China's top legislator Wu Bangguo met with visiting U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden in Beijing on Thursday afternoon.

China and the United States share broad and important common interests, and the bilateral relationship is intrinsically reciprocal, said Wu.

He said President Hu Jintao's visit to the United States in January opened a new era for the development of China-U.S. relations.

"China will work with the U.S. side to implement consensus reached by the two state leaders, and promote further development of the cooperative relationship," Wu said.

He called on the two sides to strengthen dialogue, communication and cooperation, to continue to enhance strategic mutual trust, to respect

each other's core interests and major concerns, and to properly handle disputes and sensitive issues.

Biden said the U.S.-China relationship is "central and critical." The success of the two countries at the moment when economic circumstances are "uneasy" would "not only benefit their own prosperity but also the world," he said.

Biden said a prosperous, united and strong China is in the interests of the United States.

He said the different histories, cultures and systems of the two countries should provide opportunities for bilateral cooperation not obstacles. The two countries should be candid in their discussions and strengthen cooperation, he added.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislative body, also stressed parliamentary cooperation.

Friendly exchanges between the NPC and U.S. Congress are critical for maintaining healthy bilateral relations, Wu said, noting the two sides should further enhance communication, give full play to their regular exchange mechanism and play a constructive role for a sound development of China-U.S. relations.

On Thursday morning, Vice President Xi Jinping hosted a welcome ceremony for Biden and then had talks with his counterpart at the Great Hall of the People.

Biden arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for a six-day official visit to China as a guest of Xi.

Apart from Beijing, Biden will also visit southwest Sichuan Province.