China, US pledge to advance ties and share responsibility

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-22-2009 09:06

Chinese President Hu Jintao has met with new US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. On Saturday, they said they would advance bilateral ties and share responsibility in the facing global challenges ahead.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (1st R) meets with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (1st L) in Beijing, China, Feb. 21, 2009. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

This is the first face-to-face dialogue between President Hu Jintao and the new Obama administration.

President Hu Jintao said relations are more important than ever, with the financial crisis and other global challenges. He said the Chinese government has always seen this relationship from strategic, long-term perspective, and China is willing to work with the US to strengthen ties. Hu Jintao said cooperation is also important on other international and regional issues, such as trade, anti-terrorism, law-enforcement, energy and the environment.

He said he would like to invite President Obama to visit China and is looking forward to meeting him at the G20 London Summit in April.

Secretary of State Clinton said US-China relations have entered a new era. She said the two countries share mutual interests on a wide range of issues, and the United States is willing to enhance collaboration.

Earlier, Premier Wen Jiabao also met with Clinton. During their meeting, Premier Wen Jiabao said the past thirty years of China-US relations have proved that cooperation is the only way to reach win-win solutions. The premier said that in the current complex global situation, the two countries should not only face the challenges, but also make progress.