Highlights of Sino-U.S. summit, joint statement

By Xinhua writer Zhan Yan

BEIJING, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President Barack Obama discussed Sino-U.S. relations and global issues during their meeting Tuesday in Beijing and the two countries issued a joint statement after the talks.

Following are the highlights of the joint statement and speeches by President Hu and President Obama in the talks and the meeting with the press:

HU TO VISIT U.S. NEXT YEAR

JOINT STATEMENT: President Obama invited President Hu to make a visit to the United States next year, and President Hu accepted the invitation with pleasure.

HU: Both sides have agreed to strengthen dialogue, communication and cooperation from a strategic and far-sighted perspective and to make joint efforts in building a positive, cooperative and comprehensive Sino-U.S. relationship so as to promote global peace, stability and prosperity.

OBAMA: We meet here at a time when the relationship between the United States and China has never been more important to our collective future. The major challenges of the 21st Century, from climate change to nuclear proliferation to economic recovery, are challenges that touch both our nations and challenges that neither of our nations can solve by acting alone.