中国驻美最高外交官表示，中国担心美国国会可能损害两国经济关系。

　　在接受英国《金融时报》采访时，中国驻美大使周文重称，中美关系首先是经济关系。

　　“国与国之间的一切关系，都是利益关系……我相信自由贸易符合美国利益，”周文重说。

　　“人们最终会理解，自由贸易给这个国家带来不少好处。某些人可能不同意。但我相信最终人们会转变看法。”

　　周文重是在导致美中紧张关系升级的最新事件发生之前发表上述言论的。这些事件包括好莱坞著名导演斯皮尔伯格(Stephen Spielberg)辞去北京奥运艺术顾问，以及美国逮捕所谓的中国间谍。

　　据报道，中国外交部发言人刘建超昨日表示：“所谓中方……从事间谍活动的说法纯属无中生有、别有用心。”据路透社报道，刘建超补充称：“我们要求美方摒弃冷战思维，停止对中方的无端指责……这样的闹剧上演了很多，人们已经厌倦了，该收场了。”

　　周文重表示，中国政府对于美国国会的动向感到“担心”，“因为某些人正在推动将被视为具有保护主义性质的立法”。

　　中国外交官对美国国会的多项法案感到担忧，这些法案旨在针对一系列问题采取行动，从中国的汇率政策、中国产品安全记录，到中国与苏丹的关系。

　　周文重还警告美国国会，不要出台将对中国新设立的主权财富基金进行监督的法规。“我能够理解他们对国家安全、对主权财富基金将在并购中扮演什么角色非常关切……但我希望他们不要将这个问题政治化。”

　　他表示，这是“一个贸易问题，一个商业问题”。

　　“你不能给某一个主权财富基金贴上标签，然后就把它完全排除在外。那不公平。”

　　在与美国商会(US Chamber of Commerce)一起访问佛罗里达州的行程中，周文重表示，鉴于迈阿密作为拉美门户的地位，中国有意与美国东南部等地区建立更紧密的经贸关系。

　　中国外交官表示，在影响两国关系的外交政策问题上，他们对布什政府的处理基本满意，其中最突出的就是台湾问题。而无论是民主党或是共和党候选人入主白宫，他们预计下一任美国总统不会带来重大变化。

[next]
 
RECIPE OF FREE TRADE AND FAIR PLAY  

　　China　is concerned that the US Congress could undermine economic ties between the two countries, according to a top Beijing envoy.

　　In an interview with the Financial Times, Zhou Wenzhong, China's ambassador to US, depicted the Sino-American relationship as primarily economic.

　　“All relations between countries are relations of interest . . . and I think what is in the interest of the US is free trade,” Mr Zhou said.

　　“People will eventually understand that free trade does this country a lot of good. Some people may not agree. But I think eventually people will come round.”

　　He was speaking before the most recent rise in tensions between Washington and Beijing – including the resignation of Stephen Spielberg, US film director, as artistic adviser for the Olympics, and US arrests of alleged Chinese spies.

　　Yesterday a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman was reported to have said: “So-called talk that China runs spying activities . . . is totally fictitious and has ulterior motives.” According to Reuters, Liu Jianchao added: “We demand the US side abandon its cold war thinking and stop its gratuitous criticism of China . . . I think everyone is weary of this kind of farce, and it should end.”

　　Mr Zhou said Beijing was “concerned” about developments in the US Congress “because there are efforts to draft legislation which would be seen as being protective in nature”.

　　Chinese diplomats are worried about Congressional bills that seek to take action over issues such as China's currency policy, its product safety record and its relationship with Sudan.

　　Mr Zhou also warned Congress against introducing regulations that would govern China's new sovereign wealth fund. “I can understand they are very concerned about the security of the country, about what kind of role the sovereign wealth fund would play in acquisitions or mergers . . . but I hope they will not politicise the issue.”

　　It was “a trade issue, a business issue”, he said.

　　“You cannot label one sovereign wealth fund and then sort of rule it out completely. It is not fair.”

　　On a trip to Florida with the US Chamber of Commerce Mr Zhou said China was interested in closer economic ties with US regions such as the south-east given Miami's status as a gateway to Latin America.

　　Chinese diplomats say they are broadly happy with the Bush administration's handling of foreign policy issues affecting ties between the two countries – most notably over Taiwan – and do not anticipate major changes from the next president, whether Democratic or Republican.