Chinese President Hu Jintao and his US counterpart George W. Bush discussed bilateral relations and the Iranian and Korean Peninsula nuclear issues during a telephone conversation on Thursday.

 

Hu said that China-US relations have moved forward in 2007, adding that the two sides have continued to hold deep dialogues that include strategic exchanges.

 

Bilateral trade and economic relations have developed quickly and continuously, and cooperation in other major fields has yielded fruits, the Chinese president said. The two countries have continued to consult each other closely and coordinated regarding major international and regional issues, he added.

 

Hu also said that the third China-US Strategic Economic Dialogue and the fifth China-US Strategic Dialogue would be held in Beijing soon.

 

China wants to make joint efforts with the US side in reaching more consensus and gaining more fruits through dialogues, making new contributions to the comprehensive development of China-US constructive and cooperative relations, he added.

 

Hu said that the appropriate handling of the Taiwan issue is the key to ensuring steady and healthy development for China-US ties.

 

Taiwan authorities are intensifying "Taiwan independence" activities, including Taiwan's proposed referendum on U.N. membership, thus creating serious challenges and threats to peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, he said.

 

It is in the common strategic interests of both China and the United States to firmly oppose and prevent "Taiwan independence" and maintain peace and stability across the Straits, he added.

 

Bush said the US attaches great importance to US-China ties.

 

The US-China Strategic Economic Dialogue and the US-China Strategic Dialogue are successful platforms by which the two sides cooperate, Bush said, expressing the hope that the dialogues continue to progress.

 

The US side would keep cooperating with China on the Taiwan issue, he added.

 

On the Iranian nuclear issue, Bush expressed the US willingness to solve the issue through dialogue and other diplomatic measures. He hoped the United Nations could continue any necessary action to urge Iran to stop its uranium enrichment activities.

 

Hu reiterated China's persistent stand to peacefully solve the nuclear issue through diplomatic negotiation, so as to protect regional peace and stability, which meets the interests of all concerned parties. China is willing to continue to play a constructive role to help solve the issue, Hu said.

 

About the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, Hu pointed out that the initial action of the relevant joint declaration has been fully implemented, and the second phase of actions has also been successfully initiated. Every party should grasp this opportunity and continue the dialogue, in order to gradually meet the target of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, Hu suggested.

 

Bush agreed that the six-party talks are the best way to solve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. The United States highly appreciates the important role China has played in this regard, and is willing to cooperate with other parties to push forward the six-party talks, Bush said.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 7, 2007)