China has called for maintaining sound development of Sino-U.S. ties and promoting the development of a cooperative partnership, according to a press release issued Saturday by China's Foreign Ministry.

According to the release, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, as well as vice foreign ministers Zhang Zhijun and Cui Tiankai, met with visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns on Friday, to exchange views on bilateral relationship, upcoming multilateral and regional summits, and major global and regional issues, including situations concerning the Korean Peninsula and Iran.

During the meetings, the Chinese side told Burns that both sides should seriously implement the consensus reached between the two state leaders, maintain close contacts, and expand cooperation, while respecting each other's core interests and properly handling sensitive issues, so as to remove disturbances and ensure the relationship to develop in a healthy and stable way.

"Stable and sound bilateral ties are in the interests of the two countries and the world," said the Chinese side.

The U.S. side reiterated its commitment in building the U.S.-China cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit, according to the press release.

The U.S. side also said it was ready to enhance contacts and coordination with China, in efforts to deal with regional and global challenges.