A delegation led by US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte has arrived in Beijing to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and China. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, Wang Guangya, held a meeting with the US guests, and both sides pledged to deepen relations in the future.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya (3rd R) holds talks with visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte (2nd, L) in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 7, 2009.[Pang Xinglei/Xinhua]

Wang Guangya said he was delighted to meet Negroponte again, as they used to be colleagues when they represented their countries at the UN. They both hailed the development of bilateral ties over the past 30 years. And they pledged to forge ahead for a closer cooperation and seek common development in the future.

Wang said, "Both China and the US are fully aware that a healthy and well-developed diplomatic relationship is mutually beneficial. We look forward to working with the government led by the newly-elected president Barack Obama, and we are confident Sino-US relations will continue to prosper."

(CCTV January 8, 2009)