China, US to step up cooperative relation

China and the United States agreed here on Tuesday to step up bilateral constructive and cooperative relations and handle the bilateral ties "in a long-term and strategic perspective".

The agreement was reached in a meeting between Chinese President Hu Jintao and visiting United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues, such as the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

Hu applauded the growth of Sino-U.S. relations in the recent years and said the bilateral cooperation and the international coordination in such fields as anti-terrorism, trade, energy and environmental protection, among others, were "effective outcomes".

He spoke positively on the strategic dialogue and strategic economic dialogue mechanism forged between the two nations, highlighting the recent development of exchange and cooperation between the two country's militaries.

"The cooperation arena keeps expanding and the strategic significance of the bilateral ties grow higher and higher."