President Hu Jintao's visit to the United States was "fruitful" and a "milestone" in bilateral relations, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said on Saturday.

During the four-day visit, President Hu conveyed the idea that China and the US are "not only stakeholders, but also constructive partners."

Speaking to reporters aboard the special plane which took Hu from the United States to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Li said the president's US visit yielded important results.

From Seattle, where Microsoft and Boeing are located, to Washington DC and then New Haven, the location of the prestigious Yale University, Hu's tight schedule featured 32 official activities.

He delivered a total of six speeches to US government officials, enterprises, academicians and students.

"The visit promoted comprehensive and constructive co-operation between China and the United States after President Hu repeatedly said that Sino-US relations have progressed beyond a bilateral relationship to one with global influence and a strategic significance," Li said.

Hu told his various hosts that China and the US shared important strategic interests in safeguarding world peace and promoting mutual development as both face threats in the field of traditional and non-traditional security, he added.

The US side appreciated President Hu's remarks, according to the foreign minister.

US President George W. Bush expressed his "welcome" to a peaceful and prosperous China, noting the two nations shared many strategic interests.

During Hu's visit, China and the United States also agreed to take joint steps to safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

Bush told Hu that he understood China's concern about the Taiwan question and that there was no change in the US policy on Taiwan, Li said.

Talking about bilateral economic and trade relations, Li said Hu's visit would strengthen Sino-US co-operation in the field.

Explaining China's concept and road of development, President Hu said China would hold high the banner of peace, development and co-operation, pursue an independent foreign policy of peace, and commit itself to peaceful development.

Hu's visit achieved the goal of promoting dialogue, improving mutual trust, deepening co-operation and taking constructive and co-operative relations between the two countries to a new stage, the foreign minister added.

(China Daily 04/24/2006 page1)