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Hu makes proposal to enhance China-US ties

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-01-20 15:39

WASHINGTON - Chinese President Hu Jintao met with his US counterpart Barack Obamba at the White House Wednesday and made a five-point proposal for enhancing bilateral ties.

US President Barack Obama (R) and Chinese President Hu Jintao preside over a meeting with business leaders in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington, Jan 19, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

Both leaders expressed their dedication to developing a cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit. They also mapped out major directions for bilateral ties as well as key areas to deepen cooperation.

Hu, who arrived here Tuesday on a state visit to the United States, told Obama the development of China-US ties needs new ways of thinking, new actions and new climate.

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China is willing to work with the US side to enhance dialogue, boost mutual trust, expand exchanges and deepen cooperation so as to open up a new prospect for bilateral partnership, he said.

Hu put forward a five-point proposal for furthering bilateral ties.

Firstly, the two sides should develop a political relationship of equality, mutual trust and seeking common ground while reserving differences.

As long as both sides maintain dialogue and cooperation, treat each other in an objective and rational manner, and respect each other's choice of social system and path of development as well as each other's sovereignty, territorial integrity and development interests, bilateral ties will stay on the right track, he added.

Secondly, Hu said both sides should deepen their comprehensive, cooperative, mutually beneficial and win-win economic ties.

China is ready to work with the US side to carry out comprehensive economic cooperation, jointly ease trade imbalance, advocate free trade, oppose protectionism, boost the development of bilateral trade and economic ties, and push the Doha Round of global trade talks to achieve substantial results as soon as possible.

China will continue to provide completely fair national treatment to US investors in China, and hopes the US side will relax its restrictions on high-tech exports to China, offer an environment of fair competition to Chinese enterprises investing in the US, and adopt active measures to recognize China's full market economy status, Hu said.

He also urged both sides to deepen cooperation in new energy and infrastructure construction.

Thirdly, Beijing and Washington should jointly meet challenges through global cooperation, Hu said.

Fourthly, China and the US should further their friendship with the extensive involvement of both peoples, Hu said.

Meanwhile, Hu hoped that the two sides will smoothly launch the China-US Governors' Forum, a new initiative aimed at promoting bilateral practical cooperation at the local level.

Fifthly, the two sides should establish a high-level contact pattern featuring in-depth communication and candid dialogue, Hu said.

Both sides also should continue to be creative and conduct timely communication on bilateral relations and other major sensitive affairs and expand consensus, he added.

Obama, for his part, said Washington attaches great importance to its ties with Beijing, and is willing to further strengthen bilateral ties on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit.

The US president said that he fully agreed to Hu's proposal and that his country is ready to work together with China to enhance high-level contact, deepen strategic mutual trust and boost cooperation in efforts to boost world economic growth, enhance the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and address climate change and other issues.

Washington is also willing to make full use of the framework of the US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue to enhance mutual understanding and resolve differences through dialogues, he added.

In the 21st century, many multilateral issues need US-China cooperation, Obama said, adding that the United States appreciates China's important role in dealing with climate change.

The United States welcomes China's rise, and China's peaceful development benefits the United States and the whole world, he added.

Obama reaffirmed that the United States will adhere to the one-China policy and abide by the three Sino-US joint communiques. The Chinese president appreciated Obama's stance.

At the joint press conference following the summit, Hu said that he reached important consensus with US President Barack Obama during the talks, and both sides agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in economy and trade, energy and environment, science and technology, infrastructure construction, culture and education, counter-terrorism, non-proliferation, law enforcement and other areas so as to achieve mutual benefit.

Saying his talks with Obama were conducted "under candid, pragmatic and constructive atmosphere," Hu said China appreciates Obama's commitment to a positive and constructive China policy, and to stable and growing China-US relations since he took office two years ago.

Hu noted that China and the United States share expanding common interests and shoulder increasing common responsibilities, and voiced support for expanding military exchanges between the two sides.

On the situation on the Korean Peninsula, he said both countries agreed to work together with relevant parties to maintain peace and stability on the peninsula, promote denuclearization of the peninsula and achieve lasting peace and security in Northeast Asia.

The Chinese leader reaffirmed China's firm commitment to the path of peaceful development and a win-win strategy of opening up, saying "China is a friend and partner of all countries, and China's development is an opportunity for the world."

Meanwhile, Hu said he and Obama discussed some disagreements in the economic and trade area, with both sides pledging "to continue to appropriately resolve these according to the principle of mutual respect and consultation on an equal footing."

At the press conference, Hu also called on China and the United States to work together to tackle global challenges, citing terrorism, security of humanity, international financial crisis and growth of the world economy while calling for increased people-to-people exchanges.

After their official talks, the two sides issued a joint statement, which said that the two countries have agreed to build a cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit, reaffirming their commitment to building a positive, cooperative, and comprehensive China-US relationship for the 21st century.

"The United States reiterated that it welcomes a strong, prosperous, and successful China that plays a greater role in world affairs," it said.

Both sides underscored the importance of the Taiwan?question in China-US relations. The Chinese side emphasized that the Taiwan question concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and expressed the hope that the US side will honor its relevant commitments and appreciate and support the Chinese side's position on this issue.

The US side stated that the United States follows its one-China policy and abides by the principles of the three joint communiques.

China and the United States reiterated their commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, even as they continue to have significant differences on these issues.

China and the United States affirmed that a healthy, stable, and reliable military-to-military relationship is an essential part of President Hu's and President Obama's shared vision for a positive, cooperative, and comprehensive China-US relationship.

Pledging to strengthen macroeconomic communication and cooperation in support of strong, sustainable and balanced growth in the two nations and the global economy, the two sides also recognized the importance of open trade and investment, and vowed to oppose trade protectionism.

China and the United States also agreed to continue their close consultations on action addressing climate change.

Before holding talks with Obama, Hu attended a welcome ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House hosted by President Obama, at which also present were US Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

On Wednesday evening, an opulent state dinner, the grandest of White House soirees, was hosted by President Obama in Hu's honor.

Hu, who is on his first state visit to the United States since Obama took office, will travel to Chicago Thursday and wrap up his visit Friday.