Li tells delegation 'relations have moved forward' over past 40 years

China and the United States should respect and accommodate each other's core interests and major concerns, and properly handle and resolve differences through dialogue and consultation on an equal basis, Premier Li Keqiang said on Thursday.

Li's comment came as he met a delegation of US senators and House members, led by Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing.

China, the world's largest developing country and the US, the largest developed country, though at different stages of development, are highly complementary economically, he said.

Li added that the two peoples have benefited from bilateral pragmatic cooperation.

It has been close to 40 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations, and the relations have moved forward despite all the hardships, he noted.

The healthy and stable development of Sino-US relations fits into the fundamental interests of both peoples, he said.

The two sides should work together to push forward the development of Sino-US ties in the right direction based on the consensus reached by the two countries' leaders, the premier said.

China will firmly deepen reforms and further expand its opening-up, and China's development will provide other countries with more opportunities and a broader market, he said.

Alexander said the US senators and congressmen were in China to show respect to a great country and a great people.

"Your country and our country are competitors, but not adversaries. We believe that with mutual respect, we can continue to prosper together," he told the premier.

According to a statement released after the meeting, the US delegation voiced a consensus that the two countries should resolve trade differences through consultation in an equal and fair manner, and imposing tariffs is not a solution to the problems.

The US senators and House members also expressed a willingness to play constructive roles in promoting bilateral relations and enabling better understanding and cooperation between the two nations.

Li also met with the Achim Steiner, administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, on Thursday.

Li said China looks forward to seeking synergies between its own development plan and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the UN.

Together with UN development agencies, including the UNDP, China also looks forward to safeguarding multilateralism and the international order with the purpose and principles of the UN Charter at its core, he said.