China is ready to promote cooperation with the United States in line with the three Sino-US joint communiques, said Chinese top advisor Jia Qinglin Friday.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made the remarks in a meeting with Theodore McCarrick, the Catholic Archbishop of Washington D.C. and his party.

Jia firstly expressed condolences to the people in hurricane-stricken areas in the south part of the United States.

Jia said China-US relations, under joint efforts of both sides, have achieved remarkable progress and maintained sound development momentum in recent years.

Chinese President Hu Jintao and his US counterpart George W. Bush agreed during their meeting in New York last month to jointly promote the China-US constructive and cooperative relations in the new century.

"This consensus is of significance," said Jia.

China seeks peaceful development and has been committed to developing friendly relations with all nations of the world, Jia said, noting that China is willing to increase dialogue and exchanges with the United States and to further push forward China-US relations.

Jia said China-US exchanges in religious fields strengthened mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, and especially between the churches of the two countries.

McCarrick spoke highly of China's achievement made in economic growth and social progress, saying that Chinese people's living standards have been remarkably improved with the state's economic and social development.

McCarrick congratulated China for successfully launching its manned spacecraft, Shenzhou VI.

McCarrick and his party are here as guests of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

(Xinhua News Agency October 15, 2005)