China: Hu's Visit to US, Canada and Mexico

FM: Hu's Visit to US, Canada and Mexico Serves Common Development

Chinese President Hu Jintao's upcoming state visit to the United States, Canada and Mexico is aimed at strengthening dialog, increasing mutual trust and promoting cooperation for common development, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Thursday.

Hu will visit the three countries from September 5 to 17. In between, he will also attend the United Nations 60th anniversary summit.

Li said the president's visit to the United States will have a significant impact on the development of China-US ties, which are currently at an important stage.

China-US relations as a whole remain stable with close high-level communication and contact, and effective consultation and coordination in areas concerning the economy, anti-terrorism, law enforcement, non-proliferation of arms and the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

China and the United States share broad and important common interests, and China is ready to work together with the United States to handle bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective.

Li hopes the countries would show respect for each other, shelve differences to seek common grounds, improve communication and cooperation, properly handle differences and further improve the China-US constructive cooperative relations on the basis of the three China-US joint communiqués.

"Such moves will not only benefit the two countries' fundamental interests, but also help promote regional and world peace, stability and prosperity," Li said.

On Hu's visit to Canada, the first for a Chinese head of state in eight years, Li said: "I believe the visit will deepen bilateral cooperation in various fields and upgrade the China-Canada comprehensive partnership to a new level."

China-Canada relations have developed smoothly over the past 35 years since the two forged diplomatic ties, Li said.

The two countries announced a comprehensive cooperative partnership in 1997, "which signified that China-Canada relations have entered a new stage of comprehensive development."

According to Li, the two countries have maintained frequent high-level contacts and achieved significant results in their cooperation in the fields of economy, science and technology, energy resources, agriculture, the environment and health.

"We have also kept close consultation and cooperation in international affairs," Li added.

Li described Mexico as China's important trade partner and investment destination in Latin America, saying that as developing countries, China and Mexico share many common interests and similar requirements of safeguarding world peace and promoting development.

The Chinese president's visit to Mexico will help push forward the bilateral strategic partnership and promote cooperation between China and Latin America as well as the unity and coordination between developing countries.

"The Unites States is the largest developed country. Canada enjoys a flourishing economy and advanced technology. Mexico is an important developing country. China attaches great importance to the friendly cooperation with the three countries," Li said.

As for Hu's attending the UN summit, Li said it demonstrated China's support of the United Nations and would be conducive to closer China-UN cooperation.

At the summit meeting, Hu will present China's view and stance on the current international situation and certain major issues, and put forward specific proposals in relation to UN reform and international cooperation, Li said.

The summit, which Li believes will exert vital influence to the future of the United Nations and international relations, takes place from September 14 to 16 at UN headquarters in New York. Some 122 heads of state and 58 government leaders will attend.

Li said China hopes the summit would produce positive results, which should include reiterating the commitments to the spirit and principles enshrined in the UN Charter, safeguarding UN authority, promoting the settlement of the development issues and implementing the Millennium Development Goals.

China also hopes the summit would enhance the UN's ability to cope with threats and challenges through active and prudent reforms, promote multilateralism and help boost the sound and harmonious development of international relations.

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