US, China not rivals, but partners in cooperation: Hu, Obama

Beijing, Nov.17 (ANI): Chinese President Hu Jintao and visiting U.S. President Barack Obama met the press here on Tuesday noon at the Great Hall of the People, and said that both countries did not each other as rivals, but as partners for cooperation in all spheres of mutually beneficial multilateral and bilateral issues.

Obama lauded China for helping the United States to pull out of the global recession, said to be one of the worst recession in a generation.

According to Xinhua, the official news agency, Obama said that a revised economic approach would help increase U.S. exports and create jobs while helping bring about higher living standards in China.

He also said that his government is committed to a strategy of spending less and saving more.

He also said that the US welcomes China playing a greater role in the world with 'greater responsibilities.'

On the Tibet issue, Obama said that the US reaffirms its committment to a one China policy and accepts Tibet as a part of China, but at the same time called on the Chinese leadership to take steps to resume dialogue with the representatives of the Dalai Lama at the earliest.

On his part, Hu Jintao said the key to Sino-U.S. relations was to mutually respect and accomodate each other's core interests and major concerns while differences from different national conditions were normal.

"The China-U.S. relations are very important. Maintaining and promoting such ties is a shared responsibility of both sides," Hu told reporters here after meeting visiting U.S. President Barack Obama.

China is ready to work together with the United States to push forward the continuous, healthy and stable development of Sino-U.S. relations to better serve the interests of the two peoples and the people around the world, the Chinese leader added.

Hu said that the two sides have reaffirmed the "cardinal principle" of "mutually respecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity" and voiced opposition to any attempt by any force that violates this principle.

He said that China appreciates President Obama's support for the one-China policy and the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques, and his respect for China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Taiwan issue and other matters.

"We have both agreed to conduct dialogues and exchanges on issues including human rights and religion, in the spirit of equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, so as to boost understanding, mitigate differences and broaden consensus," Hu said.

Jintao said that his talks with Obama were candid, constructive and fruitful.

He said both made a deep exchange of views on the China-U.S. relationship and major international and regional issues of common concern and reached consensus on many important issues.

Hu said both Obama and he believed that international cooperation needs to be strengthened at a time when the international situation continues profound and complex changes, global challenges keep increasing and interdependence between nations intensifies.

Under the new circumstances, China and the United States have more comprehensive shared interests, and a more extensive prospect for cooperation on a series of major issues involving the peace and development of the humankind, Hu said.

Hu said he and Obama gave positive remarks on the development of the China-U.S. relationship since the inauguration of the new U.S. administration, and they agreed to strengthen dialogue, communication and cooperation from a strategic and far-sighted perspective, and to make joint efforts to build a positive, cooperative and comprehensive China-U.S. relationship, so as to promote world peace, stability and prosperity. (ANI)