On June 18, 2003, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing met with his US counterpart Colin Powell on the sideline of ASEAN meetings in Phnom Penh.

Li said that not long ago, President Hu Jintao and US President George Bush had a fruitful meeting in Evian, France, laying a good foundation for the future development of Sino-US relations. He hoped the two sides would do a good job in carrying out the common understanding reached by the two leaders, strengthen high-level exchanges, expand dialogue and cooperation in various areas, properly handle differences and make new progress in pushing forward bilateral relations of constructive cooperation.

Li added that to the Chinese government and the Chinese people, the Taiwan question has always been and still is the most important, most sensitive one in Sino-US relations, and hoped the US side would stick to the One China policy and its own promises and take practical actions to safeguard the relations.

On his part, Powell said that the current US-China relationship is satisfying, and the two sides have similar views on many important regional and international issues, and have cooperated well. The United States will continue upholding the One China policy, abide by the three US-China joint communiqués and oppose "Taiwan independence." He added that together with the Chinese side, the US side is willing to carry out the common understanding reached by the leaders of both sides.

The two ministers also exchanged views on the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and issues of Iraq, Middle East, South Asia, terrorism and disease prevention.