Mutual trust key to Sino-US ties: Hu Jintao

Beijing, May 24 (ANI): Chinese President Hu Jintao has called for regenerating an atmosphere of mutual trust between his country and the United States in an opening address to the China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue Monday.

"China and the United States have different national conditions; conflicts and disagreements are hard to avoid," the China Daily and Xinhua quoted Hu, as saying in his speech.

"The crux (of the matter) is to respect each other's core interests and major concerns, carefully handle sensitive issues and enhance the foundation of mutual trust," he added.

The two-day event, which kicked off in Beijing on Monday, will try to find solutions to issues ranging from trade and global economic recovery to regional tensions.

Chinese President Hu Jintao's special representatives, Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo, co-chaired the two-day meeting with US President Barack Obama's special representatives, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.

About 50 representatives from more than 40 departments of both countries participated in the dialogue.

Hu reaffirmed the importance of developing China-US relations, saying that a sound bilateral ties contributes to peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia Pacific region and the world.

He said the world is in the midst of major developments, changes and adjustments while the trend toward a multi-polar world and economic globalization is gathering momentum, adding global issues are becoming more pronounced, and regional and international hot-spot issues keep cropping up.

"China attaches great importance to its relations with the United States," he said, adding that to develop a long-term, sound and steady bilateral relationship meets the shared desire of the two peoples and contributes to peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia Pacific region and beyond. (ANI)