BEIJING - Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang met with former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in Beijing, urging the two countries to properly settle differences in bilateral relations and promote the healthy growth of relations.

"Under the new circumstances, the two countries should build a cooperative partnership featuring mutual respect and benefit to strengthen trust, expand common ground, and properly handle differences, in an effort to facilitate the healthy and stable growth of bilateral ties," Li told Kissinger on Tuesday afternoon.

Kissinger and his delegation came to Beijing for the third meeting of the China-US Track Two High-Level Dialogue, a gathering for dozens of retired prominent diplomats and officials from both countries.

Former Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and Kissinger led the two sides in the dialogue. The US delegation also included former Secretary of State George P. Shultz, former Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin and former US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen.

Li said that since the release of the Shanghai Communique 40 years ago, the two countries have pushed forward relations despite twists and turns.

"China-US relations have become one of the most important and energetic bilateral ties in the world," Li said.

In the face of increasing interdependence among countries, Li said the two countries should achieve win-win and all-win situations through cooperation.

China and the United States are highly compatible in their cooperation, the vice premier said, urging both sides to create a fair, equal and transparent environment, and expand cooperation in trade, investment, and alternative and clean energies.

Li also called on both countries to enhance cultural exchanges to cement mutual understanding and consolidate the social basis for bilateral friendship.

He expected retired US officials to play a positive role in strengthening bilateral ties.

Kissinger and other delegation members said most of them had been working for the US government for years, vowing to continue to contribute to boosting US-China relations.

The China-US Track Two High-Level Dialogue mechanism was launched in Beijing in October 2009. The previous two meetings were held in Beijing and Washington in 2009 and 2010, respectively.