Chinese President Hu Jintao met his US counterpart Barack Obama in New York Tuesday afternoon, both pledging efforts to further bilateral relations and calling for closer cooperation on global challenges such as climate change and financial crisis.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) meets his US counterpart Barack Obama in New York, the United States, Sept. 22, 2009. [Yao Dawei/Xinhua]

Hu and Obama also discussed trade issues and issues related to Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang.

China and the United States share broader common interests and broader prospects for development in the face of the complicated and ever changing international situation, Hu said during the meeting.

China is ready to work with the United States to seize these opportunities and deepen their cooperation so as to push forward bilateral relations in a sound and healthy way, Hu said.

China-US relations are on the whole now showing a sound momentum of development, and the two countries are joining efforts to build a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship for the 21st century, Hu said.

A sound China-US relationship is not only in the interests of the two countries, but is also conducive to peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia Pacific region and the world at large, Hu said.

Hu said China is ready to work with the US side to deepen their cooperation in various fields. He hoped both sides would properly handle problems in bilateral ties.

Obama said he is committed to building a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship between the two countries and is ready to put more vigor into this relationship. He looks forward to his forthcoming visit to China, which he hopes would help bring their bilateral relationship to a new level.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the UN climate change summit and other UN meetings. This is their second meeting this year since April when they met in London during a Group of 20 summit on the global financial crisis. Hu and Obama agreed in London to work together to build a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship in the 21st century.

During Tuesday's meeting, Hu said the two sides are implementing the consensus that he and Obama reached at the London summit.

Since Obama took office in January 2009, China-US relations have achieved a smooth transition and maintained a positive momentum of development.

The first China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue was held in Washington in late July with both sides pledging to strengthen bilateral ties and expand cooperation on major international issues and common global challenges.

Hu attributed these achievements made in bilateral ties over the past six months to the strategic and overall perspective that both sides have adopted in dealing with bilateral relations.

Therefore, Hu said, both countries were able to focus efforts on strengthening dialogue and expanding cooperation and strove to properly handle various sensitive issues and addressed each other's concerns in the spirit of mutual respect and seeking common ground while reserving differences.