Cooperation and common prosperity are the mainstream of the relations between China and the US, said President Hu Jintao in Beijing Sunday.

 "It is inevitable for China and the US to have different views on some issues as the two countries have different history, culture and domestic situation," Hu said when meeting the press after talks with visiting US President George W. Bush.

He added the two countries should properly settle the difference through talks in the spirit of mutual respect and seeking common ground while shelving difference, and on the basis of the basic norms of international relations.

Hu said China's path of peaceful development is "an inevitable choice" based on its national conditions, its historical and cultural traditions and the current development trend in today's world.

Hu called the country's development as "peaceful," "open" and "cooperative."

Remarkable achievements have been made in the fields of democracy and human rights since the founding of the People's Republic of China, especially after the launching of the reform and open-up drive, said Hu. The Chinese people have practiced democratic election, management, decision-making and supervision in accordance with law.

"China will continue to build up democracy with its own characteristics and improve its people's human rights based on the actual situation and the aspiration of the people," Hu said.

On the Taiwan issue, Hu said that it is in the common interest of both China and the US to oppose and check "Taiwan Independence" and safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

"The Chinese government and people have been committed to safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, and will make the utmost efforts with the utmost sincerity to achieve the country's peaceful reunification," Hu said.

"We will never tolerate 'Taiwan Independence,'" he added.

Hu said Bush has reiterated, on many occasions, that the US will stick to the one-China policy, abide by the three Sino-US joint communiqués and oppose "Taiwan Independence," which he said he highly appreciates.

On the six-party talks, Hu said China and the US will work with parties concerned to promote the process of the talks, in an effort to achieve a peaceful solution to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue at an early date.

Hu told the press that both China and the US agreed that the fourth-round six-party talks ended with important staged achievements, and the first phase of the fifth-round talks was held in a serious and pragmatic atmosphere.

Both China and the US hold that they enjoy extensive common interests and shoulder important common responsibilities in such areas as the UN reforms, the development issue, the advance in the Doha Round multilateral trade talks, the solution to regional hot issues, the war on terrorism, non-proliferation on weapons of mass destruction, and the fight against natural disasters and epidemic diseases, Hu said.

The two countries also agreed to enhance cooperation in international and Asia-Pacific affairs.

As to the issue of bird flu, Hu said China and the US will work together on the global and regional prevention and control of bird flu.

Both sides agreed that the spread of bird flu and the disease's transmission to humans is a common threat to all countries, and both sides have reached a consensus on the joint proposal of strengthening bilateral cooperation in prevention and control of this epidemic disease, he said.

On trade and economic relations, Hu said both China and the US agreed to expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation, believing it serves the common interests of the two countries and peoples.

"The two sides have expressed the readiness to gradually realize trade balance through joint efforts in the process of development," Hu said.

He called for consultations to properly handle the friction and problems emerging in the rapid development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation, saying China and the US will stick to the principle of mutual benefit and common development and continue to expand the sphere of cooperation for mutual benefit and a win-win result.

"I've told President Bush that the Chinese side will intensify the efforts to protect intellectual property rights and crack down on infringement. We are ready to strengthen cooperation with the US in this regard," Hu said.

China will "unswervingly" boost the reform of the exchange rate formation mechanism in the principle of benefiting both China and the world at large, he said.

China and the US have also agreed to increase cooperation in fighting terrorism on the basis of mutual benefit, and have signed a memorandum of understanding on a mega-port plan.

The two countries also agreed to increase exchanges and cooperation in culture, education, science and technology, as well as among the youths, said Hu.

Bush said that the China-US relationship was important and his current China visit would help further cement it.

"The relationship between China and the US is an important relationship. This trip will make it stronger," he said.

Describing China as an important trade partner of the US, Bush said the two countries share many common opportunities and challenges in the 21st century.

On the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Bush said both the US and China seek a Korean Peninsula that is stable with peace and free of nuclear weapons.

He thanked China for its leading role in the six-party talks.

"The fourth-round six-party talks in September ended with a joint statement, in which North Korea promised to abandon all nuclear weapons and all existing nuclear programs," Bush said. "The US expects them to honor their commitment."

He expressed "the deepest condolence" to China on the death of Chinese citizens in the terrorist attack in Amman, Jordan.

"Terrorism is a threat to both of our two countries. We welcome China's cooperation in the war against terrorism," he said.

He highlighted economic cooperation between the US and China, saying that the two countries would continue their joint efforts in the areas of market access and the protection of intellectual property rights.

The US would continue to cooperate with China to realize the commitment China made in July to establish a flexible market-based currency system.

On July 21, the People's Bank of China, China's central bank, announced that China's currency, the yuan, would be traded at a rate of 8.11 yuan for one US dollar and the yuan to US dollar pegging system was switched to a basket of foreign currencies.

Bush said he and Hu also had good talks about energy. "China is a growing economy and China recognizes, like the US recognizes, in order to keep our economies growing in the years to come, we've got to share technology and diversify away from hydrocarbons," he said.

According to him, it is important that social, political and religious freedom grows in China. "We encourage China to continue making the historic transition to a greater freedom," he said.

The US and China were working together for the prevention and control of bird flu, said Bush, who also appreciated China's role in this field.

Bush arrived in Beijing Saturday evening. This is the third time he comes to China as US president.

(Xinhua News Agency November 21, 2005)