Chinese president meets leaders of APEC members

Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders attending the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

During their meeting, Hu and Putin reached broad consensus on major issues of common concern and on deepening the comprehensive China-Russia strategic cooperative partnership.

Hu put forward a seven-point proposal that seeks to advance bilateral ties, including promoting strategic mutual trust and mutual support.

The proposal also seeks to strengthen cooperation in investment, high technology and innovation and establish a mechanism on security and law enforcement.

In addition, Hu's proposal seeks to boost inter-military ties and cooperation at local levels and to closely coordinate on major regional and international issues.

Hu also pointed out that energy cooperation is a priority between China and Russia.

Putin said Russia-China relations have progressed at a high level and have yielded numerous benefits thanks to the personal contributions of both leaders.

The two countries have further boosted their political mutual trust and kept close communication and coordination in all spheres, Putin said, adding that both sides have made progress in cooperation in such as fields as aviation, space, natural gas, oil and nuclear energy.

Putin also said Russia attaches great importance to China's significant role in Asia-Pacific affairs. Russia, he said, is ready to improve bilateral coordination and cooperation and jointly promote peace, stability and development in the region.

During a meeting with Bruneian Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Hu said the two countries have maintained sound momentum. He said China attaches importance to its good-neighborly and friendly ties of cooperation with Brunei.

China, Hu said, is ready to work with Brunei to maintain high-level contacts and promote cooperation in trade, infrastructure and energy sectors.

Hassanal appreciated Beijing's assistance to his country's agricultural and fishing projects. He also expressed hope that the two nations' enterprises could advance their cooperation in areas of investment, energy and petrochemicals.

He reiterated Brunei's adherence to the one-China policy.

On the South China Sea issue, Hu said the situation is a chronic headache and all the parties concerned believe that it is in their common interest to properly handle the issue through dialogue and consultation.

China is ready to work with ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries to implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), advance practical cooperation and jointly maintain peace and stability in the region.

Hassanal said his country is willing to work with China in promoting ASEAN-China relations and carrying out close cooperation with China and ASEAN to implement the DOC.

While meeting with Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang, Hu said it is an established policy of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government to develop good-neighborly and friendly cooperation with Vietnam.

"The Chinese side is ready to work with Vietnam to deepen our traditional friendship, expand practical cooperation and advance our comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership," Hu said.

The Chinese leader said the two countries need to bring the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation and the China-Vietnam Economic and Trade Committee into full play.

Hu also suggested that China and Vietnam should promote people-to-people exchanges and more positive media coverage of bilateral cooperation.

Sang said Vietnam is ready to work with China to maintain high-level exchanges, enhance mutual trust, promote economic and trade cooperation, and strengthen coordination in international and regional affairs.

Hu acknowledged that China-Vietnam relations ran into some difficulties recently due to territorial disputes in the South China Sea, which is not what the Chinese side wants to see.

Hu said the two sides should jointly implement the consensus already reached in the consultation and avoid taking any unilateral action that may aggravate, complicate or internationalize the disputes.

Both countries should not let the South China Sea issue affect East Asia cooperation and regional stability, Hu said.

Sang said Vietnam is ready to work with China to push for an early resolution of the disputes through peaceful and friendly consultation.

Also on Friday, Hu, general secretary of the Central Committee of the CPC, met with Lien Chan, honorary chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT) Party.

Hu said that most of the proposals outlined in the "shared vision" for cross-Strait peaceful development, which was jointly issued by leaders of the two parties in 2005, have been fulfilled.

Both sides should unswervingly stick to the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties, which serves the common aspirations of the compatriots across the Strait, he said.

Hu said that in recent years the two sides have set up a common political basis of opposing "Taiwan independence" and of upholding the 1992 Consensus, which is key to keeping cross-Strait ties moving in the right direction.

Hu called on the two sides to increasingly enhance mutual trust, broaden consensus and, in particular, adhere to the one-China policy.

Speaking of the economic situation in Taiwan, the CPC leader said the mainland is ready to participate in follow-up talks on implementing the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA).

Lien said that, since the CPC and KMT leaders issued the "shared vision" for cross-Strait peaceful development in 2005, both sides have put aside differences and sought a win-win result, and have created a new stability on both sides of the Strait.

The 1992 Consensus, Lien said, serves as the foundation of the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties and the one-China policy is the fundamental principle in dealing with cross-Strait affairs.

He also expressed hope that both sides would further enhance mutual trust, strengthen cooperation, set up a framework for peaceful and steady development of cross-Strait relations and launch peace forums.