CHARTING THE COURSE: Chinese President Hu Jintao addresses the opening session of the fourth round of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Beijing on May 3 (XIE HUANCHI)

China and the United States should promote peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, said Chinese President Hu Jintao at the opening session of the fourth round of the Sino-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) in Beijing on May 3.

The annual dialogue was co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo, special representatives of Chinese President Hu Jintao, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, special representatives of U.S. President Barack Obama.

To build a new type of relationship between China and the United States, the two sides need to work actively, Hu said in a speech titled Promote Win-Win Cooperation and Build a New Type of Relationship Between Major Countries.

By citing an old Chinese saying, "only by working diligently can one achieve his goal, and only by walking tirelessly can one reach his destination," he urged the two sides to take solid and effective steps to implement what they have agreed upon.

The two countries should enhance practical cooperation in a wide range of areas, and step up coordination on regional and international issues, Hu said, adding they should bring the benefits of bilateral cooperation to the people of the two countries and the whole world.

Enhancing mutual trust

"To build a new type of relationship between China and the United States, we need to trust each other," Hu said.

He said the world is big enough for China, the United States and all other countries to achieve common development.

Over the past 30 years and more since its reform and opening-up process started, China has, through the hard work and wisdom of the Chinese people and win-win cooperation with the people around the world, pursued peaceful development.

"This is a right path to development that we have embarked on," said Hu. Following the path of peaceful development is China's strategic choice which will never change, and it is a solemn commitment China has made to the world, he added.

Expanding common ground

"To build a new type of relationship between China and the United States, we need to act in a spirit of equality and mutual understanding," he said, noting that given different national conditions, it is impossible for China and the United States to see eye to eye on every issue.

He said the two sides must know how to respect each other, be good at expanding common ground and make the pie of their converging interests bigger.