The state-run Xinhua News Service says Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President-Elect Barack Obama spoke by phone on Saturday, their first reported conversation. The two stressed the importance of bilateral relations, discussed the seriousness of the financial crisis and touched on the Taiwan issue, but otherwise the piece was short on details:
Hu expressed appreciation to Obama for emphasizing in his election campaign speeches the great importance of China-US relations, and for advocating the strengthening of China-US cooperation in jointly responding to global challenges and in sharing global development opportunities.
Hu pointed out that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries 30 years ago, bilateral relations have generally kept developing despite setbacks, scoring hard-earned achievements and bringing about tangible interests to both nations.
As the largest developing nation and the largest developed nation, China and the United States share extensive common interests on issues related to world peace and development, and both assume important responsibility in this regard, Hu said.
Here are some of Obama’s very similar sounding contributions:
On today’s international arena, US-China relations are relations of vital importance. The development of US-China relations is not only in the interest of both nations, but also benefits the world, Obama said.
Saying that US-China relations face many development opportunities, Obama expressed the hope that the United States and China will strengthen cooperation, and promote greater development of bilateral relations, to bring benefits to both nations.