Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing exchanged views with US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in Washington Tuesday on Sino-US relations and on military exchanges between the two countries.

Li said the two countries have achieved new progress in cooperation in economy and trade as well as in anti-terrorism, and have had fruitful consultations on major international and regional issues.

The Chinese side is pleased with the increasing exchanges between the armies of the two countries, and is willing, on an equal and mutually beneficial footing, to tackle differences and enhance exchanges and cooperation with the US side in various fields, the Chinese foreign minister said.

Rumsfeld said he is looking forward to the forthcoming visit by Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan to the United States next month.

He said the US Defense Department is willing to make efforts to promote the stable and healthy development of Sino-US relations.

The Chinese foreign minister on Tuesday also met US congressional leaders and leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House International Relations Committee on Sino-US trade and economic relations, the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula and other issues.

China and the United States, which shoulder responsibilities in maintaining peace, stability and development in the Asia-Pacific region as well as across the world and share wide-ranging common interests, should respect each other and enhance cooperation, the Chinese foreign minister said.?

(Xinhua News Agency September 24, 2003)