China is ready to work with the United States to push forward bilateral constructive and cooperative relationship, said a Foreign Ministry spokesman on Wednesday.

Spokesman Qin Gang made the remarks when asked to comment on Barack Obama's election as President of the United States and on Joe Biden's election as Vice President of the country.

Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao on earlier Wednesday sent messages respectively to congratulate Barack Obama on his election, and Vice President Xi Jinping extended congratulations to Joe Biden.

As President Hu noted in his congratulatory message, Qin said, "China and the United States share broad common interests and important responsibilities on a wide range of major issues concerning the well-being of humanity. To grow long-term healthy and stable China-U.S. relations serves the fundamental interests of our countries and peoples and is of great significance to the maintenance and promotion of peace, stability and development in the world."

"China is ready to work with the United States to continuously strengthen dialogue, exchanges and cooperation in various fields and enhance mutual understanding and trust on the basis of the three Sino-U.S. Joint Communiqués, with a view to push forward the bilateral constructive and cooperative relationship and bring greater benefits to people of the two countries and the rest of the world," Qin said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 5, 2008)