Hu for joint US-Chinese effort on addressing global challenges

Lalit K Jha

Washington, Jan 19 (PTI) Chinese President Hu Jintao,today called for a joint US-China effort in addressing globalchallenges and emphasised on the need to step up co-ordinationand communication on international issues.

"China and US should step up communication andcoordination in international affairs, work together tocounter the global challenges, and make a greater contributionto world peace and development," Hu said in his address at thewelcome ceremony on the South Lawns of the White House.

"I have come to the United States to increase mutualtrust, enhance friendship, deepen cooperation and push forwardthe positive cooperative and comprehensive China-USrelationship for the 21st century," Hu said in Chinese whichwas interpreted into English.

The first Chinese leader to come to the US on aState visit in 13 years, Hu asserted that cooperation aspartners should be based on mutual benefit.

"We live in an increasingly diverse and colourfulworld. China and the United States should respect each other''schoice of development path and each other''s core interests.

We should deepen mutual understanding throughcommunication, increase mutual trust through dialogue, andexpand common ground through exchanges.

Our cooperation as partners should be based onmutual benefit. China''s future and destiny are increasinglytied to those of the world and China-US relations have becomecloser.

Our two countries should seek to learn from each otherthrough exchanges and achieve win-win progress throughcooperation.

This is the right approach for us to develop ourrelations," he said.

Hu said over the past 32 years since the establishmentof diplomatic ties, the China-US relationship has grown intoone with strategic significance and global influence.

Since Obama took office, with concerted efforts ofthe two sides, the cooperation in various fields has producedfruitful results, and the relations have achieved newprogress, he noted praising his American counterpart standingby his side.

This has brought real benefits to our two peoplesand contributed greatly to world peace and development.

As we enter the second decade of the 21st century,the people of both China and the United States want to seefurther progress in our relations, and people around the globewant to see greater prosperity in the world.

Under the new circumstances and in the face of newchallenges, China and the United States share broad commoninterests and important common responsibilities.

"We should adopt a long-term perspective, seekcommon ground while resolving differences, and work togetherto achieve sustained, sound, and steady development of ourrelations. I hope that through this visit, our two countrieswill advance the positive, cooperative, and comprehensiverelationship, and open a new chapter in our cooperation aspartners," Hu said.