Jiang made the comments during a meeting yesterday with Singapore's visiting Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

The pair met to discuss bilateral ties, the possibility of increasing China-Singapore developments and terrorism.

Jiang said China backs strengthening the international push to crack down on terrorism.

The United Nations (UN) Security Council should play a leading role in anti-terrorism, Jiang said, stressing that the issue should be viewed from the perspective of peace and development.

Jiang said while efforts are taken to crack down on terrorism, it is also necessary to weed out its causes by reducing poverty and social injustice.

Expressing China's grief for those killed in the attacks in the US one year ago, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said China sternly opposes terrorism in all forms, regardless of its geographical location or target.

He added that terrorism threatens peace and stability.

Kong said the global cooperation to counter terrorism has been generally effective but he urged for an enhancement in cooperation and for the adoption of a comprehensive strategy based on the UN Charter to treat the issue by also looking at its causes.

Like other countries in the world, China is faced with the threat of terrorism, particularly from the East Turkistan force in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Apart from cooperating through groups like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, China has also discussed the issue with the United States, Russia, Britain, France, Pakistan and India.

Before leaving for New York to attend the 57th General Assembly of the UN, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said the fight against terrorism should stick to the principles of the UN Charter and the generally recognized norms governing international relations.

The People's Daily quoted Tang as saying terrorism should not be lumped together with any specific nation or religion.

He said anti-terrorism campaigns need to be based on solid evidence and should not be used wantonly.

Tang said to eradicate terrorism, concrete measures should taken across-the-board and comprehensive and systematic strategies should be established.

The Chinese delegation, led by Tang, left Beijing on Monday for the assembly. He will deliver a speech during the general debate of the assembly and attend UN meetings on African development, Afghanistan and anti-terrorism.

(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2002)