Hu meets former US President Bush in Beijing

BEIJING—Chinese President Hu Jintao met here on Friday with former U.S. President George Bush.
Hailing the progress of China-U.S. relations in recent years, Hu said that to develop healthy, stable bilateral ties was in the common interest of both sides and had great significance for peace and development of the Asian-Pacific region and the world at large.
China was willing to properly handle divergence and major concerns through dialogue and beef up bilateral exchanges and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, Hu said.
He said that he appreciated Bush’s efforts to boost China-U.S. friendship. He also briefed the former U.S. leader about China’s stance on the Taiwan issue and its preparations for the Beijing Olympic Games.
Calling U.S.-China relations one of the world’s most important bilateral ties, Bush said that he was happy with the development of the progress of bilateral relations and expressed confidence that there would be even closer ties with China.
As the honorary president of the U.S. delegation for the Olympic Games, Bush said he expected to be back in China in August to watch the Games.
Calling the Olympics a world sports festival, Bush said that he opposed politicizing the event and expected a complete success for the Games. Chinese and U.S. retired senior generals concluded a meeting exchanging views on promoting bilateral military ties on Saturday, said the Chinese Defense Ministry.
Former Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Xiong Guangkai and former Deputy Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. Armed Forces William Owens, respectively, led delegations to the meeting in Sanya, Hainan Province, the first of its kind between the two countries.
Altogether, nine retired Chinese and U.S. senior generals exchanged frank views on the military ties, the Taiwan issue and others of common concern at the meeting themed “Sanya originality” in the southern province known as the “Hawaii of China.”
The sides offered “constructive” advice on how to strengthen ties between the two armed forces, according to the Foreign Affairs Office of the Defense Ministry. The exchange was conducted in a “frank and friendly” atmosphere and was fruitful. The two sides agreed the retired generals of both armed forces should enhance contacts and exchanges to jointly promote the development of bilateral military ties.
Owens and the U.S. delegation were visiting at the invitation of the China Association for International Friendly Contact.
Before going to Sanya, Owens met with Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Xu Caihou in Beijing. Xu told him that the United States should see clearly the essence and risk of “Taiwan independence”.—Xinhua