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Mutual benefit keyword in defining China-US ties

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-01-23 08:06
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China and US determined to forge partnership based on respect and goodwill

Beijing - Chinese President Hu Jintao left Chicago for home on Friday after concluding a four-day state visit to the United States, during which Hu and his US counterpart Barack Obama agreed to build a China-US cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and benefit.

Hu, who began his visit on Tuesday, had extensive and in-depth discussions with Obama at the White House on Wednesday on major bilateral, regional and world issues.

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The two sides reached "important agreement on China-US relations and major international and regional issues of shared interest," the Chinese president said when he and Obama met the press following their discussions.

"We both agree to further push forward the positive, cooperative and comprehensive China-US relationship," Hu said, adding that both sides also pledged to forge "a China-US cooperative partnership" for the benefit of the two countries and beyond.

The Chinese president said he and Obama also discussed their respective disagreements in the areas of economics and trade, and both sides have pledged "to continue to appropriately resolve these according to the principle of mutual respect and consultation on an equal footing."

On Wednesday, Hu also attended a state dinner and a welcome ceremony hosted by Obama.

He told the Americans on several occasions in Washington that the purpose of his visit to the United States was "to increase mutual trust, enhance friendship, deepen cooperation and advance the positive, cooperative and comprehensive China-US relationship for the 21st century."

During his visit, the two countries issued the "China-US Joint Statement", which says "China and the United States are committed to work together."

"China and the United States are actively cooperating on a wide range of security, economic, social, energy, and environmental issues which require deeper bilateral engagement and coordination," the statement said.

On Thursday, Hu called upon the US Congress to continue helping the two countries boost their relations.

Pursuing a healthy and steady development of China-US ties is China's established policy and strategic choice, Hu stressed when meeting House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Also on Thursday in Washington, Hu delivered an important speech at the welcome luncheon hosted by friendly organizations in the US.

To advance the sustained, sound and steady development of China-US relations serves the fundamental interests of peoples of China and the US, he said.

Many US analysts said President Hu Jintao's state visitto the US proved more constructive and encouraging than they thought.

The two leaders haveindicated a positive sign in the futurebilateral relationswith progress achieved in botheconomic and regional security issues, they told China Daily.

"I think it was a great success because the top leaders have sent a clear message to the people in both countries and the entire world that China and the US will not engage in a new Cold War," said Cheng Li, director of research of John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution.

"Instead, the two presidents agree that they can, should and must pursue a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship."

Charles Freeman, Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), agreed and saidthe visit was "highly successful."

The visit has achieved some progress on the economic issues, such as the Chinese currency reform and Chinese investment in the US, said Derek Scissors, economist at the Heritage Foundation.

"I believe progress was made on Chinese investment in the US.

"The very fact that President Obama publicly spoke of it so highly will help in the American political process, which has not been transparent or fair to Chinese investors up to now."

Abraham Denmark, Asia-Pacific security expert at the Center for a New American Security, said the summit between President Hu and President Obama produced important statements on cooperation on regional security issues.

Xinhua and Tan Yingzi contributed to the story.

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