At the invitation of U.S. President Barack Obama, Chinese President Hu Jintao paid a state visit to the United States from January 18 to 21. As President Hu's trip is coming to an end, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi introduced to the accompanying journalists the visit and its outcome.

President Hu's current state visit to the U.S. is an important tour which came at the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century, on the 40th anniversary of the resumption of contact between the two countries and on the opening year of China's 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15) for national socio-economic development, Yang noted. Meanwhile, the international situation was undergoing profound and complicated changes, and the China-U.S. relationship was forging ahead with increasing momentum while inevitably encountering some differences and disputes, he said. Against such a special historical backdrop, the Chinese President paid a state visit to the United States on invitation, having frank and in-depth exchange of views from a strategic and overall perspective with U.S. leaders on how to develop bilateral relations in a new era, which is of great significance. During his visit, President Hu and his U.S. counterpart held talks and jointly met the press. Hu also attended a welcome banquet hosted by President Obama and a luncheon given by Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Hu met with Speaker John Boehner of the House, Majority leader Harry Reid of the Senate, Mayor of Chicago Richard Daley and other senior political figures, holding in-depth discussions with them on China-U.S. relations as well as major international and regional issues of common concern. The Chinese leader also reached out to the U.S. public, conveying China's resolution to advance China-U.S. ties, highlighting China's commitment to peaceful development and presenting China's image of peace, development, opening-up and progress, Yang said. Hu also received a joint interview of U.S. mainstream media. The U.S. and international media, he added, attached great importance to and spoke highly of Hu's trip, hailing it as a historic visit at a crucial moment. The tightly scheduled trip saw Hu attend nearly 20 events in Washington, D.C. and Chicago within 68 hours, and its significance was manifested partly in the top level reception with full pomp and ceremony given by the U.S. Government. President Obama hosted a private dinner for President Hu at the White House and Vice President Joe Biden greeted Hu at the airport. The two heads of state jointly attended more than 12 hours of activities including talks, meetings and other events. Hu's current visit has achieved rich results and cast a far-reaching influence.

I. Charting Course of China-U.S. Relations In the New Era

Since China and the United States established diplomatic relations 32 years ago, the China-U.S. relationship had maintained sound development in general thanks to concerted efforts by both sides, Yang said. The two sides had harvested rich fruit from their extensive cooperation, retained effective communication and coordination on major regional and global issues, brought tangible benefits to the two peoples, and made great contributions to the peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, he said. In the new era, China and the United States shared expanding common interests, shouldered increasing common responsibilities, and enjoyed a greater prospect of bilateral cooperation, the minister said.

During his visit, President Hu held talks with his U.S. counterpart Obama, exchanging views on China-U.S. relations as well as major international and regional issues in a candid, in-depth manner. In his talks with Obama, Hu stressed that today the international situation continues to undergo profound and complex changes. As heavyweight players on the world stage, China and the United States should push forward their positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship through new approaches, new moves and new spirits. In a five-point proposal on the future development of bilateral ties, the Chinese President underscored the need to develop a political relationship that featured equality, mutual trust and the precept of seeking common ground while reserving differences, to deepen their comprehensive, cooperative, mutually beneficial and win-win economic ties, to cooperate worldwide to cope with challenges, to promote friendly exchanges between the two peoples and to establish a pattern of high-level contact based on in-depth communication and candid dialogue. China, Hu said, was ready to work together with the United States to enhance dialogue, build up mutual trust, expand exchanges and deepen cooperation, properly handle sensitive issues, jointly secure a sustained, healthy and steady development of bilateral ties and create a new landscape of their cooperation.

Stressing that Hu's visit injected new strong impetus into the growth of bilateral relations, Obama fully agreed to Hu's important proposal on furthering bilateral ties. He added that the United States cherished its relationship with China and was willing to strengthen high-level contacts, increase strategic mutual trust and enhance cooperation to promote the sustained growth of world economy, boost prosperity of Asia Pacific and the world at large, prevent proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and tackle global environmental and climate change issues.

During the visit, the two heads of state mapped out the future course for their countries to enhance bilateral ties and key areas of their cooperation. In a joint statement issued by the two countries, both sides declared their commitment to building a cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit. The two countries mapped out the future course of bilateral ties based on the fact that both sides have carried out cooperation on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global areas. This move is aimed to further advance the positive, cooperative and comprehensive China-U.S. relationship. It would guide the two sides to conduct cooperation in a spirit of mutual respect, properly handle differences for mutual benefit, better benefit both countries and their peoples and contribute to world peace, stability and prosperity.

II. Boosting Strategic Mutual Trust

How to boost strategic mutual trust is now a major concern in the China-U.S. relationship and will remain so in the near future, the Chinese foreign minister said. As Hu noted, the two countries share more and more common interests, their mutually beneficial cooperation has been expanding continuously and the strategic significance and global influence of China-U.S. relations are increasingly prominent. China and the United States, respectively as the largest developing and developed country, have increasing common interests and common responsibilities in promoting world economic growth, safeguarding world peace and stability and pushing for global sustainable development, but due to differences in history, culture, social system and development level, divergences and sensitive issues still remain. The two sides should try to expand common ground, upgrade coordination, deepen strategic mutual trust and properly address their differences, Hu said, stressing that both sides would benefit from cooperation and suffer from confrontation. China and the United States, he added, should hold on tight to the main theme of dialogue and cooperation, build understanding and trust through dialogue, reduce misunderstandings and concerns through communication and promote development and prosperity through cooperation to consolidate the basis of common interests. Both sides should respect the social system and development path chosen by the other side and respect each other's sovereignty, territorial integrity and development interests. They should protect their relations from negative influence by accidental and sporadic events and steer the relationship through disturbances and challenges toward a better future.