counterpart

[yanx]

Hi,

I got a question, as follows:

For a noun, to avoid repetition, more often we use prepositions such as 'it','that' and etc, as in 'The price is much higher than that of 1998'. But is the word 'counterpart' regarded as one of those words whose role is to substitute for the repetitive words? If so, is it correct that for those English is not their mother tongue, we 'd better use 'counterpart' to avoid repetitiveness? Please see the following example:

*** The Chinese foreign minister made this remark when he met with his French counterpart in Beijing.

However, if instead of saying that, we say the Chinese foreign minister made this remark when he met with the French foreign minister in Beijing, how would you feel as a English native speaker. (The only point I can notice is that if the sentence is said with repetition, it then implicates that the Chinese foreign minister did so when he met with his French counterpart, but not other goverment VIPs of France).

Looking forward to your better advice!

PS:If there are any mistakes in what I said above please feel free to point out, I will highly appreciate it.

[5jj]

The Chinese foreign minister made this remark when he met with his French counterpart in Beijing.

That's fine.

'It' and 'that' refer back to a noun previously mentioned. 'Counterpart' means 'someone' (or, possibly, 'something') doing the same job as someone previously mentioned.

'The Chinese foreign minister made this remark when he met (with) the French foreign minister in Beijing' is fine.

[yanx]

The Chinese foreign minister made this remark when he met with his French counterpart in Beijing.

That's fine.

'It' and 'that' refer back to a noun previously mentioned. 'Counterpart' means 'someone' (or, possibly, 'something') doing the same job as someone previously mentioned.

'The Chinese foreign minister made this remark when he met (with) the French foreign minister in Beijing' is fine.

Thanks, fivejedjon! But is it right that 'counterpart' can be used in any place as long as there are two parties or organizations (say 'banks')mentioned in a sentence, one doing the same job or having the same funciton as the other? Ta!

[5jj]

I hesitate to give an unqualified 'yes', but I think so.

[yanx]

I hesitate to give an unqualified 'yes', but I think so.

I see, thanks!