Obama says US welcomes China’s peaceful rise

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama has said cooperation between America and China is good for both countries as well as the world.

“I absolutely believe that China’s peaceful rise is good for the world and it’s good for America,” Obama told a joint press conference Wednesday after talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao at the White House.

The US president said the development of China has brought unprecedented economic growth to more people and more quickly than any time in history, Xinhua reported.

“We also think that China’s rise offers enormous economic opportunity,” he said.

Obama praised China’s efforts to expand the country’s domestic demand, that offers opportunities for US businesses and ultimately translates into US jobs.

Earlier, Hu Jintao said important consensus was reached during his talks with Obama.

Addressing the joint press conference, Hu said talks between them were conducted under candid, pragmatic and constructive atmosphere.

The Chinese president said China and the US share expanding common interests and common responsibilities.

“We believe expansion of military exchanges and cooperation will be conducive to deepening mutual trust between our two countries,” Hu said.

China and the US agreed to work together with relevant parties to promote denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and achieve lasting peace in East Asia, Hu said.

Referring to the issue of human rights, Hu said China is always committed to protection and promotion of human rights and is willing to conduct talks and dialogue with the US on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.