for granted.

"Jiang wants to show the U.S. that China has considerable clout with Libya and Iran, which have been labeled by Bush respectively as a rogue state and a member of the axis of evil," a Western diplomat said.

Since the "private visit" to the U.S. by Taiwan Defense Minister Tang Yiau-ming last month, Beijing and Washington have crossed swords over the perceived coziness -- and growing military ties -- between the U.S. and Taiwan.

Sources close to Jiang's entourage said it was likely the Chinese leader would fire more potshots at Washington when he is in Iran later this week.

Meanwhile, Premier Zhu Rongji told visiting former U.S. secretary of state Henry Kissinger on Sunday that good bilateral ties would be beneficial to world peace and development.

Zhu warned, however, that "only when the Taiwan question is handled well can Sino-U.S. relations move forward smoothly".