China and Britain should make further efforts to inaugurate a new era of overall cooperation between the two countries, Chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC) Jiang Zemin said in Beijing Monday.

Jiang made the remark during his meeting with visiting British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of the Chinese government in Beijing.

Jiang and Blair exchanged views on bilateral relations and the current international state of affairs.

Jiang said Sino-British relations had experienced highs and lows over the past several decades, adding that bilateral ties had entered a new stage of sustained growth beginning in 1997 and have since demonstrated unprecedented vigor and great potential.

This proves that the two sides can move forward together and develop on a mutual basis as long as they share mutual respect and treat each other as equals, Jiang said.

With regard to the current international situation, Jiang said the issue of peace is increasingly important in the increasingly interdependent world.

Fighting terrorism, promoting the global economy, eliminating poverty and protecting the environment all require dialogue, consultation and cooperation among people of all countries on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit, Jiang said.

He said that, given the obvious disparities between countries, it is natural for them to have differences of opinion. Despite this, he underlined that China's traditional philosophy advocates peaceful co-existence, mutual benefit and a win-win situation. He said all countries should respect each other in political terms, promote mutual economic development and learn from each other in cultural terms. This is good for the progress of mankind, he said.

Blair said when China resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong six years ago, bilateral relations entered a new era. Over the years, cooperation between the two countries has grown rapidly as the spheres of cooperation expanded. He expressed satisfaction with the status of bilateral ties.

Blair said Britain wishes to consolidate its bilateral cooperation with China in order to deal more effectively with the multiple challenges of today's world. He said Britain stands willing to work with China to maintain stability and to promote global development.

(Xinhua News Agency July 22, 2003)