Wen pointed to the fruitful cooperation between the two sides and new progress in bilateral relations in recent years.

He said China and the United States were two important countries shouldering the vital tasks of safeguarding world peace and promoting human development.

There was vast potential for bilateral cooperation as China was the world's biggest developing country and the United States was the biggest developed country, Wen said.

He pointed out that progress in bilateral relations was not only in the interests of both peoples, but also conducive to world peace and development.

He said Chinese President Jiang Zemin's visit to the United States last year created a significant opportunity for the future development of bilateral ties, and the two sides should try to further relations by implementing the consensus reached between the two heads of state and removing interference.

Praising the Exchange's contributions to developing bilateral relations, Wen said he hoped it would continue to work for increasing mutual trust and understanding and play a more positive role in pushing the US Congress and government to handle bilateral ties from a long-term perspective and a strategic height.

Wen briefed the delegation on China's principled position on the Taiwan issue and discussed with them current international hot spots and other issues of common concern.

Congressman Don Manzullo and others in the delegation echoed Wen's remarks on bilateral relations, saying they were satisfied with progress on ties and were pleased to witness the changes in China.

They said the exchanges between the legislative bodies of the two countries were very important and the delegation had conducted productive talks with China's National People's Congress (NPC) during this visit.

Such exchanges would not only boost understanding and trust, but also help bilateral relations develop, they said.

The delegation is here as guest of the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee, whose Chairman Zeng Jianhui held talks with the delegation Wednesday morning.

(Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2003)