The China-U.S. relationship is now at a new historic starting point, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Zhou Wenzhong said on Thursday in New York.

"It is the common aspiration of the Chinese and American peoples, and it serves our fundamental interests, to ensure healthy and steady development of the China-U.S. relationship in the coming years and beyond," Zhou said in an address at New York University.

China is ready to join hands with the new U.S. administration and American friends from all walks of life to further strengthen dialogue and exchanges and enhance mutual trust and cooperation, in efforts to promote the long-term, healthy, stable and in-depth development of Sino-American ties, the ambassador said in his public address on China-U.S. ties after Barack Obama took office as U.S. president on Tuesday.

The ambassador said he was happy to see that the China-U.S. relationship has forged ahead, rain or shine, in the past 30 years thanks to the joint efforts of both sides.

"From mutual estrangement and antagonism to responsible stakeholders and constructive partners, the bilateral relationship is more mature and stable," he said, "This is certainly beyond the wildest imagination of most people."

The Chinese side has congratulated Obama on his inauguration, Zhou said. The Chinese ambassador also noted that Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao sent messages last November congratulating Obama on his election as U.S. president. Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping also extended congratulations to Joe Biden on his election as vice president.

On the global financial crisis, Zhou said it poses a raft of challenges for China's economic growth.

"The Chinese government has made timely adjustments to its policies and stepped up macroeconomic regulation," he said.

The Chinese government will continue to strive to expand domestic demand, consumer demand in particular, make greater efforts to transform the economic development pattern and adjust the economic structure, strengthen agriculture as the foundation of the economy and increase farmers' income, he said.

Zhou also briefed the audience on China's achievements made over the past 30 years since the policy of reform and opening up was initiated 30 years ago.

(Xinhua News Agency January 23, 2009)