Hu meets with Obama in Washington on China-US ties

"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 US 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-US 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 US-China relations and other issues of mutual interest. The two sides reached agreement on advancing the US-China relations in the new era.

However, not long ago, the China-US 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-US relations have demonstrated a sound momentum for development, and the two nations have reached consensus on promoting a positive, cooperative and comprehensive China-US relationship in the 21st century and set a new direction for the development of the China-US relations, Kazinform refers to China Daily.

See www.chinadaily.com.cn