Continuously developing relations between China and the United States is in line with aspirations of the two peoples and historical trends, said Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on Thursday.

"Sino-U.S. relations are now facing an opportunity for further development," Xi told U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte, who came to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-U.S. diplomatic relations.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (R) meets with visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 8, 2009. [Rao Aimin/Xinhua]

"China will work with the U.S. to push forward the relationship in the new historical period," he said.

Xi said China and the U.S. should make joint efforts to maintain constructive cooperation, consider interests and concerns of each other, strengthen dialogues and properly handle disputes.

He said the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the U.S. was a milestone in history that started a new era of cooperation between the two countries and had profound impact on the international situation.

Sino-U.S. relations made remarkable progress over the past three decades. In the past eight years in particular, cooperation in all areas had further developed and coordination in international and regional issues had been fruitful, said Xi.

Negroponte said no relationship in the world was more important than U.S-China relations.

He said the two countries had worked together to safeguard peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region and the world through bilateral and multilateral contacts.

Negroponte said U.S. administrations had long been committed to an engagement policy with China. He believed the new government would follow this policy too.

(Xinhua News Agency January 9, 2009)