Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President Barack Obama met in Washington Monday to exchange views on China-U.S. relations and other important world and regional issues of common concern.

"We had a talk over phone recently, and have maintained contact through phone calls and letters," Hu said when the meeting began.

This is the first meeting between Hu and Obama since the U.S. president paid a state visit to China last November.

The two leaders are meeting on the sidelines of the April 12-13 Nuclear Security Summit, which mainly discusses prevention of acts of nuclear terrorism.

Since the Obama administration took office, the China-U.S. relations have witnessed positive development thanks to joint efforts of both sides.

During their first meeting in London last April, President Hu and President Obama agreed to work together to "build a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship in the 21st century."

Last November, Obama paid a state visit to China, during which Hu and Obama held in-depth, productive and candid discussions on the U.S.-China relations and other issues of mutual interest. The two sides reached agreement on advancing the U.S.-China relations in the new era.

However, not long ago, the China-U.S. relations suffered undue disruption, which is in the interest of neither side.

In a phone conversation with Obama on April 2, President Hu said that since President Obama took office, with joint efforts from both sides, the China-U.S. relations have demonstrated a sound momentum for development, and the two nations have reached consensus on promoting a positive, cooperative and comprehensive China-U.S. relationship in the 21st century and set a new direction for the development of the China-U.S. relations.

China has always viewed ties with the United States from a strategic and long-term perspective and is willing to work with the United States to further implement the consensus reached by the two sides, adhere to the principles of the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques and the Sino-U.S. joint statement, and respect each other's core interests and major concerns, Hu said.

He said that China is also ready to cooperate with the U.S. side to properly address differences and sensitive issues between the two nations, strengthen dialogue and cooperation in all areas and make unremitting efforts to develop the positive, cooperative and comprehensive China-U.S. relationship.

The Chinese president said that properly handling the Taiwan and Tibet issues, which concern China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and represent China's core interests, is key to ensuring a sound and stable development of the China-U.S. relations.

Obama said that the positive, cooperative and comprehensive relations between the United States and China are very important for both countries and the world.

Healthy and stable relations between the Untied States and China serve the strategic and long-term interests of both countries, he noted.

The U.S. president reaffirmed his country's adherence to the one-China policy, which it recognizes as one of China's core interests.

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2010)