US President George W. Bush said in Washington on Wednesday that the success of the 17th meeting of the US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) would help reduce trade frictions between the two countries.

 

During a meeting in the White House with Vice Premier Wu Yi, who had just co-chaired the 17th JCCT meeting, Bush praised the Chinese side's efforts to solve the problems in US-China trade.

 

He said he looked forward to the upcoming visit by President Hu Jintao, adding that he expected to exchange views with Hu on US-China relations and other major issues of common concern.

 

Bush also reaffirmed his persistent position on the Taiwan issue.

 

On her part, Wu said that the 17th JCCT meeting had achieved constructive results through both sides' concerted efforts, which would be conducive to the settlement of bilateral trade disputes and would consequently promote the healthy development of Sino-US economic and trade cooperation.

 

She told Bush that during the meeting, China had agreed to conditionally resume beef imports from the US, and Chinese entrepreneurs had also signed a number of business contracts with their US counterparts.

 

Wu also said the upcoming visit by President Hu would be a key event in US-China ties and be of far-reaching significance to the steady development of the relationship between the two nations.

 

She stressed that China attached great importance to Hu's visit, and hoped it would turn out to be a success through joint efforts.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2006)